(12) Long-Term Debt (Details) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended												12 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended										12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2012 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2010 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Fair Value Hedging [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Interest Rate Swap [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Fair Value Hedging [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Interest Rate Swap [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 01, 2012 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2010 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] CAD	Jan. 01, 2012 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Fair Value Hedging [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Interest Rate Swap [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Fair Value Hedging [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Interest Rate Swap [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 01, 2012 Corporate [Member] Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Fair Value Hedging [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Interest Rate Swap [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Corporate [Member] Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Fair Value Hedging [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Interest Rate Swap [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 03, 2010 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Senior Notes, due in 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Senior Notes, due in 2016 USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Senior Notes, due in 2016 USD ($)		Jun. 23, 2009 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Senior Notes, due in 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2008 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 6.20% senior notes USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 7% debentures USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 7% debentures USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2008 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 7% debentures USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Other USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Other USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Unsecured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] 6.25% senior notes USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Credit Agreement	May 24, 2010 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Credit Agreement USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Credit Facility	Apr. 03, 2011 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017 USD ($)		Jan. 01, 2012 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017 USD ($)		May 24, 2010 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Sale-leaseback obligations USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Sale-leaseback obligations USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Amended senior secured loan USD ($)	Apr. 04, 2010 Secured Debt [Member] Corporate [Member] 6.54% aircraft term loan USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Secured Debt [Member] Corporate [Member] 6.54% aircraft term loan USD ($)		Jan. 02, 2011 Secured Debt [Member] Corporate [Member] 6.54% aircraft term loan USD ($)		Jan. 01, 2012 Capital Lease Obligations [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Capitalized lease obligations USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 Capital Lease Obligations [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Capitalized lease obligations USD ($)	May 24, 2010 Line of Credit [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Credit Agreement	May 24, 2010 Line of Credit [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Credit Facility USD ($)	May 24, 2010 Letter of Credit [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Credit Facility USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2012 Eurodollar Rate [Member] Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017	Jan. 01, 2012 Eurodollar Rate [Member] Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Minimum [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017	Jan. 01, 2012 Base Rate [Member] Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017	Jan. 01, 2012 Base Rate [Member] Secured Debt [Member] Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member] Minimum [Member] Term Loan, due in 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt								$ 1,345,696	$ 1,559,731												$ 554,901	[1]	$ 553,258	[1]		$ 224,643	[2]	$ 217,855	[2]		$ 82,342	[3]	$ 81,204	[3]		$ 1,060	$ 3,634						$ 495,226	[4]	$ 466,062	[4]		$ 1,466	$ 121,884			$ 11,303	[5]	$ 12,671	[5]	$ 15,222	$ 86,670
Current portion of long-term debt	6,597	18,415						5,137	17,047																																											1,460		1,368
Long-term debt	1,350,402	1,553,987						1,340,559	1,542,684
Current portion of long-term debt	(6,597)	(18,415)						(5,137)	(17,047)																																											(1,460)		(1,368)
Long-term debt	1,350,402	1,553,987						1,340,559	1,542,684
Debt instrument, face amount																									565,000					225,000					100,000					650,000							500,000					20,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage																									10.00%
Notes issued, percentage of principal																									97.533%																						99.50%
Senior Notes issued, yield-to-maturity																									10.50%
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	497,661	607,507					0	497,661	607,507										551,061																							497,500
Debt instrument, unamortized discount																									13,939																						2,500
Unamortized debt issuance expense																									21,599																						16,410
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity											6,000																																																150,000	70,000
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity, amount																																								300,000
Foreign subsidiary stock securing debt, percentage																																																										65.00%
Original issue discount, percentage																																															0.50%
Percentage of initial principal outstanding, quarterly principal installment																																															1.00%
Repayments of long-term debt	38,702	474,791	210,371					37,334	466,461	209,482																																24,874								253,849	5,000
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage																																									0.50%
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage rate range, minimum																																																														1.50%		2.50%
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate																																																													3.50%		2.50%
Debt instrument, interest rate at period end																																													5.00%
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	(26,197)	0					0	(26,197)	0
Required premium payment to redeem notes																																						14,953
Write off of unaccreted discount																																						5,477
Write off of deferred debt issuance cost																																																		5,767
Interest coverage ratio																																							2.50
Debt instrument, interest rate, effective percentage																														7.00%					8.60%
Interest rate swaps				11,695	[6]	9,623	[6]					11,695	[6]	9,623	[6]	0	[6]	0	[6]
Debt instrument, periodic payment																																																				180
Debt, balloon payment due																																																				10,180
Collateral, net book value																																																				8,776		9,183
Line of credit facility, capacity available for specific purpose other than for trade purchases								$ 25,000

