Cash and Receivables (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 01, 2017

Cash and Receivables [Abstract]

Schedule of Cash and Cash Equivalents [Table Text Block]

	Year End
	January 1, 2017		January 3, 2016
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash	$	192,905	$	281,877
Cash equivalents	5,335		45,339
	$	198,240	$	327,216
Restricted cash
Current
Accounts held by trustee for the securitized financing facility	$	29,096	$	29,327
Accounts held by trustee for reinvestment in capital assets	22,014		—
Collateral supporting letters of credit	6,165		13,210
Trust for termination costs for former Wendy’s executives	168		168
Other	169		164
	$	57,612	$	42,869
Non-current (a)
Trust for termination costs for former Wendy’s executives	$	738	$	1,191

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(a) Included in “Other assets.”

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]

	Year End
	January 1, 2017			January 3, 2016
Accounts and Notes Receivable, Net
Current
Accounts receivable:
Franchisees	$	74,134		$	71,158
Other (a)	25,732			34,828
	99,866			105,986
Notes receivable from franchisees (b) (c)	2,989			2,356
	102,855			108,342
Allowance for doubtful accounts	(4,030		)	(3,488		)
	$	98,825		$	104,854
Non-Current (d)
Notes receivable from franchisees (b)	$	9,290		$	5,158
Allowance for doubtful accounts	(26		)	(257		)
	$	9,264		$	4,901

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(a) Includes income tax refund receivables of $18,111 and $23,508 as of January 1, 2017 and January 3, 2016, respectively.

(b) Non-current notes receivable include a note receivable from the Brazil JV of $6,810 and $1,700 as of January 1, 2017 and January 3, 2016, respectively. See Note 7 for further information.

Non-current notes receivable also include a note receivable from a franchisee in Indonesia of $2,454 as of January 1, 2017.

2015 includes notes receivable from franchisees received in connection with the sale of Company-operated restaurants during 2014, of which $83 was included in current notes receivable and $331 was included in non-current notes receivable. During 2016, the notes receivable were paid in full. See Note 2 for further information.

2015 also includes a note receivable from a franchisee in connection with the termination of our investment in a joint venture in Japan, of which $701 was included in current notes receivable and $2,212 was included in non-current notes receivable. During 2016, the note receivable was paid in full.

(c) Includes the current portion of direct financing lease receivables of $101 and $25 as of January 1, 2017 and January 3, 2016, respectively. See Note 20 for further information.

(d) Included in “Other assets.”

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Table Text Block]

The following is an analysis of the allowance for doubtful accounts:

	Year Ended
	2016			2015		2014
Balance at beginning of year:
Current	$	3,488		$	2,343	$	3,310
Non-current	257			246		256
Provision for doubtful accounts:
Franchisees and other	390			979		(925		)
Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries	(79		)	177		(52		)
Balance at end of year:
Current	4,030			3,488		2,343
Non-current	26			257		246
Total	$	4,056		$	3,745	$	2,589