Real Estate Investments - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) property land_parcel	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) property land_parcel	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 351,869	$ 362,915	$ 371,019	$ 369,020	$ 383,374	$ 384,954	$ 393,721	$ 393,968	$ 1,454,823	$ 1,556,017	$ 1,579,257
Net (loss) income		$ (118,223)	$ 30,246	$ 3,233	$ (116,080)	$ (192,231)	$ 8,141	$ (108,709)	$ (30,693)	(200,824)	(323,492)	(1,010,912)
Acquisition related expenses	[1]									$ 1,321	$ 6,243	$ 38,940
2016 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | property										8
Total purchase price of assets acquired										$ 100,194
Revenues										2,100
Net (loss) income										$ 500
2015 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | property											16
Total purchase price of assets acquired											$ 36,319
Revenues											1,200
Net (loss) income											$ 400
Number of land parcels acquired | land_parcel											9
2014 Acquisitions, Excluding Cole Merger, ARCT IV Merger and CCPT Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | property												1,107
Total purchase price of assets acquired												$ 3,800,000
Number of land parcels acquired | land_parcel												31
2014 Acquisitions, Excluding Cole Merger, ARCT IV Merger and CCPT Merger [Member] | Red Lobster [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | property												522
2014 Acquisitions, Excluding Cole Merger, ARCT IV Merger and CCPT Merger [Member] | Other Branded Restaurant Properties [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | property												20
2013 Acquisitions, Excluding Caplease Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition related expenses												$ 38,800	$ 76,100
Merger and other non-routine transactions												$ 200,500	$ 210,500

[1] Includes $1.7 million of expenses paid to affiliates of the Former Manager (as defined in Note 1 – Organization) for the year ended December 31, 2014. No such expenses were incurred during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.