Supplemental Financial Information - Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 03, 2023	Dec. 28, 2021
Supplemental Financial Information [Abstract]
Prepaid occupancy related costs	$ 711	$ 73
Prepaid insurance	882	853
Current assets held for sale	0	3,514
Prepaid expenses	1,802	2,272
Other current assets	55	125
Prepaid expenses and other assets	$ 3,450	$ 6,837

Prepaid Occupancy Expense, Current

No definition available.

Name:	ndls_PrepaidOccupancyExpenseCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	ndls_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Supplemental Financial Information [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndls_SupplementalFinancialInformationAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ndls_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of assets held-for-sale that are not part of a disposal group, expected to be sold within a year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84165509&loc=d3e56426-112766

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 15
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126982154&loc=d3e400-110220

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleNotPartOfDisposalGroupCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of current assets classified as other.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(8))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84165509&loc=d3e56426-112766

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of asset related to consideration paid in advance for other costs that provide economic benefits within a future period of one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherPrepaidExpenseCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of asset related to consideration paid in advance for costs that provide economic benefits in future periods, and amount of other assets that are expected to be realized or consumed within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(9))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of asset related to consideration paid in advance for insurance that provides economic benefits within a future period of one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6387103&loc=d3e6435-108320

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (g)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124098289&loc=d3e6676-107765

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 10
-Section 05
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126905020&loc=d3e5879-108316

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PrepaidInsurance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant