Debt Instrument, Interest Rate Floor

No definition available.

Name:	ndls_DebtInstrumentInterestRateFloor
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the total principal payments made during the annual reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAnnualPrincipalPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payment applied to principal.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityPeriodicPaymentPrincipal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Borrowings (Credit Facility) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended						3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended
Borrowings (Credit Facility) (Details) (USD $)	Jan. 01, 2013	Oct. 01, 2013	Feb. 28, 2011	Oct. 01, 2013 Revolving Line of Credit [Member]	Feb. 28, 2011 Revolving Line of Credit [Member]	Feb. 28, 2011 Swing Line Loan [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 Senior Term Loan [Member]	Feb. 28, 2011 Senior Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 01, 2013 Senior Term Loan [Member] IPO [Member]	Oct. 01, 2013 Minimum [Member]	Oct. 01, 2013 Minimum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 Minimum [Member]	Oct. 01, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Oct. 01, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 Secondary Rates [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Secondary Rates [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 Secondary Rates [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Secondary Rates [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jan. 01, 2013 Federal Funds Rate [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Federal Funds Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 120,000,000.0	$ 120,000,000.0	$ 45,000,000.0	$ 45,000,000.0	$ 5,000,000.0			$ 75,000,000.0
Amount outstanding	94,500,000	1,700,000						75,000,000.0
Remaining borrowing capacity	23,100,000	41,300,000
Basis spread on variable rate																1.00%	3.00%	3.25%	4.00%	1.00%	1.00%	2.00%	4.00%	4.25%	5.00%	0.50%	0.50%
LIBOR floor on all borrowings																					1.25%
Commitment fee on unused portion of facility	0.50%
Quarterly payment due on term loan through December 2015							200,000
Letters of credit outstanding	1,700,000	2,000,000
Annual principal paid	$ 800,000
Interest rate										4.25%	3.50%	3.60%	5.50%	5.50%	5.50%