System Optimization Gains, Net Summary of Disposition Activity (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Oct. 03, 2021 USD ($) number_of_restaurants	Sep. 27, 2020 USD ($) number_of_restaurants	Oct. 03, 2021 USD ($) number_of_restaurants	Sep. 27, 2020 USD ($) number_of_restaurants	Jan. 01, 2017
System optimization gains, net
Company-operated restaurant ownership percentage					5.00%
Proceeds from sales of restaurants			$ 52,657	$ 3,570
Gain on sales-type leases	$ 705	$ 182	4,244	1,379
System optimization gains, net	$ 1,437	$ 23	$ 32,719	$ 2,333
Sale of franchise-operated restaurant to franchisee
System optimization gains, net
Number of restaurants sold to franchisees \| number_of_restaurants			34	22
Sale of company-operated restaurants to franchisees
System optimization gains, net
Number of restaurants sold to franchisees \| number_of_restaurants	0	0	47	0
Proceeds from sales of restaurants	$ 0	$ 0	$ 50,518	$ 0
Net Assets Sold	0	0	(16,939)	0
Goodwill related to sales of restaurants	0	0	(4,847)	0
Net unfavorable leases	0	0	(2,939)	0
Gain on sales-type leases	0	0	7,156	0
Other	0	0	(2,148)	0
Gain on sale of restaurants, net, before post-closing adjustments	0	0	30,801	0
Post closing adjustments on sales of restaurants	5	23	520	368
System optimization gains, net	5	23	31,321	368
Favorable lease	3,799		3,799
Unfavorable lease	6,738		6,738
Deferred gain on sale of property	3,500		3,500
Recognition of deferred gain on sale of property			515
Sale of other assets
System optimization gains, net
Proceeds from sales of restaurants	2,100		2,113	3,570
System optimization gains, net	1,432	$ 0	1,398	$ 1,965
Sale of manhattan company-operated restaurants to franchisees note receivable
System optimization gains, net
Proceeds from sales of restaurants	$ 26		$ 26

Amount of gain on the sale of property that does not qualify for gain recognition as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

This element represents the identifiable intangible asset established upon acquisition based on a favorable difference between the terms of an acquired lease and the current market terms for that lease at the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.15)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetOffMarketLeaseFavorableGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents a liability associated with the acquisition of an off-market lease when the terms of the lease are unfavorable to the market terms for the lease at the date of acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&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

Amount of profit (loss) for sales-type lease and (loss) for direct financing lease recognized at commencement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeAndDirectFinancingLeasesProfitLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 952
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123345378&loc=d3e68639-108044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 952
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123350991&loc=SL51750552-203207

+ Details

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

- Definition

Approximate Company-operated restaurant ownership percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wen_Companyoperatedrestaurantownershippercentage
Namespace Prefix:	wen_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Gain (loss) on disposition of restaurants to franchisees as part of the system optimization initiative, before the impact of post closing purchase price adjustments on previously completed dispositions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Net Assets Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Net Lease Assets (Liabilities) - Net of favorable lease assets and unfavorable lease liabilities as a result of the lease and/or sublease of land, buildings, and/or leasehold improvements to franchisees, in connection with sales of restaurants.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Other gain (loss) on disposition, net

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- 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_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:

- Details

Name:	wen_ComponentAxis=wen_SaleOfManhattanCompanyOperatedRestaurantsToFranchiseesNoteReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: