Employee Benefit Plans	12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2017
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Employee Benefit Plans	Employee Benefit Plans Defined Contribution Plan In October 2003, the Company adopted a defined contribution plan, The Noodles & Company 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). Company employees aged 21 or older, are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan beginning on the first day of the calendar month following 30 days of employment. Under the provisions of the plan, the Company may, at its discretion, make contributions to the 401(k) Plan. Participants are 100% vested in their own contributions. The Company made no contributions during 2016, 2015 and 2014. Deferred Compensation Plan The Company’s deferred compensation plan, under which compensation deferrals began in 2013, is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan which allows highly compensated employees to defer a portion of their base salary and variable compensation each plan year. To offset its obligation, the Company purchases Company-owned whole-life insurance contracts on certain team members. As of January 3, 2017 and December 29, 2015, $1.6 million and $1.5 million, respectively, were included in other assets, net, which represents the cash surrender value of the associated life insurance policies, and $1.5 million and $1.6 million, respectively, were included in other long-term liabilities, which represents the carrying value of the liability for deferred compensation. Employee Stock Purchase Plan In 2013, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) under which eligible team members may voluntarily contribute up to 15% of their salaries, subject to limitations, to purchase common stock at a price equal to 85% of the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the first day of each offering period or 85% of the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the last day of each offering period, whichever amount is less. In general, all non-highly compensated employees who have been employed by the Company for at least thirty days prior to the offering period and who are regularly scheduled to work more than 20 hours per week and for more than five months in any calendar year, are eligible to participate in the ESPP which operates in-line with the Company’s fiscal quarters. A total of 750,000 shares of common stock are available for issuance under the ESPP. The Company has issued a total of 80,312 shares under this plan, of which 26,088 shares were issued during 2016. A total of 669,688 shares remain available for future issuance. For 2016, in accordance with the guidance for accounting for stock compensation, the Company estimated the fair value of the stock purchase plan using the Black-Scholes multiple-option pricing model. The average assumptions used in the model included a 0.12% risk-free interest rate; 0.25 year expected life; expected volatility of 31.7%; and a zero percent dividend yield. The weighted average fair value per share at grant date was $1.02. In 2016, the Company recognized $31,795 of compensation expense related to the ESPP.

Employee Benefit Plans

Defined Contribution Plan

In October 2003, the Company adopted a defined contribution plan, The Noodles & Company 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). Company employees aged 21 or older, are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan beginning on the first day of the calendar month following 30 days of employment. Under the provisions of the plan, the Company may, at its discretion, make contributions to the 401(k) Plan. Participants are 100% vested in their own contributions. The Company made no contributions during 2016, 2015 and 2014.

Deferred Compensation Plan

The Company’s deferred compensation plan, under which compensation deferrals began in 2013, is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan which allows highly compensated employees to defer a portion of their base salary and variable compensation each plan year. To offset its obligation, the Company purchases Company-owned whole-life insurance contracts on certain team members. As of January 3, 2017 and December 29, 2015, $1.6 million and $1.5 million, respectively, were included in other assets, net, which represents the cash surrender value of the associated life insurance policies, and $1.5 million and $1.6 million, respectively, were included in other long-term liabilities, which represents the carrying value of the liability for deferred compensation.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In 2013, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) under which eligible team members may voluntarily contribute up to 15% of their salaries, subject to limitations, to purchase common stock at a price equal to 85% of the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the first day of each offering period or 85% of the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the last day of each offering period, whichever amount is less. In general, all non-highly compensated employees who have been employed by the Company for at least thirty days prior to the offering period and who are regularly scheduled to work more than 20 hours per week and for more than five months in any calendar year, are eligible to participate in the ESPP which operates in-line with the Company’s fiscal quarters. A total of 750,000 shares of common stock are available for issuance under the ESPP. The Company has issued a total of 80,312 shares under this plan, of which 26,088 shares were issued during 2016. A total of 669,688 shares remain available for future issuance. For 2016, in accordance with the guidance for accounting for stock compensation, the Company estimated the fair value of the stock purchase plan using the Black-Scholes multiple-option pricing model. The average assumptions used in the model included a 0.12% risk-free interest rate; 0.25 year expected life; expected volatility of 31.7%; and a zero percent dividend yield. The weighted average fair value per share at grant date was $1.02. In 2016, the Company recognized $31,795 of compensation expense related to the ESPP.