Earnings Per Common Share ("EPS") (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended						4 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 03, 2011	Jun. 11, 2011	Mar. 19, 2011	Sep. 04, 2010	Jun. 12, 2010	Mar. 20, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 25, 2010		Dec. 26, 2009
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income - YUM! Brands, Inc.	$ 383	$ 316	$ 264	$ 357	$ 286	$ 241	$ 356	$ 274	$ 1,319		$ 1,158		$ 1,071
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (for basic calculation) (in shares)									469		474		471
Effect of dilutive share-based employee compensation (in shares)									12		12		12
Weighted-average common and dilutive potential common shares outstanding (for diluted calculation) (in shares)									481		486		483
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.67	$ 0.56	$ 0.76	$ 0.61	$ 0.51	$ 0.77	$ 0.58	$ 2.81		$ 2.44		$ 2.28
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.80	$ 0.65	$ 0.54	$ 0.74	$ 0.59	$ 0.50	$ 0.75	$ 0.56	$ 2.74		$ 2.38		$ 2.22
Unexercised employee stock options and stock appreciation rights (in millions) excluded from the diluted EPS computation (in shares)									4.2	[1]	2.2	[1]	13.3	[1]

[1] These unexercised employee stock options and stock appreciation rights were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because to do so would have been antidilutive for the periods presented.