Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-18

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Business (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2024 restaurant segment state	Jan. 03, 2023 restaurant	Dec. 28, 2021 restaurant
Description of business and summary of significant accoutning policies
Number of states in which Noodles & Company operates \| state	31
Number of operating segments \| segment	1
Number of reportable segments \| segment	1
Company-owned
Description of business and summary of significant accoutning policies
Number of restaurants \| restaurant	380
Franchise
Description of business and summary of significant accoutning policies
Number of restaurants \| restaurant	90	93	76