Business Summary and Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 28, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business Summary and Basis of Presentation	Business Summary and Basis of Presentation Business Noodles & Company (the “Company” or “Noodles & Company”), a Delaware corporation, develops and operates fast casual restaurants that serve globally inspired noodle and pasta dishes, soups, salads and sandwiches. As of June 28, 2016, we had 443 company-owned restaurants and 71 franchise restaurants in 35 states, the District of Columbia and one Canadian province. The Company operates its business as one operating and reportable segment. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Noodles & Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, all adjustments considered necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented have been included and are of a normal, recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements on Form 10-K have been condensed or omitted. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 29, 2015 was derived from audited financial statements. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2015. Fiscal Year The Company operates on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Tuesday closest to December 31. Fiscal year 2016, which ends on January 3, 2017, contains 53 weeks and fiscal year 2015, which ended on December 29, 2015, contained 52 weeks. Our fiscal quarters each contain 13 operating weeks, with the exception of the fourth quarter of a 53-week fiscal year, which contains 14 operating weeks. The Company’s fiscal quarter that ended June 28, 2016 is referred to as the second quarter of 2016, and the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2015 is referred to as the second quarter of 2015. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, “Leases.” The pronouncement amends the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheet and making targeted changes to lessor accounting. The pronouncement will be effective beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted. The new leases standard requires a modified retrospective transition approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after the date of initial application, with an option to use certain transition relief. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this accounting standard will have on its financial position or results of operations and cash flows and related disclosures. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting,” which is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification of awards on the statement of cash flows. The pronouncement is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this accounting standard will have on its financial position or results of operations and cash flows and related disclosures.

Business Summary and Basis of Presentation

Business

Noodles & Company (the “Company” or “Noodles & Company”), a Delaware corporation, develops and operates fast casual restaurants that serve globally inspired noodle and pasta dishes, soups, salads and sandwiches. As of June 28, 2016, we had 443 company-owned restaurants and 71 franchise restaurants in 35 states, the District of Columbia and one Canadian province. The Company operates its business as one operating and reportable segment.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Noodles & Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, all adjustments considered necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented have been included and are of a normal, recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements on Form 10-K have been condensed or omitted. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 29, 2015 was derived from audited financial statements. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2015.

Fiscal Year

The Company operates on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Tuesday closest to December 31. Fiscal year 2016, which ends on January 3, 2017, contains 53 weeks and fiscal year 2015, which ended on December 29, 2015, contained 52 weeks. Our fiscal quarters each contain 13 operating weeks, with the exception of the fourth quarter of a 53-week fiscal year, which contains 14 operating weeks. The Company’s fiscal quarter that ended June 28, 2016 is referred to as the second quarter of 2016, and the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2015 is referred to as the second quarter of 2015.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, “Leases.” The pronouncement amends the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheet and making targeted changes to lessor accounting. The pronouncement will be effective beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted. The new leases standard requires a modified retrospective transition approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after the date of initial application, with an option to use certain transition relief. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this accounting standard will have on its financial position or results of operations and cash flows and related disclosures.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting,” which is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification of awards on the statement of cash flows. The pronouncement is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this accounting standard will have on its financial position or results of operations and cash flows and related disclosures.