Segment Information (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 27, 2015	Sep. 28, 2014	Sep. 27, 2015	Sep. 28, 2014	Dec. 28, 2014
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		$ 389,284	$ 390,399	$ 1,220,559	$ 1,172,640
Income before income taxes		26,257	24,218	80,224	81,864
Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(363,236)		(363,236)
Net property and equipment		209,137		209,137		$ 219,457
Litigation Settlement, Expense				12,278
Operating segments | Domestic Company-owned restaurants
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		180,059	169,076	563,308	517,269
Income before income taxes		8,088	8,133	41,185	32,069
Property and equipment, gross		215,945		215,945
Operating segments | Domestic commissaries
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		145,863	149,224	457,203	463,852
Income before income taxes		10,192	8,897	32,694	26,174
Property and equipment, gross		109,532		109,532
Operating segments | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		22,285	22,348	71,185	66,221
Income before income taxes		19,172	19,023	61,545	56,389
Operating segments | International
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		27,001	26,392	78,753	75,594
Income before income taxes		3,184	1,436	6,807	4,071
Property and equipment, gross		21,266		21,266
Operating segments | All others
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		14,076	23,359	50,110	49,704
Income before income taxes		(556)	(298)	(230)	(150)
Property and equipment, gross		49,541		49,541
Elimination
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		57,947	60,903	179,411	180,378
Income before income taxes		(341)	(731)	(1,141)	(1,284)
Elimination | Domestic commissaries
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		53,398	53,830	165,744	160,143
Elimination | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		643	574	1,985	1,761
Elimination | International
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		73	78	223	236
Elimination | All others
Segment Information
Revenue from external customers		3,833	6,421	11,459	18,238
Unallocated corporate
Segment Information
Income before income taxes	[1]	(13,482)	$ (12,242)	(60,636)	$ (35,405)
Property and equipment, gross		$ 176,089		$ 176,089

[1] Includes a $12.3 million legal settlement expense in the nine-month period of 2015. See “Note 5” for additional information.