(14) Income Taxes Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011	Jan. 03, 2010
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	$ 21,604
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Amounts Pertaining to Examined Tax Returns [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	36,434	39,118	38,421
Tax positions related to the current year, additions	0	19	6,627
Tax positions of prior years, additions	948	4,921	1,857
Tax positions of prior years, reductions	(3,410)	(4,419)	(4,241)
Settlements, reductions	(1,922)	(416)	(1,407)
Lapse of statute of limitations, reductions	(1,436)	(2,789)	(2,139)
Ending balance	30,614	36,434	39,118
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes expense	501	1,004	(414)
Unrecognized tax benefits, income tax penalties expense	337	425	(888)
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes accrued	4,923	5,005
Unrecognized tax benefits, income tax penalties accrued	1,912	1,451
Wendy's Restaurants, LLC [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	13,475
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Amounts Pertaining to Examined Tax Returns [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	26,249	28,414	31,717
Tax positions related to the current year, additions	0	19	613
Tax positions of prior years, additions	948	4,921	1,651
Tax positions of prior years, reductions	(3,410)	(3,900)	(2,383)
Settlements, reductions	(1,922)	(416)	(1,045)
Lapse of statute of limitations, reductions	(1,436)	(2,789)	(2,139)
Ending balance	20,429	26,249	28,414
Significant change in unrecognized tax benefits is reasonably possible, estimated range of change, upper bound	3,889
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes expense	426	940	(315)
Unrecognized tax benefits, income tax penalties expense	(46)	425	(535)
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes accrued	4,583	4,741
Unrecognized tax benefits, income tax penalties accrued	$ 1,283	$ 1,204