(8) Investments (Details) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended													12 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2012 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2010 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2010 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2011 Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Jurlique International Pty Ltd [Member]	Dec. 28, 2008 Jurlique International Pty Ltd [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Jurlique International Pty Ltd [Member] Corporate [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Jurlique International Pty Ltd [Member] Corporate [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Other Cost Investment [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Other Cost Investment [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Other Cost Investment [Member] Corporate [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Other Cost Investment [Member] Corporate [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)		Jan. 01, 2012 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] CAD	Jan. 02, 2011 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] CAD	Jan. 03, 2010 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)		Jan. 03, 2010 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] CAD	Sep. 30, 2008 Tim Horton's, Inc. [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] years	Jan. 01, 2012 Japan JV [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Japan JV [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Japan JV [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)
Schedule of Cost and Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Cost method investments								$ 19,000	$ 0		$ 8,500	$ 325	$ 325	$ 3,832	$ 3,775	$ 4,295	$ 4,492
Investments	119,271	107,223		114,651	102,406
Equity method investment, ownership percentage																				50.00%		50.00%										49.00%
Equity method investment, difference between carrying amount and underlying equity																				55,805			60,306
Purchase price adjustment, amortization period																													21
Investment in Joint Venture with Partner [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period																		91,742	98,631	98,631	[1]		97,476	[1]		89,771				77	0
Equity in earnings (loss) for the period																				13,505			12,316			11,334
Amortization of purchase price adjustment																				(2,934)	[2]		(2,857)	[2]		(2,835)	[2]
Equity in earnings for the period, net of amortization of purchase price adjustment	9,465	9,459	8,499	9,465	9,459	8,499														10,571			9,459			8,499						(1,106)
Distributions	(14,942)	(13,980)	(14,583)	(14,942)	(13,980)	(14,583)														(14,942)			(13,980)			(14,583)
Currency translation adjustment included in Comprehensive income	(6,869)	12,666	37,617	(6,869)	12,666	37,617														(2,518)			5,676			13,789
Balance at end of period (b)																		91,742	98,631	91,742	[1]		98,631	[1]		97,476	[1]			77	0	77
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets [Abstract]
Properties																						75,030			78,769
Cash and cash equivalents																						2,679			1,639
Accounts receivable																						4,325			4,529
Other																						2,623			3,001
Assets																						84,657			87,938
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Liabilities and Equity [Abstract]
Accounts payable and accrued liabillities																						2,332			2,169
Other liabilities																						8,848			9,339
Partners' equity																						73,477			76,430
Liabilities and equity																						84,657			87,938
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues																						38,927			38,361			38,471
Income before income taxes and net income																						27,047			24,976			27,532
Proceeds from divestiture of business, percentage of buyer stock received							18.50%
Indirect investment in Arby's	$ 19,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 19,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 19,000
Cost method investment, ownership percentage										11.00%

[1] Included in “Investments.”

[2] Based upon an average aggregate life of 21 years.