(16) Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Income Statements (Details) (Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member], USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 02, 2011	Oct. 03, 2010	Oct. 02, 2011	Oct. 03, 2010
Depreciation and amortization			$ 112,503	$ 136,051
Impairment of long-lived assets			9,820	41,424
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				(26,197)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries			0	0
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes			(8,849)	0
Net (loss) income	(1,600)	357	12,314	7,172
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member]
Sales	534,525	525,082	1,588,048	1,570,240
Franchise revenues	76,891	75,626	228,292	222,616
Revenues	611,416	600,708	1,816,340	1,792,856
Cost of sales	458,000	451,319	1,361,669	1,324,970
General and administrative	62,732	72,360	207,373	225,206
Transaction related costs	23,571	0	29,542	0
Depreciation and amortization	30,758	32,174	90,390	95,055
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	20,921	8,262	21,403
Other operating expense (income), net	362	1,553	1,582	2,887
Costs and expenses	575,423	578,327	1,698,818	1,669,521
Operating profit (loss)	35,993	22,381	117,522	123,335
Interest expense	(28,171)	(28,855)	(85,254)	(88,752)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	(26,197)
Other income (expense), net	301	234	703	999
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	8,123	(6,240)	32,971	9,385
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(3,213)	6,749	(12,926)	3,350
Income (loss) from continuing operations	4,910	509	20,045	12,735
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member] | Parent [Member]
Sales	0	0	0	0
Franchise revenues	0	0	0	0
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	11,251	0	11,251	0
Transaction related costs	25,317		29,542
Depreciation and amortization	2,859	3,116	7,886	9,341
Impairment of long-lived assets		0	0	0
Other operating expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses	39,427	3,116	48,679	9,341
Operating profit (loss)	(39,427)	(3,116)	(48,679)	(9,341)
Interest expense	(22,234)	(22,641)	(67,758)	(56,263)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				0
Other income (expense), net	136	0	136	157
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	42,734	10,850	89,796	26,830
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(18,791)	(14,907)	(26,505)	(38,617)
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	22,260	15,264	47,668	45,789
Income (loss) from continuing operations	3,469	357	21,163	7,172
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Sales	472,289	467,668	1,409,928	1,400,788
Franchise revenues	71,735	70,706	213,772	208,415
Revenues	544,024	538,374	1,623,700	1,609,203
Cost of sales	404,920	402,988	1,205,511	1,179,325
General and administrative	47,418	62,739	170,808	191,457
Transaction related costs	0		0
Depreciation and amortization	25,206	26,397	74,572	77,983
Impairment of long-lived assets		17,213	7,890	17,695
Other operating expense (income), net	2,678	3,171	8,223	8,315
Costs and expenses	480,222	512,508	1,467,004	1,474,775
Operating profit (loss)	63,802	25,866	156,696	134,428
Interest expense	(5,822)	(6,000)	(17,103)	(23,132)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				(20,430)
Other income (expense), net	4,260	4,146	12,291	12,293
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	5,377	(9,395)	(5,275)	(38,142)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	67,617	14,617	146,609	65,017
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(23,442)	(3,588)	(57,830)	(32,597)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	44,175	11,029	88,779	32,420
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Sales	62,236	57,414	178,207	169,452
Franchise revenues	5,156	4,947	14,534	14,228
Revenues	67,392	62,361	192,741	183,680
Cost of sales	53,080	48,331	156,158	145,645
General and administrative	4,063	9,621	25,314	33,749
Transaction related costs	(1,746)		0
Depreciation and amortization	2,693	2,661	7,932	7,731
Impairment of long-lived assets		3,708	372	3,708
Other operating expense (income), net	(2,316)	(1,618)	(6,641)	(5,428)
Costs and expenses	55,774	62,703	183,135	185,405
Operating profit (loss)	11,618	(342)	9,606	(1,725)
Interest expense	(115)	(214)	(393)	(9,357)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				(5,767)
Other income (expense), net	(4,095)	(3,912)	(11,724)	(11,451)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	7,408	(4,468)	(2,511)	(28,300)
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(2,031)	(4,927)	(2,764)	(9,842)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	5,377	(9,395)	(5,275)	(38,142)
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Sales	0	0	(87)	0
Franchise revenues	0	(27)	(14)	(27)
Revenues	0	(27)	(101)	(27)
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Transaction related costs	0		0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment of long-lived assets		0	0	0
Other operating expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	0	(27)	(101)	(27)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				0
Other income (expense), net	0	0	0	0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(48,111)	(1,455)	(84,521)	11,312
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(48,111)	(1,482)	(84,622)	11,285
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(48,111)	(1,482)	(84,622)	11,285
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member]
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(1,441)	(152)	1,118	(5,563)
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(5,069)	0	(8,849)	0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(6,510)	(152)	(7,731)	(5,563)
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member] | Parent [Member]
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0		0
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(5,069)		(8,849)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(5,069)	0	(8,849)	0
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0		0
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	0	0	0
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(1,441)		1,017
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(1,441)	(179)	1,017	(5,590)
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0		101
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	27	101	27
Parent [Member]
Depreciation and amortization			7,886	9,341
Impairment of long-lived assets			0	0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries			89,796	26,830
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes			(8,849)
Net (loss) income	(1,600)	357	12,314	7,172
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Depreciation and amortization			74,572	77,983
Impairment of long-lived assets			7,890	17,695
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries			(5,275)	(38,142)
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes			0
Net (loss) income	44,175	11,029	88,779	32,420
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Depreciation and amortization			30,045	48,727
Impairment of long-lived assets			1,930	23,729
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries			0	0
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes			0
Net (loss) income	3,936	(9,574)	(4,258)	(43,732)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Depreciation and amortization			0	0
Impairment of long-lived assets			0	0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries			(84,521)	11,312
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of income taxes			0
Net (loss) income	$ (48,111)	$ (1,455)	$ (84,521)	$ 11,312