Supplemental Financial Information - Accrued Expense and Other Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 02, 2024	Jan. 03, 2023
Supplemental Financial Information [Abstract]
Gift card liability	$ 2,222	$ 2,430
Occupancy related	1,066	1,001
Utilities	1,311	1,612
Current portion of finance lease liability	2,337	2,210
Other restaurant expense accruals	1,466	1,128
Other corporate expense accruals	4,548	2,624
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	$ 12,950	$ 11,005

Accrued Occupancy Liability, Current

No definition available.

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- Definition

Contract With Customer, Gift Card Liability, Current

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Other Accrued Restaurant Expense, Current

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ndls_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Supplemental Financial Information [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for utilities, such as electrical power, heating oil, natural gas, and water. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479041/842-20-45-1

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Amount of expenses incurred but not yet paid classified as other, due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

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