Segment Reporting and Geographical Information - Reconciliation of Segment Income to Net Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									$ 2,212	$ 2,146	$ 1,888
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(22)	(12)	(20)
Other operating expenses (income), net									8	109	(1)
EBITDA									2,097	1,917	1,839
Depreciation and amortization									180	182	172
Income from operations	$ 516	$ 477	$ 503	$ 421	$ 505	$ 479	$ 415	$ 336	1,917	1,735	1,667
Interest expense, net									535	512	467
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0	122	0
Income tax (benefit) expense									238	(134)	244
Net income									1,144	1,235	956
Tim Hortons
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(6)	(8)	(8)
Burger King
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(16)	(4)	(12)
Operating segments | Tim Hortons
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									1,127	1,136	1,072
Operating segments | Burger King
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									928	903	816
Operating segments | Popeyes
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									157	107	0
Unallocated management G&A
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Share-based compensation and non-cash incentive compensation expense									55	55	42
Corporate restructuring and tax advisory fees									25	2	0
Office centralization and relocation costs									20	0	0
Integration costs									0	0	16
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(3)	1	(8)
Other operating expenses (income), net									8	109	(1)
Corporate restructuring and tax advisory fees
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
PLK Transaction costs									10	$ 62	$ 0
Amounts Under Previous Standards
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									2,247
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(28)
Other operating expenses (income), net									7
EBITDA									2,139
Depreciation and amortization									180
Income from operations									1,959
Interest expense, net									536
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0
Income tax (benefit) expense									247
Net income									1,176
Amounts Under Previous Standards | Operating segments | Tim Hortons
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									1,128
Amounts Under Previous Standards | Operating segments | Burger King
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									950
Amounts Under Previous Standards | Operating segments | Popeyes
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									169
Amounts Under Previous Standards | Unallocated management G&A
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Share-based compensation and non-cash incentive compensation expense									55
Corporate restructuring and tax advisory fees									25
Office centralization and relocation costs									20
Integration costs									0
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(9)
Other operating expenses (income), net									7
Amounts Under Previous Standards | Corporate restructuring and tax advisory fees
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
PLK Transaction costs									$ 10