Acquisitions (Details) $ in Thousands, € in Millions							3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2024 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2024 EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) facilities	Mar. 31, 2023 BRL (R$)	Aug. 01, 2022 USD ($) facilities	Aug. 01, 2022 BRL (R$)	Sep. 28, 2024 USD ($)	Mar. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2024 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Aug. 01, 2022 BRL (R$) facilities
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition and integration costs							$ 218		$ 3,430		$ 5,402	$ 12,158
Net sales							1,421,891		1,625,204		4,297,482	5,173,997
Net income attributable to Darling							16,949		125,026		176,972	563,210
Goodwill							2,455,948				2,455,948		$ 2,484,502
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments											9,147
South America
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net sales							131,169		127,440		392,369	$ 376,549
Senior Secured Facilities | Revolving Credit Facility
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding							515,000				515,000
Senior Secured Facilities | Term A-4 Facility
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding			$ 500,000
Senior Secured Facilities | Term A-3 Facility
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding			300,000
FASA Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment					$ 224,384
Other noncurrent liabilities					$ (503)
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life					11 years 4 months 24 days	11 years 4 months 24 days
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross					$ 562,600	R$ 2,900,000,000
Business Combination, Number of Facilities Acquired | facilities					14									14
Business Combination, Purchase Price Adjustments										$ 7,100
Business Combination, Number of Facilities Acquired Under Construction | facilities					2									2
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low | R$														R$ 0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High | R$														1,000,000,000.0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability					$ 83,000									R$ 428,200,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Future Earnings Growth Period					3 years	3 years
Goodwill					$ 301,937
Less hold-back					$ 21,705
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate					5.16									5.16
Deferred tax asset					$ 2,315
FASA Group | Collection Routes
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles					$ 108,600
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life					12 years	12 years
FASA Group | Trade Names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles					$ 10,900
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life					5 years	5 years
Gelnex
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business combination, consideration transferred			853,300	R$ 4,300,000,000
Property, plant and equipment			169,205
Other noncurrent liabilities			$ (19)
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life			11 years 3 months 18 days	11 years 3 months 18 days
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross			$ 1,100,000
Business Combination, Purchase Price Adjustments									$ 14,100
Net sales							66,900				201,700
Net income attributable to Darling							1,000				$ (50,800)
Goodwill			542,572
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments								$ (9,100)
Less hold-back			104,145
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount			425,000
Business Combination, Price of Acquisition, Expected			$ 1,200,000
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate			5.08
Increase in property, plant and equipment								13,700
Decrease in intangible assets								(9,500)
Increase in deferred tax liabilities								5,100
Increase in other assets and liabilities								100
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Partial Payment			$ 243,500
Deferred tax asset			$ 9,067					$ 8,100
Gelnex | South America
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Number of Facilities Acquired | facilities			5
Gelnex | UNITED STATES
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Number of Facilities Acquired | facilities			1
Gelnex | Trade Names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles			$ 8,500
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life			5 years	5 years
Gelnex | Customer Relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles			$ 331,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life			11 years 4 months 24 days	11 years 4 months 24 days
Miropasz
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 21,200
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	$ 34,900
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	17 years	17 years
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross	$ 114,300	€ 105.6
Purchase price and other immaterial adjustments							$ 200
Goodwill	62,800
Less hold-back	$ 7,600	€ 7.0
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate	1.082198
Business Combination, Recognized Indefinable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Net Assets	$ 2,800