Quarterly Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2013		Sep. 29, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jul. 01, 2012		Apr. 01, 2012		Dec. 29, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012
Revenues	$ 592,405		$ 640,779		$ 650,544		$ 603,682		$ 629,879		$ 636,308		$ 645,868		$ 593,187		$ 2,487,410	$ 2,505,242	$ 2,431,358
Cost of sales	436,437		469,177		473,298		460,828		464,276		478,425		483,080		455,467		1,839,740	1,881,248	1,816,109
Operating profit	28,878	[1]	26,810	[1]	56,990	[1]	22,464	[1]	32,257	[2]	31,183	[2]	38,391	[2]	20,916	[2]	135,142	122,747	137,121
Income (loss) from continuing operations	32,925	[1]	(2,162)	[1]	12,002	[1]	2,133	[1]	25,409	[2],[3]	(26,692)	[2],[3]	(5,493)	[2]	14,734	[2]	44,898	7,958	17,912
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations	(266)		0		0		0		979		530	[3]	0		0		(266)	1,509	(8,037)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	410		223		222		0		0		0		0		(2,384)	[2]	855	(2,384)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to The Wendy's Company	33,069	[1]	(1,939)	[1]	12,224	[1]	2,133	[1]	26,388	[2],[3]	(26,162)	[2],[3]	(5,493)	[2]	12,350	[2]	45,487	7,083	9,875
Basic income (loss) per share attributable to The Wendy’s Company:
Continuing operations	$ 0.09	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.03	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]									$ 0.12	$ 0.02	$ 0.04
Discontinued operations	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]									$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)
Net income (loss)	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.03	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]									$ 0.12	$ 0.02	$ 0.02
Diluted income (loss) per share attributable to The Wendy's Company:
Continuing operations	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.03	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]									$ 0.11	$ 0.02	$ 0.04
Discontinued operations	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]									$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)
Net income (loss)	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.03	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]									$ 0.11	$ 0.02	$ 0.02
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Continuing operations									$ 0.07	[2],[3],[4]	$ (0.07)	[2],[3],[4]	$ (0.01)	[2],[4]	$ 0.03	[2],[4]
Discontinued operations									$ 0.00	[2],[3],[4]	$ 0.00	[2],[3],[4]	$ 0.00	[2],[4]	$ 0.00	[2],[4]
Net income (loss)									$ 0.07	[2],[3],[4]	$ (0.07)	[2],[3],[4]	$ (0.01)	[2],[4]	$ 0.03	[2],[4]
Facilities Action Charges, Net	(20,834)		22,275		6,377		3,038		13,470		11,430		9,988		6,143
Impairment of long-lived assets	10,552		5,327						13,316				3,270		4,511		15,879	21,097	12,883
Impairment of goodwill	9,397																9,397	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	7,544				21,019						49,881		25,195				28,563	75,076	0
Gain on sale of investment, net																	(799)	27,769	0
Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc [Member]
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations																	(266)	1,509	(8,037)
Jurlique International Pty Ltd [Member]
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Gain on sale of investment, net															27,407		(799)	27,407
Continuing Operations [Member]
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Corrections related to prior years' tax matters									5,439		2,181
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc [Member]
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Corrections related to prior years' tax matters											$ 580

[1] The Company’s consolidated statements of operations were materially impacted by facilities action charges, net, impairment of long-lived assets, impairment of goodwill and losses on early extinguishment of debt. The pre-tax impact of facilities action charges (income), net for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2013 was $3,038, $6,377, $22,275 and $(20,834), respectively (see Note 2 for additional information). The pre-tax impact of impairment of long-lived assets during the third and fourth quarters of 2013 was $5,327 and $10,552, respectively, (see Note 15 for additional information) and the pre-tax impact of impairment of goodwill during the fourth quarter of 2013 was $9,397 (see Note 8 for additional information). The pre-tax impact of losses on the early extinguishment of debt during the second and fourth quarters of 2013 was $21,019 and $7,544, respectively (see Note 10 for additional information).

[2] The Company’s consolidated statements of operations were materially impacted by facilities action charges, net, impairment of long-lived assets and losses on early extinguishment of debt. The pre-tax impact of facilities action charges, net for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2012 was $6,143, $9,988, $11,430 and $13,470, respectively (see Note 2 for additional information). The pre-tax impact of impairment of long-lived assets during the first, second and fourth quarters of 2012 was $4,511, $3,270 and $13,316, respectively (see Note 15 for additional information). The pre-tax impact of losses on the early extinguishment of debt during the second and third quarters of 2012 was $25,195 and $49,881, respectively (see Note 10 for additional information). Additionally, the Company’s consolidated statements of operations were materially affected during the first quarter of 2012 by a $27,407 gain on the sale of our investment in Jurlique. As a result of the sale, we have reflected net income attributable to noncontrolling interests of $2,384 (see Note 6 for additional information).

[3] (Loss) income from continuing operations was materially affected during the third and fourth quarters of 2012 by corrections related to prior years’ tax matters which had an effect of increasing our benefit from income taxes by $2,181 and $5,439, respectively. Income from discontinued operations was also affected during the third quarter of 2012 by such corrections which had an effect of increasing our benefit from income taxes by $580. See Notes 12, 17 and 26 for additional information.

[4] Basic and diluted income (loss) per share are being presented together since diluted income (loss) per share was the same as basic income (loss) per share for all periods presented (see Note 4 for additional information).