(14) Income Taxes Deferred Tax Assets and Deferred Tax Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011	Jan. 03, 2010
Deferred Tax Assets, Net [Abstract]
Operating and capital loss carryforwards	$ 98,173	$ 98,173	$ 99,354
Tax credit carryforwards	83,708	83,708	62,518
Accrued compensation and related benefits	38,198	38,198	37,512
Unfavorable leases	18,731	18,731	31,009
Other	56,017	56,017	71,664
Valuation allowances	(17,397)	(17,397)	(88,363)	(8,523)
Total deferred tax assets	277,430	277,430	213,694
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Intangible assets	(502,570)	(502,570)	(462,627)
Owned and leased fixed assets net of related obligations	(125,788)	(125,788)	(100,198)
Other	(26,209)	(26,209)	(28,773)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(654,567)	(654,567)	(591,598)
Deferred tax assets (liabilities), net	(377,137)	(377,137)	(377,904)
Capital gain on restructuring	186,000
Aggregate deductions related to exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted awards		119,073
Tax credits	83,708	83,708
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, state and local	42,244	42,244		18,152
Unrecognized tax benefits related to exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock awards	43,092	43,092
Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Deferred Tax Assets, Net [Abstract]
Operating and capital loss carryforwards	97,152	97,152	105,818
Tax credit carryforwards	31,018	31,018	13,951
Accrued compensation and related benefits	37,458	37,458	35,333
Unfavorable leases	18,731	18,731	31,009
Other	47,665	47,665	63,679
Valuation allowances	(21,059)	(21,059)	(95,850)	(8,523)
Total deferred tax assets	210,965	210,965	153,940
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Intangible assets	(502,570)	(502,570)	(462,627)
Owned and leased fixed assets net of related obligations	(121,610)	(121,610)	(95,588)
Other	(29,511)	(29,511)	(29,130)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(653,691)	(653,691)	(587,345)
Deferred tax assets (liabilities), net	(442,726)	(442,726)	(433,405)
Tax credits	31,018	31,018
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, state and local	33,871	33,871		18,152
Deferred tax liabilities, undistributed foreign earnings	0	0
Domestic Country [Member]
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Net operating loss carryforwards	282,736	282,736
Domestic Country [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Net operating loss carryforwards	164,770	164,770
Capital Loss Carryforward [Member]
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Valuation allowance, reduction due to capital losses utilized		65,105
Valuation allowance, decrease from expiration of capital loss carryforward		4,565
Capital Loss Carryforward [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Other tax carryforward	15,406	15,406
Valuation allowance, reduction due to capital losses utilized		65,105
Valuation allowance, decrease from expiration of capital loss carryforward		7,794
Valuation Allowance, Operating Loss Carryforward and Other Tax Carryforward [Member]
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Operating loss carryforwards, valuation allowance	17,397	17,397	88,363
Valuation allowances and reserves, period decrease		(70,966)
Valuation Allowance, Operating Loss Carryforward and Other Tax Carryforward [Member] | Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Operating loss carryforwards, valuation allowance	21,059	21,059	95,850
Valuation allowances and reserves, period decrease		$ (74,791)