(Loss) Income Per Share (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Loss Per Share [Abstract]

Schedule of income (loss) amounts attributable to parent used to calculate basic and diluted income (loss) per share

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2012			October 2, 2011			September 30, 2012			October 2, 2011
Amounts attributable to The Wendy’s Company:
(Loss) income from continuing operations	$	(26,692	)	$	2,544		$	(19,835	)	$	13,622
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	530			(6,510		)	530			(7,731		)
Net (loss) income	$	(26,162	)	$	(3,966	)	$	(19,305	)	$	5,891

Number of shares used to calculate basic and diluted income per share

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2012	October 2, 2011	September 30, 2012	October 2, 2011
Common stock:
Weighted average basic shares outstanding	390,406	395,677	390,028	410,624
Dilutive effect of stock options and restricted shares	—	2,222	—	1,619
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding	390,406	397,899	390,028	412,243