Consolidating Financial Information Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	$ 102,459	$ 98,551	$ 210,868		$ 203,103
Company restaurant sales	93,802	134,634	194,687		289,337
Rental revenues	29,171	31,624	61,176		63,840
Financing revenues	3,959	3,529	8,242		12,258
Revenues	229,391	268,338	474,973		568,538
Franchise expenses	26,346	26,207	53,978		53,650
Restaurant expenses	79,574	117,279	163,757		249,045
Rental expenses	24,301	24,566	48,838		49,213
Financing expenses	916	1	1,571		5,576
General and administrative	37,239	38,450	76,871		76,419
Interest expense	29,650	32,867	59,871		69,173
Impairment and closure charges	122	21,816	844		26,754
Amortization of intangible assets	3,075	3,075	6,150		6,150
Gain on disposition of assets	741	1,291	(15,992)		(22,463)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	939	2,611	[1]	7,885	[1]
Debt modification costs	0	10	0		4,124
Other (income) expense		0			0
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	27,427	1,837	76,474		43,012
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(10,489)	(1,489)	(28,192)		(12,965)
Net income	16,938	348	48,282		30,047
Total comprehensive income	16,935	347	48,421		30,067
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	600	600	1,300		1,300
Company restaurant sales	0	0	0		0
Rental revenues	0	0	0		0
Financing revenues	0	0	0		0
Revenues	600	600	1,300		1,300
Franchise expenses	600	500	1,200		1,000
Restaurant expenses	0	0	0		0
Rental expenses	0	0	0		0
Financing expenses	0	0	0		0
General and administrative	6,100	6,100	13,100		13,600
Interest expense	27,000	28,700	54,400		61,000
Impairment and closure charges	0	0	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0		0
Gain on disposition of assets	0	0	0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	900	2,600		7,900
Debt modification costs		0			4,100
Other (income) expense		30,400			14,300
Intercompany dividend	(37,000)		(91,100)
Income (loss) before income taxes	3,900	(66,000)	21,100		(100,600)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	12,800	13,800	27,200		33,400
Net income	16,900	(52,200)	48,300		(67,200)
Total comprehensive income	16,900	(52,200)	48,200		(67,200)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	101,600	97,700	209,100		201,300
Company restaurant sales	93,800	134,300	194,700		288,500
Rental revenues	29,200	31,600	61,200		63,800
Financing revenues	4,000	3,500	8,200		12,300
Revenues	228,600	267,100	473,200		565,900
Franchise expenses	25,700	25,700	52,800		52,700
Restaurant expenses	79,600	117,100	163,800		248,600
Rental expenses	24,300	24,600	48,800		49,200
Financing expenses	900	0	1,600		5,600
General and administrative	30,600	31,700	62,700		61,600
Interest expense	2,700	4,200	5,500		8,100
Impairment and closure charges	100	21,800	400		26,700
Amortization of intangible assets	3,100	3,100	6,200		6,200
Gain on disposition of assets	1,200	1,200	(15,200)		(22,500)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0		0
Debt modification costs		0			0
Other (income) expense		43,800			20,500
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	60,400	(6,100)	146,600		109,200
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(23,300)	(15,100)	(55,300)		(46,200)
Net income	36,900	(21,200)	91,300		63,000
Total comprehensive income	36,900	(21,200)	91,400		63,100
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	300	200	500		500
Company restaurant sales	0	400	0		800
Rental revenues	0	0	0		0
Financing revenues	0	0	0		0
Revenues	300	600	500		1,300
Franchise expenses	0	0	0		0
Restaurant expenses	0	200	0		400
Rental expenses	0	0	0		0
Financing expenses	0	0	0		0
General and administrative	500	600	1,000		1,200
Interest expense	0	0	0		0
Impairment and closure charges	0	0	400		100
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0
Gain on disposition of assets	(400)	100	(800)		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0
Debt modification costs		0			0
Other (income) expense		(500)			(900)
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	200	200	(100)		500
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	(100)	0		(200)
Net income	100	200	(100)		300
Total comprehensive income	100	200	(100)		300
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	0	0	0		0
Company restaurant sales	0	0	0		0
Rental revenues	0	0	0		0
Financing revenues	0	0	0		0
Revenues	0	0	0		0
Franchise expenses	0	0	0		0
Restaurant expenses	0	0	0		0
Rental expenses	0	0	0		0
Financing expenses	0	0	0		0
General and administrative	0	0	0		0
Interest expense	0	0	0		0
Impairment and closure charges	0	0	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0		0
Gain on disposition of assets	0	0	0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0		0
Debt modification costs		0			0
Other (income) expense		(73,700)			(33,900)
Intercompany dividend	37,000		91,100
Income (loss) before income taxes	(37,000)	73,700	(91,100)		33,900
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0		0
Net income	(37,000)	73,700	(91,100)		33,900
Total comprehensive income	$ (37,000)	$ 73,700	$ (91,100)		$ 33,900

[1] Including write-off of the discount and deferred financing costs related to the debt retired.