Consolidating Financial Information - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise and restaurant revenues													$ 502,586	$ 712,580	$ 929,523
Rental revenues													124,769	122,859	125,960
Financing revenues													13,112	14,489	19,715
Total segment revenues	157,901	161,283	158,114	163,169	158,637	[1]	216,318	[1]	229,391	[1]	245,582	[1]	640,467	849,928	1,075,198
Franchise and restaurant expenses													173,232	359,196	563,449
Rental expenses													97,298	97,165	98,147
Financing expenses													245	1,623	5,973
General and administrative													(143,586)	(163,215)	(155,822)
Interest expense													100,264	114,338	132,707
Amortization of intangible assets													12,282	12,293	12,300
Closure and impairment charges													1,812	4,218	29,865
Loss on extinguishment of debt													58	5,554	11,159
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets													(223)	(102,597)	(43,253)
Other (income) expense													(1,296)	0	(4,031)
Intercompany dividend													0	0
Income before income taxes													110,617	194,923	104,998
Benefit (provision) for income taxes													38,580	67,249	29,806
Net income (loss)	18,131	18,730	16,937	18,239	18,819	[2]	60,573	[2]	16,938	[2]	31,344	[2]	72,037	127,674	75,192
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise and restaurant revenues													2,800	2,600	2,500
Rental revenues													0	0	0
Financing revenues													0	0	0
Total segment revenues													2,800	2,600	2,500
Franchise and restaurant expenses													2,700	2,500	2,100
Rental expenses													0	0	0
Financing expenses													0	0	0
General and administrative													(38,700)	(36,300)	(28,300)
Interest expense													98,900	106,100	117,200
Amortization of intangible assets													0	0	0
Closure and impairment charges													0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt													100	5,600	11,200
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets													0	1,200	0
Other (income) expense													(1,300)		150,600
Intercompany dividend													(173,600)	(220,700)
Income before income taxes													34,700	71,600	(5,700)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes													(37,300)	(56,000)	(61,300)
Net income (loss)													72,000	127,600	55,600
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise and restaurant revenues													498,500	708,800	924,800
Rental revenues													124,800	122,900	125,800
Financing revenues													13,100	14,500	19,700
Total segment revenues													636,400	846,200	1,070,300
Franchise and restaurant expenses													170,500	356,600	560,400
Rental expenses													97,300	97,200	98,100
Financing expenses													200	1,600	6,000
General and administrative													(103,600)	(124,900)	(125,300)
Interest expense													1,400	8,200	15,500
Amortization of intangible assets													12,300	12,300	12,300
Closure and impairment charges													1,500	3,500	29,500
Loss on extinguishment of debt													0	0	0
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets													800	(102,200)	(43,300)
Other (income) expense													0		(21,200)
Intercompany dividend													0	0
Income before income taxes													248,900	344,100	245,300
Benefit (provision) for income taxes													75,900	123,200	90,900
Net income (loss)													173,000	220,900	154,400
Combined Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise and restaurant revenues													1,200	1,100	2,300
Rental revenues													0	0	100
Financing revenues													0	0	0
Total segment revenues													1,200	1,100	2,400
Franchise and restaurant expenses													100	100	900
Rental expenses													0	0	100
Financing expenses													0	0	0
General and administrative													(1,300)	(2,000)	(2,200)
Interest expense													0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets													0	0	0
Closure and impairment charges													300	700	400
Loss on extinguishment of debt													0	0	0
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets													(1,000)	(1,600)	0
Other (income) expense													0		1,700
Intercompany dividend													0	0
Income before income taxes													600	(100)	500
Benefit (provision) for income taxes													0	0	200
Net income (loss)													600	(100)	300
Eliminations and Reclassification
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise and restaurant revenues													0	0	0
Rental revenues													0	0	0
Financing revenues													0	0	0
Total segment revenues													0	0	0
Franchise and 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
Amortization of intangible assets													0	0	0
Closure and impairment charges													0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt													0	0	0
Loss (gain) on disposition of assets													0	0	0
Other (income) expense													0		(135,100)
Intercompany dividend													173,600	220,700
Income before income taxes													(173,600)	(220,700)	(135,100)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes													0	0	0
Net income (loss)													$ (173,600)	$ (220,700)	$ (135,100)

[1] Revenues in 2012 were impacted by the refranchising of 154 Applebee's company-operated restaurants in 2012 as follows: 17 in the first quarter of 2012, 98 in the third quarter of 2012 and 39 in the fourth quarter of 2012.

[2] Net income in 2012 was impacted by gains on disposition of assets (primarily the refranchising and sale of related restaurant assets of Applebee's company-operated restaurants) of $16.7 million in the first quarter of 2012, $73.6 million in the third quarter of 2012 and $13.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2012.