Segment Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2011		Jun. 27, 2010		Jun. 26, 2011		Jun. 27, 2010		Dec. 26, 2010
Revenues from external customers:
Revenue from external customers	$ 293,534,000		$ 280,647,000		$ 606,001,000		$ 566,433,000
Intersegment revenues:
Intersegment revenues	39,036,000		74,172,000		105,403,000		150,945,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	19,067,000		21,663,000		45,847,000		48,592,000
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(929,000)		(911,000)		(2,051,000)		(2,000,000)
Total income before income taxes, net of noncontrolling interests	18,138,000		20,752,000		43,796,000		46,592,000
Property and equipment:
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(253,457,000)				(253,457,000)
Net property and equipment	182,788,000				182,788,000				186,594,000	[1]
Domestic Company-owned restaurants [Member]
Revenues from external customers:
Revenue from external customers, domestic	127,641,000		124,594,000		266,312,000		254,238,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	7,421,000		8,656,000		18,304,000		20,101,000
Property and equipment:
Property and equipment, gross	170,386,000				170,386,000
Domestic Commissaries [Member]
Revenues from external customers:
Revenue from external customers, domestic	121,027,000		113,936,000		248,699,000		226,576,000
Intersegment revenues:
Intersegment revenues	35,872,000		33,234,000		73,972,000		66,878,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	4,321,000		8,036,000		13,875,000		15,184,000
Property and equipment:
Property and equipment, gross	83,364,000				83,364,000
North America Franchising [Member]
Revenues from external customers:
Revenue from external customers	18,227,000	[2]	17,546,000	[2]	38,143,000	[2]	35,796,000	[2]
Intersegment revenues:
Intersegment revenues	535,000		511,000		1,083,000		1,015,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	16,240,000	[2]	15,699,000	[2]	34,249,000	[2]	32,050,000	[2]
International [Member]
Revenues from external customers:
Revenue from external customers	14,269,000	[2]	11,548,000	[2]	27,030,000	[2]	22,287,000	[2]
Intersegment revenues:
Intersegment revenues	58,000		356,000		105,000		689,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	(250,000)	[2]	(1,322,000)	[2]	(1,066,000)	[2]	(2,854,000)	[2]
Property and equipment:
Property and equipment, gross	18,417,000				18,417,000
North America [Member]
Revenues from external customers:
Other sales	12,370,000		13,023,000		25,817,000		27,536,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Intersegment revenues:
Intersegment revenues			37,362,000		25,117,000		76,504,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes			2,678,000				6,163,000
All Others [Member]
Intersegment revenues:
Intersegment revenues	2,571,000		2,709,000		5,126,000		5,859,000
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	(298,000)		178,000		(676,000)		1,127,000
Property and equipment:
Property and equipment, gross	35,680,000				35,680,000
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	(8,517,000)		(12,129,000)		(18,286,000)		(22,959,000)
Property and equipment:
Property and equipment, gross	128,398,000				128,398,000
Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Income (loss) before income taxes	150,000		(133,000)		(553,000)		(220,000)
Reclassification from International to North America Franchising [Member]
Property and equipment:
Impact of reclassification of franchised restaurants on revenues			305,000				773,000
Impact of reclassification of franchised restaurants on income before income taxes			$ 250,000				$ 680,000

[1] Note: The balance sheet at December 26, 2010 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, but does not include all information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for a complete set of financial statements.

[2] The results for the three and six months ended June 27, 2010 for franchised restaurants operating in Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada have been reclassified from International to North America franchising to conform to the current year presentation. The impact of the reclassification was to increase North America franchising revenues and income before income taxes by $305,000 and $250,000, respectively, for the three months ended June 27, 2010, and $773,000 and $680,000, respectively, for the six months ended June 27, 2010, with corresponding decreases in the International operating segment results.