(5) Fair Value of Financial Instruments Fair Value of Financial Instruments 2 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2012
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	$ 1,352,392
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	1,345,345
Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	1,458,636
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	1,451,596
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	555,339
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	623,195
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	464,960
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	469,021
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	225,300
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	251,903
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	82,629
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | 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	90,300
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	759	[1]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	759	[1]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	14,940	[2]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	15,024	[2]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	1,470	[2]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	1,448	[2]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	707
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 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	705
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 6.54% aircraft term loan | Secured Debt [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	7,047	[2]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | 6.54% aircraft term loan | Secured Debt [Member] | Portion at Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current portion	$ 7,040	[2]

[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 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.