Cash and Receivables Accounts and Notes Receivable (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 29, 2013		Dec. 30, 2012		Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Gross, Current	$ 65,580		$ 65,132
Accounts, Notes, Loans And Financing Receivable, Gross, Current	66,444		67,485
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current	(3,559)		(6,321)		(4,053)	(7,321)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Net, Current	62,885		61,164
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent	(275)		(2,881)		(963)	(3,778)
Franchisees [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Gross, Current	54,628		56,494
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Current	864		2,353	[1]
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Noncurrent	5,568	[1],[2],[3]	10,227	[1],[2]
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent	(275)		(2,881)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Net, Noncurrent	5,293		7,346
Other Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Gross, Current	10,952		8,638
Fully Reserved [Member] | Breakfast expansion [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Current			1,687
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Noncurrent			1,857
Japan JV [Member] | Franchisees [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Noncurrent	$ 2,997

[1] Includes $1,687 and $1,857 of loans to franchisees for the purchase of equipment utilized in the breakfast program which were included in current and non-current notes receivable, respectively, as of December 30, 2012. The Company had provided a full allowance for doubtful accounts on the amounts owed as of December 30, 2012 (see Note 2 for further information). During 2013, Wendy’s canceled and forgave the principal balance of the loans outstanding.

[2] Included in “Deferred costs and other assets.”

[3] Includes loans totaling $2,997 to a franchisee in connection with the termination of our investment in a joint venture in Japan, which is included in non-current notes receivable as of December 29, 2013 (see Note 6 for further information). The loan is guaranteed by the franchisee’s owners, bears interest at 2.0% and matures in December 2018.