Consolidating Financial Information Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues										$ 377,137,000	$ 372,999,000
Company restaurant sales										815,572,000	890,020,000
Rental revenues										124,508,000	133,845,000
Financing revenues										16,424,000	17,899,000
Revenues	242,179,000	264,481,000	268,338,000	300,200,000	299,926,000	335,515,000	340,136,000	358,064,000	1,075,198,000	1,333,641,000	1,414,763,000
Franchise expenses									105,006,000	103,505,000	102,256,000
Restaurant expenses									458,443,000	699,336,000	766,472,000
Rental expenses									98,147,000	99,030,000	100,201,000
Financing expenses									5,973,000	1,969,000	370,000
General and administrative									155,822,000	160,330,000	157,727,000
Interest expense									132,707,000	171,537,000	186,258,000
Impairment and closure charges									29,865,000	4,285,000	105,622,000
Amortization of intangible assets									12,300,000	12,300,000	12,306,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt									11,159,000	107,003,000	(45,678,000)
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets									(43,253,000)	(13,574,000)	(7,355,000)
Other (income) expense									4,000,000	0	0
Intercompany dividend										0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									104,998,000	(12,080,000)	36,584,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									(29,806,000)	9,292,000	(5,175,000)
Net income (loss)	28,620,000	16,525,000	348,000	29,699,000	(50,831,000)	14,331,000	14,041,000	19,671,000	75,192,000	(2,788,000)	31,409,000
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues									2,500,000	0	0
Company restaurant sales									0	0	0
Rental revenues									0	0	0
Financing revenues									0	0	0
Revenues									2,500,000	0	0
Franchise expenses									2,100,000	0	0
Restaurant expenses									0	0	0
Rental expenses									0	0	0
Financing expenses									0	0	0
General and administrative									28,300,000	27,400,000	25,600,000
Interest expense									117,200,000	27,800,000	0
Impairment and closure charges									0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets									0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt									11,200,000	4,400,000	0
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets									0	0	0
Other (income) expense									(150,600,000)	300,000	(1,000,000)
Intercompany dividend										(409,300,000)	(69,600,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(5,700,000)	349,400,000	45,000,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									61,300,000	22,600,000	9,300,000
Net income (loss)									55,600,000	372,000,000	54,300,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues									395,000,000	376,800,000	372,600,000
Company restaurant sales									529,700,000	813,600,000	885,100,000
Rental revenues									125,900,000	124,300,000	133,800,000
Financing revenues									19,700,000	16,400,000	17,900,000
Revenues									1,070,300,000	1,331,100,000	1,409,400,000
Franchise expenses									102,800,000	103,500,000	102,200,000
Restaurant expenses									457,600,000	698,000,000	759,500,000
Rental expenses									98,100,000	98,900,000	100,100,000
Financing expenses									6,000,000	2,000,000	400,000
General and administrative									125,300,000	130,700,000	129,500,000
Interest expense									15,500,000	143,800,000	186,300,000
Impairment and closure charges									29,500,000	3,100,000	105,000,000
Amortization of intangible assets									12,300,000	12,300,000	12,300,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	102,600,000	(45,700,000)
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets									(43,300,000)	(13,900,000)	(7,300,000)
Other (income) expense									21,200,000	(75,100,000)	(63,600,000)
Intercompany dividend										0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									245,300,000	125,200,000	130,700,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									(90,900,000)	(17,300,000)	(14,900,000)
Net income (loss)									154,400,000	107,900,000	115,800,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues									1,000,000	700,000	600,000
Company restaurant sales									1,300,000	2,000,000	4,900,000
Rental revenues									100,000	200,000	100,000
Financing revenues									0	0	0
Revenues									2,400,000	2,900,000	5,600,000
Franchise expenses									100,000	0	100,000
Restaurant expenses									800,000	1,300,000	7,000,000
Rental expenses									100,000	100,000	100,000
Financing expenses									0	0	0
General and administrative									2,200,000	2,200,000	2,600,000
Interest expense									0	0	0
Impairment and closure charges									400,000	1,200,000	600,000
Amortization of intangible assets									0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	0	0
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets									0	300,000	(100,000)
Other (income) expense									(1,700,000)	100,000	(3,400,000)
Intercompany dividend										0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									500,000	(2,300,000)	(1,300,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									(200,000)	4,000,000	400,000
Net income (loss)									300,000	1,700,000	(900,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues									0	(400,000)	(200,000)
Company restaurant sales									0	0	0
Rental revenues									0	0	0
Financing revenues									0	0	0
Revenues									0	(400,000)	(200,000)
Franchise expenses									0	0	0
Restaurant expenses									0	0	0
Rental expenses									0	0	0
Financing expenses									0	0	0
General and administrative									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Impairment and closure charges									0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets									0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	0	0
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets									0	0	0
Other (income) expense									135,100,000	74,700,000	68,000,000
Intercompany dividend										409,300,000	69,600,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									(135,100,000)	(484,400,000)	(137,800,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									$ (135,100,000)	$ (484,400,000)	$ (137,800,000)