Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Refranchising (gain) loss		$ (255)		$ (100)		$ (29)		$ (156)		$ (752)		$ (201)		$ (19)		$ (111)		$ (540)		$ (1,083)		$ (163)
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Settlement																				(20)
Revenues
Total revenues																		5,688				6,356
Operating Profit																		2,296		2,761		1,682
Income from continuing operations																						1,018
Income from discontinued operations																						625
Net Income (loss) - YUM! Brands, Inc.										$ 436		$ 418		$ 206		$ 280		$ 1,542		$ 1,340		$ 1,643
Basic Earnings Per Common Share (in dollars per share)																		$ 4.80		$ 3.86		$ 4.17
Diluted Earnings Per Common Share (in dollars per share)																		4.69		3.77		4.10
Dividends Declared Per Common Share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.36		$ 0.36		$ 0.36		$ 0.36		$ 0.30		$ 0		$ 0.30		$ 0.30		$ 1.44		$ 0.90		$ 1.73
Unallocated amounts to segment [Member]
Revenues
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	[1],[2]																	$ 0		$ (5)		$ (2)
Unallocated and General and administrative expenses [Domain]
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Costs associated with PH U.S. Acceleration Agreement																				39
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Refranchising (gain) loss	[3]																					(12)
Revenues
Income from discontinued operations																		0		0		$ 625	[3]
Basic Earnings Per Common Share (in dollars per share)																						$ 1.59
Diluted Earnings Per Common Share (in dollars per share)																						$ 1.56
Continuing Operations [Member]
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Refranchising (gain) loss																		(540)		(1,083)		$ (163)
Share-based Compensation Expense	[4]																	50		65		80	[5]
Revenues
Total revenues		$ 1,558		$ 1,391		$ 1,368		$ 1,371		$ 1,577		$ 1,436		$ 1,448		$ 1,417		5,688		5,878		6,356
Restaurant Profit		101		100		91		74		159		154		161		144		366		618
Operating Profit		741	[6]	553	[6]	449	[6]	553	[6]	$ 1,215	[7]	$ 643	[7]	$ 419	[7]	$ 484	[7]	2,296	[6]	2,761	[7]	1,682
Income from continuing operations		$ 334		$ 454		$ 321		$ 433										$ 1,542		$ 1,340		$ 1,018
Basic Earnings Per Common Share (in dollars per share)		$ 1.07		$ 1.43		$ 0.99		$ 1.30		$ 1.29		$ 1.21		$ 0.59		$ 0.78		$ 4.80		$ 3.86		$ 2.58
Diluted Earnings Per Common Share (in dollars per share)		$ 1.04		$ 1.40		$ 0.97		$ 1.27		$ 1.26		$ 1.18		$ 0.58		$ 0.77		$ 4.69		$ 3.77		$ 2.54
Continuing Operations [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues	[1],[2]																	$ 0		$ (5)		$ (2)
General and Administrative Expense [Member] | Unallocated amounts to segment [Member]
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost																		8		21
Costs associated with PH U.S. Acceleration Agreement																				13
General and Administrative Expense [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost																		8		23		67
Franchise and property expenses [Member] | Unallocated and General and administrative expenses [Domain]
Fiscal Period Adjustment [Line Items]
Costs associated with PH U.S. Acceleration Agreement																				31
Product [Member]
Revenues
Company sales		$ 477		$ 499		$ 512		$ 512		$ 890		$ 871		$ 909		$ 902		2,000		3,572		4,189
Product [Member] | UNITED STATES
Revenues
Company sales																		1,143
Product [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Revenues
Company sales	[3]																					5,667
Franchise and property revenue [Member]
Revenues
Company sales		709		605		584		584		$ 687		$ 565		$ 539		$ 515		2,482		2,306		2,167
Franchise and property revenue [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Revenues
Company sales	[3]																					109
Advertising [Member]
Revenues
Company sales		$ 372		$ 287		$ 272		$ 275										1,206		$ 0		$ 0
Advertising [Member] | UNITED STATES
Revenues
Company sales																		$ 706

[1] Amounts have not been allocated to any segment for performance reporting purposes.

[2] Represents costs associated with the KFC U.S. Acceleration Agreement and Pizza Hut U.S. Transformation Agreement. See Note 5.

[3] Includes Yum China financial results from January 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016.

[4] Includes $3 million of appreciation and $18 million of depreciation in the market price of Yum China's stock in 2018 and 2017, respectively. See Note 5.

[5] Includes $30 million due to modifications of awards in connection with the Separation that was not allocated to any of our operating segments for performance purposes. See Note 5.

[6] Includes net gains from refranchising initiatives of $156 million, $29 million, $100 million and $255 million in the first, second, third and fourth quarters, respectively.

[7] Includes net gains from refranchising initiatives of $111 million, $19 million, $201 million and $752 million in the first, second, third and fourth quarters, respectively.