Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment assets, including oil and gas property and timber property.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow, not made soon after acquisition date of business combination, to settle contingent consideration liability up to amount recognized at acquisition date, including, but not limited to, measurement period adjustment and less amount paid soon after acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentForContingentConsiderationLiabilityFinancingActivities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from the sale of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

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

- Definition

The number of franchises purchased 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 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051204&loc=SL51750552-203207

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 952
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064525&loc=d3e68639-108044

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SignificantChangesFranchisesPurchasedDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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

+ Details

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

- Definition

A device of credit enhancement where a part of the purchase price for the receivable/ payable is retained to serve as a cash collateral.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4304-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4332-108586

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4313-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SupplementalDeferredPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash Proceeds from Post Closing Adjustments, Net of Payments

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Approximate Company-operated restaurant ownership percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Post Closing Adjustments on Sales of Restaurants

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Recognition of deferred gain on sale of property

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=wen_DavCoAcquisitionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=wen_SaleoffranchiseoperatedrestauranttofranchiseeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=wen_SaleofCompanyOperatedRestaurantstoFranchiseesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=wen_SaleofOtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

System Optimization (Losses) Gains, Net Summary of Disposition Activity (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2017 Restaurant	Apr. 01, 2018 USD ($) Restaurant	Apr. 02, 2017 USD ($) Restaurant	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
System optimization losses (gains), net
Company-operated restaurant ownership percentage		5.00%
Payment for supplemental purchase price		$ 6,100	$ 0
System optimization losses (gains), net
System optimization (losses) gains, net		(570)	1,407
Proceeds from sales of restaurants		351	$ 1,650
DavCo Acquisition
System optimization losses (gains), net
Restaurants acquired from franchisees \| Restaurant	140
Supplemental purchase price				$ 6,269
Payment for supplemental purchase price		$ 6,100
Sale of franchise-operated restaurant to franchisee
System optimization losses (gains), net
Number of restaurants sold to franchisees \| Restaurant		0	116
Sale of Company-Operated Restaurants to Franchisees
System optimization losses (gains), net
Post closing adjustments on sales of restaurants		$ (212)	$ 900
Cash proceeds from post closing adjustments, net of payments		6
Recognition of deferred gain on sale of property			312
Sale of Other Assets
System optimization losses (gains), net
System optimization (losses) gains, net		(358)	507
Recognition of deferred gain on sale of property			375
Proceeds from sales of restaurants		$ 345	$ 1,650