(13) Fair Value of Financial Instruments Fair Value of Financial Instruments 2 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 01, 2012		Jan. 02, 2011
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	$ 1,356,999		$ 1,572,402
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,345,696		1,559,731
Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,434,752		1,677,372
Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,423,385		1,664,362
Financial Guarantee [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Guarantees	1,275	[1]	373	[1]
Financial Guarantee [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Guarantees	1,275	[1]	373	[1]
Senior Notes | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	554,901	[2]	553,258	[2]
Senior Notes | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	621,500	[2]	620,370	[2]
Term Loan | Secured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	466,062	[2]	495,226	[2]
Term Loan | Secured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	466,940	[2]	505,000	[2]
6.20% senior notes | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	224,643	[2]	217,855	[2]
6.20% senior notes | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	231,750	[2]	229,500	[2]
7% debentures | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	82,342	[2]	81,204	[2]
7% debentures | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	84,000	[2]	86,500	[2]
Capitalized lease obligations | Capital Lease Obligations [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	15,222	[3]	86,670	[3]
Capitalized lease obligations | Capital Lease Obligations [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	16,431	[3]	91,015	[3]
Sale-leaseback obligations | Secured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,466	[3]	121,884	[3]
Sale-leaseback obligations | Secured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,692	[3]	128,171	[3]
Other | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,060		3,634
Other | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,072		3,806
6.54% aircraft term loan | Secured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Corporate [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	11,303	[3]	12,671	[3]
6.54% aircraft term loan | Secured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Corporate [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	$ 11,367	[3]	$ 13,010	[3]

[1] Wendy’s provided loan guarantees to various lenders on behalf of franchisees entering into pooled debt facility arrangements for new store development and equipment financing. Wendy’s has accrued a liability for the fair value of these guarantees, the calculation for which was based upon a weighted average risk percentage established at the inception of each program adjusted for a history of defaults.

[2] The fair values were based on quoted market prices.

[3] The fair values were determined by discounting the future scheduled principal payments using an interest rate assuming the same original issuance spread over a current U.S. Treasury bond yield for securities with similar durations.