Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 12, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 26, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 27, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($) entity	Dec. 27, 2015 USD ($) entity	Dec. 28, 2014 USD ($) entity
Segment Information
Reportable segments, number | entity											5	5	5
Revenues			$ 439,619,000	$ 422,442,000	$ 422,964,000	$ 428,595,000	$ 416,816,000	$ 389,284,000	$ 398,991,000	$ 432,284,000	$ 1,713,620,000	$ 1,637,375,000	$ 1,598,149,000
Depreciation and amortization											40,987,000	40,307,000	39,965,000
Income before income taxes											158,809,000	119,147,000	114,255,000
Property and equipment, gross			617,357,000				575,562,000				617,357,000	575,562,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortization			(386,884,000)				(361,518,000)				(386,884,000)	(361,518,000)	(337,584,000)
Net property and equipment			230,473,000				214,044,000				230,473,000	214,044,000	219,457,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											55,554,000	38,972,000	48,655,000
Gain on refranchising											11,600,000
Impairment charge											1,400,000
Legal settlement expense									$ 8,000,000		(898,000)	12,278,000
Perrin v. Papa John's International, Inc. and Papa John's USA, Inc.
Segment Information
Legal settlement expense	$ (900,000)	$ 12,300,000									900,000
Domestic Company-owned restaurants
Segment Information
Revenues											815,931,000	756,307,000	701,854,000
North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues											102,980,000	96,056,000	90,169,000
International
Segment Information
Revenues											113,103,000	104,691,000	102,455,000
Operating segments | Domestic Company-owned restaurants
Segment Information
Revenues											815,931,000	756,307,000	701,854,000
Depreciation and amortization											16,028,000	14,841,000	13,829,000
Income before income taxes											75,136,000	56,452,000	40,969,000
Property and equipment, gross			225,081,000				223,246,000				225,081,000	223,246,000	208,488,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											16,257,000	14,631,000	23,475,000
Operating segments | North America commissaries
Segment Information
Revenues											623,883,000	615,610,000	629,492,000
Depreciation and amortization											6,027,000	6,205,000	6,776,000
Income before income taxes											46,325,000	44,721,000	39,317,000
Property and equipment, gross			128,469,000				110,344,000				128,469,000	110,344,000	107,992,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											14,164,000	3,924,000	5,756,000
Operating segments | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues											102,980,000	96,056,000	90,169,000
Income before income taxes											91,669,000	83,315,000	77,009,000
Operating segments | International
Segment Information
Revenues											113,103,000	104,691,000	102,455,000
Depreciation and amortization											2,188,000	2,935,000	3,903,000
Income before income taxes											11,408,000	10,891,000	7,250,000
Property and equipment, gross			15,673,000				14,826,000				15,673,000	14,826,000	25,443,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											4,390,000	4,540,000	1,708,000
Operating segments | All others
Segment Information
Revenues											57,723,000	64,711,000	74,179,000
Depreciation and amortization											3,830,000	4,829,000	6,156,000
Income before income taxes											1,467,000	845,000	(9,000)
Property and equipment, gross			55,586,000				47,481,000				55,586,000	47,481,000	46,013,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											7,897,000	4,701,000	5,906,000
Elimination
Segment Information
Revenues											256,444,000	241,870,000	245,977,000
Income before income taxes											(2,405,000)	(1,181,000)	(841,000)
Elimination | North America commissaries
Segment Information
Revenues											236,896,000	224,067,000	220,406,000
Elimination | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues											2,869,000	2,690,000	2,400,000
Elimination | International
Segment Information
Revenues											269,000	292,000	320,000
Elimination | All others
Segment Information
Revenues											16,410,000	14,821,000	22,851,000
Unallocated corporate
Segment Information
Depreciation and amortization											12,914,000	11,497,000	9,301,000
Income before income taxes											(64,791,000)	(75,896,000)	(49,440,000)
Property and equipment, gross			$ 192,548,000				$ 179,665,000				192,548,000	179,665,000	169,105,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											$ 12,846,000	$ 11,176,000	$ 11,810,000