Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Heating Oil	Corn Option	Soybean Meal	Foreign Exchange Contract	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Heating Oil	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Corn Option	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Soybean Meal	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Foreign Exchange Contract	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Treasury Stock	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Heating Oil	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Corn Option	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Soybean Meal	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Foreign Exchange Contract	Retained Earnings	Non-controlling Interests
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 28, 2019											163,775,111
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Dec. 28, 2019	$ 2,643,350					$ 2,565,819					$ 1,686	$ 1,560,897	$ (75,022)	$ (321,847)					$ 1,400,105	$ 77,531
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	86,091					85,510													85,510	581
Deductions to noncontrolling interests	(9,875)					3,271						3,271								(13,146)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	648					648								648
Derivative adjustments		$ 10,870	$ 136		$ (9,151)		$ 10,870	$ 136		$ (9,151)					$ 10,870	$ 136		$ (9,151)
Foreign currency translation	(65,236)					(65,147)								(65,147)						(89)
Issuance of non-vested stock (in shares)											8,000
Issuance of non-vested stock	40					40						40
Stock-based compensation	10,778					10,778						10,778
Treasury stock (in shares)											(2,372,876)
Treasury stock	(60,082)					(60,082)							(60,082)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											447,729
Issuance of common stock	873					873					$ 5	868
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 28, 2020											161,857,964
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Mar. 28, 2020	2,608,442					2,543,565					$ 1,691	1,575,854	(135,104)	(384,491)					1,485,615	64,877
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 28, 2019											163,775,111
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Dec. 28, 2019	2,643,350					2,565,819					$ 1,686	1,560,897	(75,022)	(321,847)					1,400,105	77,531
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	254,191
Derivative adjustments			(578)	$ 0	(2,060)
Foreign currency translation	(7,243)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 26, 2020											162,067,099
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Sep. 26, 2020	2,835,189					2,773,920					$ 1,696	1,589,479	(143,826)	(325,608)					1,652,179	61,269
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 28, 2020											161,857,964
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Mar. 28, 2020	2,608,442					2,543,565					$ 1,691	1,575,854	(135,104)	(384,491)					1,485,615	64,877
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	66,495					65,439													65,439	1,056
Deductions to noncontrolling interests	(299)																			(299)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	647					647								647
Derivative adjustments		(8,940)	1,804		5,679		(8,940)	1,804		5,679					(8,940)	1,804		5,679
Foreign currency translation	20,139					20,779								20,779						(640)
Issuance of non-vested stock	55					55						55
Stock-based compensation	4,693					4,693						4,693
Treasury stock (in shares)											(72,540)
Treasury stock	(1,572)					(1,572)							(1,572)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											172,852
Issuance of common stock	1,211					1,211					$ 1	1,210
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 27, 2020											161,958,276
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Jun. 27, 2020	2,698,354					2,633,360					$ 1,692	1,581,812	(136,676)	(364,522)					1,551,054	64,994
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	101,605					101,125													101,125	480
Deductions to noncontrolling interests	(4,181)																			(4,181)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	648					648								648
Derivative adjustments		1,494	(2,518)	0	1,412		1,494	(2,518)		1,412					1,494	(2,518)		1,412
Foreign currency translation	37,854					37,878								37,878						(24)
Issuance of non-vested stock	56					56						56
Stock-based compensation	3,580					3,580						3,580
Treasury stock (in shares)											(220,652)
Treasury stock	(7,150)					(7,150)							(7,150)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											329,475
Issuance of common stock	4,035					4,035					$ 4	4,031
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 26, 2020											162,067,099
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Sep. 26, 2020	2,835,189					2,773,920					$ 1,696	1,589,479	(143,826)	(325,608)					1,652,179	61,269
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 02, 2021											162,200,389
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Jan. 02, 2021	2,954,209					2,891,909					$ 1,699	1,597,429	(151,710)	(252,433)					1,696,924	62,300
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	153,418					151,766													151,766	1,652
Distribution of noncontrolling interest earnings	(2,143)																			(2,143)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	792					792								792
Derivative adjustments		3,464	(800)	(257)	(6,806)		3,464	(800)	$ (257)	(6,806)					3,464	(800)	$ (257)	(6,806)
Foreign currency translation	(38,222)					(39,756)								(39,756)						1,534
Issuance of non-vested stock	58					58						58
Stock-based compensation	8,357					8,357						8,357
Treasury stock (in shares)											(684,674)
Treasury stock	(48,141)					(48,141)							(48,141)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											1,639,151
Issuance of common stock	6,017					6,017					$ 16	6,001
Balance (in shares) at Apr. 03, 2021											163,154,866
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Apr. 03, 2021	3,029,946					2,966,603					$ 1,715	1,611,845	(199,851)	(295,796)					1,848,690	63,343
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 02, 2021											162,200,389
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Jan. 02, 2021	2,954,209					2,891,909					$ 1,699	1,597,429	(151,710)	(252,433)					1,696,924	62,300
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	499,693
Derivative adjustments			2,472	(297)	(4,519)
Foreign currency translation	(48,741)
Balance (in shares) at Oct. 02, 2021											161,778,631
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Oct. 02, 2021	3,269,237					3,205,524					$ 1,717	1,623,264	(302,188)	(309,353)					2,192,084	63,713
Balance (in shares) at Apr. 03, 2021											163,154,866
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Apr. 03, 2021	3,029,946					2,966,603					$ 1,715	1,611,845	(199,851)	(295,796)					1,848,690	63,343
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	198,069					196,582													196,582	1,487
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	792					792								792
Derivative adjustments		(2,308)	(356)	(17)	6,951		(2,308)	(356)	(17)	6,951					(2,308)	(356)	(17)	6,951
Foreign currency translation	22,384					21,980								21,980						404
Issuance of non-vested stock	41					41						41
Stock-based compensation	5,555					5,555						5,555
Treasury stock (in shares)											(1,171,630)
Treasury stock	(77,760)					(77,760)							(77,760)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											67,634
Issuance of common stock	513					513					$ 1	512
Balance (in shares) at Jul. 03, 2021											162,050,870
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Jul. 03, 2021	3,183,810					3,118,576					$ 1,716	1,617,953	(277,611)	(268,754)					2,045,272	65,234
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	148,206					146,812													146,812	1,394
Distribution of noncontrolling interest earnings	(3,853)																			(3,853)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	791					791								791
Derivative adjustments		$ (6,490)	$ 3,628	$ (23)	$ (4,664)		$ (6,490)	$ 3,628	$ (23)	$ (4,664)					$ (6,490)	$ 3,628	$ (23)	$ (4,664)
Foreign currency translation	(32,903)					(33,841)								(33,841)						938
Issuance of non-vested stock	41					41						41
Stock-based compensation	4,361					4,361						4,361
Treasury stock (in shares)											(350,552)
Treasury stock	(24,577)					(24,577)							(24,577)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											78,313
Issuance of common stock	910					910					$ 1	909
Balance (in shares) at Oct. 02, 2021											161,778,631
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Oct. 02, 2021	$ 3,269,237					$ 3,205,524					$ 1,717	$ 1,623,264	$ (302,188)	$ (309,353)					$ 2,192,084	$ 63,713