[1] In June 2009, Wendy’s Restaurants issued $565,000 principal amount of Senior Notes (the “Senior Notes”). The Senior Notes will mature in July 2016 and accrue interest at 10.00% per annum, payable semi-annually on January 15 and July 15, the first payment of which was made on January 15, 2010. The Senior Notes were issued at 97.533% of the principal amount, representing a yield to maturity of 10.50% and resulting in net proceeds of $551,061. The $13,939 discount is being accreted and the related charge included in “Interest expense” until the Senior Notes mature. The Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on an unsecured basis by certain direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries of Wendy’s Restaurants (collectively, the “Guarantors”). Wendy’s Restaurants incurred approximately $21,599 in costs related to the issuance of the Senior Notes which are being amortized to “Interest expense” over the term of the Senior Notes utilizing the effective interest rate method.An indenture for the Senior Notes (the “Indenture”) among Wendy’s Restaurants, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), includes certain customary covenants that, subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications, limit the ability of Wendy’s Restaurants and its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things, incur debt or issue preferred or disqualified stock, pay dividends on equity interest, redeem or repurchase equity interests or prepay or repurchase subordinated debt, make some types of investments and sell assets, incur certain liens, engage in transactions with affiliates (except on an arms-length basis), and consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of their assets. The covenants generally do not restrict The Wendy’s Company or any of The Wendy’s Company’s subsidiaries which are not subsidiaries of Wendy’s Restaurants.

[2] Wendy’s 6.20% senior notes were reduced to fair value in connection with the merger with Wendy’s in September 2008 based on outstanding principal of $225,000 and an effective interest rate of 7.0%. The fair value adjustment is being accreted and the related charge included in “Interest expense” until the notes mature. The carrying value of the Wendy’s senior notes is adjusted to reflect the fair value of interest rate swaps associated with this debt. As of January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, this adjustment increased the carrying value of the 6.20% senior notes by $11,695 and $9,623, respectively. These notes are unsecured and are redeemable prior to maturity at our option. The Wendy’s senior notes contain covenants that restrict the incurrence of indebtedness secured by liens and sale-leaseback transactions. Wendy’s was in compliance with these covenants as of January 1, 2012.

[3] Wendy’s 7% debentures are unsecured and were reduced to fair value in connection with the merger with Wendy’s in September 2008 based on their outstanding principal of $100,000 and an effective interest rate of 8.6%. The fair value adjustment is being accreted and the related charge included in “Interest expense” until the debentures mature. These debentures contain covenants that restrict the incurrence of indebtedness secured by liens and sale-leaseback transactions. Wendy’s was in compliance with these covenants as of January 1, 2012.

