Guarantees and Other Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Guarantees and Other Commitments and Contingencies	Guarantees and Other Commitments and Contingencies Guarantees and Contingent Liabilities Franchisee Image Activation Incentive Programs In order to promote new restaurant development, Wendy’s has an incentive program for franchisees that provides for reductions in royalty and national advertising payments for up to the first two years of operation for qualifying new restaurants opened by December 31, 2020, with the value of the incentives declining in the later years of the program. In August 2018, Wendy’s announced a new restaurant development incentive program that provides for incremental reductions in royalty and national advertising payments for up to the first two years of operation for qualifying new restaurants for existing franchisees that sign up for the program and commit to incremental development of new Wendy’s restaurants under a new development agreement by July 1, 2019. Wendy’s also provides franchisees with the option of an early 20-year renewal of their franchise agreement upon completion of reimaging utilizing certain approved Image Activation remodel designs. Wendy’s also had incentive programs for 2017 available to franchisees that commenced Image Activation restaurant remodels by December 15, 2017. The remodel incentive programs provide for reductions in royalty payments for one year after the completion of construction. In addition, Wendy’s had incentive programs that included reductions in royalty payments in 2016 for franchisees’ participation in Wendy’s Image Activation program. Other Loan Guarantees Wendy’s provides loan guarantees to various lenders on behalf of franchisees entering into debt arrangements for equipment financing. Wendy’s has accrued a liability for the fair value of these guarantees, the calculation of which was based upon a weighted average risk percentage established at the inception of each program which has been adjusted for a history of defaults. Wendy’s potential recourse for the aggregate amount of these loans amounted to $144 as of December 30, 2018. As of December 30, 2018, the fair value of these guarantees totaled $17 and is included in “Other liabilities.” Lease Guarantees Wendy’s has guaranteed the performance of certain leases and other obligations, primarily from former Company-operated restaurant locations now operated by franchisees, amounting to $66,268 as of December 30, 2018. These leases extend through 2056. We have not received any notice of default related to these leases as of December 30, 2018. In the event of default by a franchise owner, Wendy’s generally retains the right to acquire possession of the related restaurant locations. Insurance Wendy’s is self-insured for most workers’ compensation losses and purchases insurance for general liability and automotive liability losses, all subject to a $500 per occurrence retention or deductible limit. Wendy’s determines its liability for claims incurred but not reported for the insurance liabilities on an actuarial basis. As of December 30, 2018, the Company had $22,129 recorded for these insurance liabilities. Wendy’s is self-insured for health care claims for eligible participating employees subject to certain deductibles and limitations and determines its liability for health care claims incurred but not reported based on historical claims runoff data. As of December 30, 2018, the Company had $2,183 recorded for these health care insurance liabilities. Letters of Credit As of December 30, 2018, the Company had outstanding letters of credit with various parties totaling $27,082. The outstanding letters of credit include amounts outstanding against the Series 2018-1 Class A-1 Notes. See Note 12 for further information. We do not expect any material loss to result from these letters of credit. Purchase and Capital Commitments Beverage Agreement The Company has an agreement with a beverage vendor, which provides fountain beverage products and certain marketing support funding to the Company and its franchisees. This agreement requires minimum purchases of certain fountain beverages (“Fountain Beverages”) by the Company and its franchisees at certain agreed upon prices until the total contractual gallon volume usage is reached. This agreement also provides for an annual advance to be paid to the Company based on the vendor’s expectation of the Company’s annual Fountain Beverages usage, which is amortized over actual usage during the year. As of December 30, 2018, the Company estimates future annual purchases to be approximately $10,800 in 2019 and $11,300 in 2020 based on current pricing and the expected ratio of usage at Company-operated restaurants to franchised restaurants. Beverage purchases made by the Company under this agreement during 2018, 2017 and 2016 were $10,108, $9,370 and $12,839, respectively. As of December 30, 2018, $2,414 is due to the beverage vendor and is included in “Accounts payable,” principally for annual estimated payments that exceeded usage, under this agreement. In January 2019, the Company amended its contract with the beverage vendor, which now expires at the later of reaching a minimum usage requirement or December 31, 2025.

