Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of obligations due all related parties. For classified balance sheets, represents the current portion of such liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DueToRelatedPartiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of franchises sold during the period when there are significant changes in franchisor-owned outlets or franchised outlets during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 952
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51665471&loc=d3e68639-108044

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SignificantChangesFranchisesSold
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 29, 30
-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Investment Subsidiary, Ownership Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_InvestmentSubsidiaryOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Restaurants to be Remodeled

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_NumberofRestaurantstobeRemodeled
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Agreed upon number of restaurants expected to open in a future period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_Numberofrestaurantstobedeveloped
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of Outstanding Shares Owned by the Trian Group

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_PercentageofOutstandingSharesOwnedbytheTrianGroup
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Related Party Transaction, Distribution from Related Party Investment

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_RelatedPartyTransactionDistributionfromRelatedPartyInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Related Party Transaction, Purchase Price of Assets Sold to Related Party

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_RelatedPartyTransactionPurchasePriceofAssetsSoldtoRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Related Party Transactions, Number of Co-Investments

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_RelatedPartyTransactionsNumberofRemainingCoInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Related party ownership percentage of franchisee

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_Relatedpartyownershippercentageoffranchisee
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method, excluding Commissions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethodexcludingCommissions
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=wen_ArizonaRestaurantCompanyDomain
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=wen_A280BtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=wen_A280BTWendysMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=wen_A280BTFormerManagementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=wen_A280BtInvestorsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis=wen_PurchaseagreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Transactions with Related Parties Other Related Party Transactions (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 17, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Mar. 24, 2014 USD ($) Restaurant	Mar. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2014 USD ($) Restaurant	Dec. 29, 2013 USD ($) investment shares	May. 29, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of Outstanding Shares Owned by the Trian Group						24.80%
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired \| shares					8,720
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method, excluding Commissions					$ 69,167
Significant Changes, Franchises Sold \| Restaurant				255
Arizona Restaurant Company [Domain]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Significant Changes, Franchises Sold \| Restaurant		40
Related party ownership percentage of franchisee		10.00%
Related Party Transaction, Purchase Price of Assets Sold to Related Party		$ 21,000
Number of restaurants to be developed \| Restaurant		5
Number of Restaurants to be Remodeled \| Restaurant		7
Due to Related Parties, Current				$ 27
280 BT [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transactions, Number of Remaining Co-Investments \| investment					1
Related Party Transaction, Distribution from Related Party Investment					$ 0
280 BT Wendy's [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment Subsidiary, Ownership Percentage			80.10%
Related Party Transaction, Distribution from Related Party Investment			$ 22
280 BT - Former Management [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment Subsidiary, Ownership Percentage			11.20%
Related Party Transaction, Distribution from Related Party Investment			$ 5
280 BT, Investors [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment Subsidiary, Ownership Percentage			8.70%
Purchase agreement [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired \| shares	18,416
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share \| $ / shares	$ 11.45
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method, excluding Commissions	$ 210,867