Consolidating Financial Information - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 127,815	$ 52,879	$ 121,686
Additions to property and equipment	(7,037)	(16,952)	(26,332)
Principal receipts from long-term receivables	13,982	12,250	13,122
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	168,881	115,642
Other	58	1,238	(753)
Cash flows provided by investing activities	7,003	165,417	101,679
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities	0	50,000	40,000
Revolving credit repayments	0	(50,000)	(40,000)
Payment of debt	(14,768)	(226,886)	(239,072)
Payment of debt issuance costs	(1,296)	0	(12,295)
Repurchase of DineEquity common stock	(29,698)		(21,170)
Dividends paid on common stock	57,445	0	0
Restricted cash	1,249	(747)	466
Other	8,614	13,183	7,088
Intercompany transfers	0	0	0
Cash flows used in financing activities	(93,344)	(214,450)	(264,983)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	41,474	3,846	(41,618)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	64,537	60,691	102,309
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	106,011	64,537	60,691
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities	(113,100)	(130,100)	(139,400)
Additions to property and equipment	(5,400)	(4,900)	(6,700)
Principal receipts from long-term receivables	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Cash flows provided by investing activities	(5,400)	(4,900)	(6,700)
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities		50,000	40,000
Revolving credit repayments		(50,000)	(40,000)
Payment of debt	(4,800)	(216,000)	(225,700)
Payment of debt issuance costs	(1,300)	0	(12,300)
Repurchase of DineEquity common stock	(29,700)	0	(21,200)
Dividends paid on common stock	57,400
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other	8,300	11,800	6,200
Intercompany transfers	243,700	339,200	385,600
Cash flows used in financing activities	158,800	135,000	132,600
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	40,400	0	(13,500)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	9,900	9,900	23,400
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	50,300	9,900	9,900
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities	240,800	182,500	261,400
Additions to property and equipment	(1,700)	(12,000)	(19,600)
Principal receipts from long-term receivables	14,000	12,200	13,100
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	168,900	115,600
Other	100	1,200	(700)
Cash flows provided by investing activities	12,400	170,300	108,400
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities		0	0
Revolving credit repayments		0	0
Payment of debt	(10,000)	(10,900)	(13,400)
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of DineEquity common stock	0	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0
Restricted cash	1,200	(700)	500
Other	300	1,400	900
Intercompany transfers	(244,100)	(339,000)	(384,700)
Cash flows used in financing activities	(252,500)	(349,200)	(396,700)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	700	3,600	(26,900)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	54,000	50,400	77,300
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	54,700	54,000	50,400
Combined Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities	100	400	(300)
Additions to property and equipment	0	0	0
Principal receipts from long-term receivables	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Cash flows provided by investing activities	0	0	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities		0	0
Revolving credit repayments		0	0
Payment of debt	0	0	0
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of DineEquity common stock	0	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Intercompany transfers	400	(200)	(900)
Cash flows used in financing activities	400	(200)	(900)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	400	200	(1,200)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	600	400	1,600
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	1,000	600	400
Eliminations and Reclassification
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0	0
Additions to property and equipment	0	0	0
Principal receipts from long-term receivables	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Cash flows provided by investing activities	0	0	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities		0	0
Revolving credit repayments		0	0
Payment of debt	0	0	0
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of DineEquity common stock	0	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Intercompany transfers	0	0	0
Cash flows used in financing activities	0	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0