Guarantees and Other Commitments and Contingencies

Guarantees and Contingent Liabilities

Franchisee Image Activation Incentive Programs

In order to promote new restaurant development, Wendy’s has an incentive program for franchisees that provides for reductions in royalty and national advertising payments for up to the first two years of operation for qualifying new restaurants opened by December 31, 2020, with the value of the incentives declining in the later years of the program. In August 2018, Wendy’s announced a new restaurant development incentive program that provides for incremental reductions in royalty and national advertising payments for up to the first two years of operation for qualifying new restaurants for existing franchisees that sign up for the program and commit to incremental development of new Wendy’s restaurants under a new development agreement by July 1, 2019. Wendy’s also provides franchisees with the option of an early 20-year renewal of their franchise agreement upon completion of reimaging utilizing certain approved Image Activation remodel designs.

Wendy’s also had incentive programs for 2017 available to franchisees that commenced Image Activation restaurant remodels by December 15, 2017. The remodel incentive programs provide for reductions in royalty payments for one year after the completion of construction. In addition, Wendy’s had incentive programs that included reductions in royalty payments in 2016 for franchisees’ participation in Wendy’s Image Activation program.

Other Loan Guarantees

Wendy’s provides loan guarantees to various lenders on behalf of franchisees entering into debt arrangements for equipment financing. Wendy’s has accrued a liability for the fair value of these guarantees, the calculation of which was based upon a weighted average risk percentage established at the inception of each program which has been adjusted for a history of defaults. Wendy’s potential recourse for the aggregate amount of these loans amounted to $144 as of December 30, 2018. As of December 30, 2018, the fair value of these guarantees totaled $17 and is included in “Other liabilities.”

Lease Guarantees

Wendy’s has guaranteed the performance of certain leases and other obligations, primarily from former Company-operated restaurant locations now operated by franchisees, amounting to $66,268 as of December 30, 2018. These leases extend through 2056. We have not received any notice of default related to these leases as of December 30, 2018. In the event of default by a franchise owner, Wendy’s generally retains the right to acquire possession of the related restaurant locations.

Insurance

Wendy’s is self-insured for most workers’ compensation losses and purchases insurance for general liability and automotive liability losses, all subject to a $500 per occurrence retention or deductible limit. Wendy’s determines its liability for claims incurred but not reported for the insurance liabilities on an actuarial basis. As of December 30, 2018, the Company had $22,129 recorded for these insurance liabilities. Wendy’s is self-insured for health care claims for eligible participating employees subject to certain deductibles and limitations and determines its liability for health care claims incurred but not reported based on historical claims runoff data. As of December 30, 2018, the Company had $2,183 recorded for these health care insurance liabilities.

Letters of Credit

As of December 30, 2018, the Company had outstanding letters of credit with various parties totaling $27,082. The outstanding letters of credit include amounts outstanding against the Series 2018-1 Class A-1 Notes. See Note 12 for further information. We do not expect any material loss to result from these letters of credit.

Purchase and Capital Commitments

Beverage Agreement

The Company has an agreement with a beverage vendor, which provides fountain beverage products and certain marketing support funding to the Company and its franchisees. This agreement requires minimum purchases of certain fountain beverages (“Fountain Beverages”) by the Company and its franchisees at certain agreed upon prices until the total contractual gallon volume usage is reached. This agreement also provides for an annual advance to be paid to the Company based on the vendor’s expectation of the Company’s annual Fountain Beverages usage, which is amortized over actual usage during the year. As of December 30, 2018, the Company estimates future annual purchases to be approximately $10,800 in 2019 and $11,300 in 2020 based on current pricing and the expected ratio of usage at Company-operated restaurants to franchised restaurants.

Beverage purchases made by the Company under this agreement during 2018, 2017 and 2016 were $10,108, $9,370 and $12,839, respectively. As of December 30, 2018, $2,414 is due to the beverage vendor and is included in “Accounts payable,” principally for annual estimated payments that exceeded usage, under this agreement.

In January 2019, the Company amended its contract with the beverage vendor, which now expires at the later of reaching a minimum usage requirement or December 31, 2025.