System Optimization Losses (Gains), Net (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2015

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant and Equipment, Schedule of Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Table Text Block]

The following is a summary of the disposition activity recorded as a result of our system optimization initiative:

	Three Months Ended
	March 29, 2015			March 30, 2014 (d)
Number of restaurants sold to franchisees	17			178
Proceeds from sales of restaurants	$	4,581		$	101,560
Net assets sold (a)	(2,222		)	(42,016		)
Goodwill related to sales of restaurants	(1,023		)	(13,658		)
Net (unfavorable) favorable leases (b)	(528		)	24,981
Other	(402		)	300
	406			71,167
Post-closing adjustments on sales of restaurants	(1,573		)	(1,587		)
(Loss) gain on sales of restaurants, net	(1,167		)	69,580
Gain on sales of other assets, net (c)	354			3,412
System optimization (losses) gains, net	$	(813	)	$	72,992

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(a) Net assets sold consisted primarily of cash, inventory and equipment.

(b) During the three months ended March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, the Company recorded favorable lease assets of $2,379 and $47,392, respectively, and unfavorable lease liabilities of $2,907 and $22,411, respectively, as a result of leasing and/or subleasing land, buildings, and/or leasehold improvements to franchisees, in connection with sales of restaurants.

(c) During the three months ended March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, Wendy’s received cash proceeds of $1,702 and $6,897, respectively, primarily from the sale of surplus properties as well as the sale of a company-owned aircraft during the first quarter of 2014.

(d) Reclassifications have been made to the prior year presentation to include sales of restaurants previously reported in “Other operating expense, net” to conform to the current year presentation. See Note 1 for further details.

Schedule of Assets Held-for-sale [Table Text Block]

Assets Held for Sale

	March 29, 2015		December 28, 2014 (a)
Number of restaurants classified as held for sale	84		106
Net restaurant assets held for sale	$	19,972	$	25,266
Other assets held for sale	$	10,230	$	13,469

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(a) Reclassifications have been made to the prior year presentation to include restaurants previously excluded from our system optimization initiative to conform to the current year presentation. See Note 1 for further details.