Restaurant Impairments, Closure Costs and Asset Disposals - Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jul. 04, 2023	Jun. 28, 2022	Jul. 04, 2023	Jun. 28, 2022
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Restaurant impairments	$ 423	$ 668	$ 509	$ 774
Closure costs	249	465	807	855
Loss on disposal of assets and other	937	838	1,862	1,731
Restaurant impairments, closure costs and asset disposals	$ 1,609	$ 1,971	$ 3,178	$ 3,360

The gains and losses included in earnings resulting from the sale or disposal of tangible assets, asset impairment charges resulting from the write down of assets from their carrying value to their fair value, and costs incurred associated with an exit or disposal activity other than for a discontinued operations. Costs of such activities include those for one-time termination benefits, termination of an operating lease or other contract, but excludes costs associated with the retirement of a long-lived asset.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndls_AssetDisposalsClosureCostsAndRestaurantImpairments
Namespace Prefix:	ndls_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cost Increase (Decrease) Related to Closure Cost Of Restaurants, Net Of Offsets

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndls_CostIncreaseDecreaseRelatedToClosureCostOfRestaurantsNetOfOffsets
Namespace Prefix:	ndls_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationsAndDisposalGroupsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment assets, including oil and gas property and timber property.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long lived assets held for use (including those held for disposal by means other than sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 230
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-28

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482099/360-10-50-2

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482130/360-10-45-4

+ Details

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