[4] In May 2010, Wendy’s Restaurants entered into a $650,000 Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”), which includes a $500,000 senior secured term loan facility (the “Term Loan”) and a $150,000 senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”). The Credit Agreement contains provisions for an uncommitted increase of up to $300,000 principal amount in the aggregate in the Credit Facility and/or Term Loan subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. The Credit Facility includes a sub-facility for the issuance of up to $70,000 of letters of credit. The obligations under the Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of the non-real estate assets of Wendy’s Restaurants and its domestic subsidiaries (other than certain unrestricted subsidiaries), the stock of its domestic subsidiaries (other than certain unrestricted subsidiaries), 65% of the stock of certain of its foreign subsidiaries, and mortgages on certain restaurant properties.The Term Loan was issued at 99.5% of the principal amount, which represented an original issue discount of 0.5% and resulted in net proceeds of $497,500. The $2,500 discount is being accreted and the related charge included in “Interest expense” through the maturity of the Term Loan. The Term Loan will mature in May 2017 and requires quarterly principal installments, which commenced on September 30, 2010, equal to 1% per annum of the initial principal amount outstanding, with the balance payable on the maturity date. In addition, the Term Loan requires prepayments of principal amounts resulting from certain events and excess cash flow on an annual basis from Wendy’s Restaurants as defined under the Term Loan. An excess cash flow payment for fiscal 2010 of $24,874 was paid in the first quarter of 2011. An excess cash flow payment was not required for fiscal 2011. In addition, Wendy’s Restaurants was not required to utilize any portion of the proceeds from the sale of Arby’s described in Note 2 as a Term Loan prepayment.The Credit Facility expires not later than May 24, 2015. An unused commitment fee of 50 basis points per annum is payable quarterly on the average unused amount of the Credit Facility until the maturity date.The interest rate on the Term Loan is based on the Eurodollar Rate as defined in the Credit Agreement (but not less than 1.50%), plus 3.50%, or a Base Rate, as defined in the Credit Agreement (but not less than 2.50%), plus 2.50%. Since the inception of the Term Loan, we have elected to use the Eurodollar Rate, which resulted in an interest rate on the Term Loan of 5.00% as of January 1, 2012.The Companies incurred approximately $16,410 in costs related to the Credit Agreement, which is being amortized to “Interest expense” over the Term Loan’s term utilizing the effective interest rate method.Proceeds from the Term Loan were used to (1) repay approximately $253,849 of existing indebtedness, including fees and interest, under the then existing Wendy’s Restaurants amended senior secured term loan, which replaced the prior Arby’s credit agreement in March 2009 and which was scheduled to be due in 2012, (2) redeem the Wendy’s 6.25% senior notes scheduled to be due in 2011, and (3) pay fees and expenses related to the Credit Agreement. The Companies recognized a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $26,197 in the second quarter of 2010 related to the repayment of debt from the proceeds of the Term Loan. This loss consisted of (1) a $14,953 premium payment required to redeem the Wendy’s 6.25% senior notes, (2) $5,477 for the write-off of the unaccreted discount of the Wendy’s 6.25% senior notes (recorded in connection with the merger with Wendy’s), and (3) $5,767 for the write-off of deferred costs associated with the repayment of the prior senior secured term loan. The affirmative and negative covenants in the Credit Agreement include, among others, preservation of corporate existence; payment of taxes; and maintenance of insurance; and limitations on: indebtedness (including guarantee obligations of other indebtedness); liens; mergers, consolidations, liquidations and dissolutions; sales of assets; dividends and other payments in respect of capital stock; investments; payments of certain indebtedness; transactions with affiliates; changes in fiscal year; negative pledge clauses and clauses restricting subsidiary distributions; and material changes in lines of business. The Credit Agreement contains the following financial covenants (1) a consolidated interest coverage ratio, (2) a consolidated senior secured leverage ratio, and (3) a consolidated senior secured lease adjusted leverage ratio. At January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011 Wendy’s Restaurants was in compliance with the covenants of the Credit Agreement including the consolidated interest coverage ratio, our most restrictive financial covenant, which requires that we maintain a minimum consolidated interest coverage ratio of 2.50. The covenants generally do not restrict The Wendy’s Company or any of The Wendy’s Company’s subsidiaries that are not subsidiaries of Wendy’s Restaurants.

[5] The Wendy’s Company’s $20,000 aircraft financing facility requires monthly payments, including interest, of approximately $180 through August 2013 with a final balloon payment of approximately $10,180 due September 2013. During the first quarter of 2010, we made a $5,000 prepayment on the loan. This loan is secured by an aircraft, which is classified as held-for-sale and has a net book value of $8,776 and $9,183 as of January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, respectively.

[6] The fair values were based on information provided by the bank counterparties that is model-driven and whose inputs were observable or whose significant value drivers were observable.