Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 26, 2020	Jun. 27, 2020	Mar. 28, 2020	Sep. 28, 2019	Jun. 29, 2019	Mar. 30, 2019	Sep. 26, 2020	Sep. 28, 2019
Net income	$ 101,605	$ 66,495	$ 86,091	$ 26,837	$ 31,044	$ 19,640	$ 254,191	$ 77,521
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	37,854	20,139	(65,236)	(47,626)	16,326	(4,886)	(7,243)	(36,186)
Pension adjustments	648			859			1,943	2,576
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	38,890			(52,841)			(4,514)	(38,015)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	140,495			(26,004)			249,677	39,506
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	456			1,120			1,364	7,822
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	140,039			(27,124)			248,313	31,684
Parent [Member]
Net income	101,605			26,837			254,191	77,521
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	(732)			1,328			(1,445)	1,509
Pension adjustments	518			767			1,554	2,300
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	(2,732)			2,648			(469)	4,384
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	98,873			29,485			253,722	81,905
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	98,873			29,485			253,722	81,905
Guarantors [Member]
Net income	21,876			15,165			63,051	50,505
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	0			0			(128,994)	0
Pension adjustments	0			0			0	0
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	0			0			(128,994)	0
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	21,876			15,165			(65,943)	50,505
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	21,876			15,165			(65,943)	50,505
Non-guarantors [Member]
Net income	113,481			37,532			283,093	125,499
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	38,586			(48,954)			123,196	(37,695)
Pension adjustments	130			92			389	276
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	41,622			(55,489)			124,949	(42,399)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	155,103			(17,957)			408,042	83,100
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	456			1,120			1,364	7,822
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	154,647			(19,077)			406,678	75,278
Eliminations [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments				0				0
Corn Option [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	(2,518)	1,804	136	553	22		(578)	575
Corn Option [Member] | Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	(2,518)			553			(578)	575
Corn Option [Member] | Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Corn Option [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	1,494			(1,683)			3,424	450
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member] | Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member] | Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	1,494			(1,683)			3,424	450
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	1,412	$ 5,679	$ (9,151)	(4,944)	$ 1,451	$ (1,937)	(2,060)	(5,430)
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] | Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] | Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	1,412			(4,944)			(2,060)	(5,430)
Eliminations [Member]
Net income	(135,357)			(52,697)			(346,144)	(176,004)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	0			0			0	0
Pension adjustments	0			0			0	0
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	0			0			0	0
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	(135,357)			(52,697)			(346,144)	(176,004)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	$ (135,357)			$ (52,697)			$ (346,144)	$ (176,004)