Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Treasury Stock
Common stock, shares, outstanding, beginning (shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		18,535,000
Stockholders' equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 267,223	$ 252	$ 286,952	$ 351,923	$ (107)	$ (371,797)
Treasury stock, shares, beginning (shares) at Dec. 31, 2015						6,651,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	101,002			101,002
Other comprehensive loss	0				0
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (shares)		(650,000)				(650,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (55,343)					$ (55,343)
Reissuance of treasury stock (shares)	136,818	137,000				137,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	$ 1,409		(3,468)			$ 4,877
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (shares)		(19,000)
Net issuance of shares for stock plans	0	$ (1)	1
Repurchase of restricted shares (shares)		(33,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(2,859)		(2,859)
Stock-based compensation	10,926		10,926
Tax benefit from stock-based compensation	1,132		1,132
Dividends on common stock	(67,708)		125	(67,833)
Dividends declared from additional paid-in capital			0
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		17,970,000
Stockholders' equity, ending of the period at Dec. 31, 2016	196,141	$ 251	292,809	325,451	(107)	$ (422,263)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2016						7,165,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(342,750)			(342,750)
Other comprehensive loss	2				2
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (shares)		(146,000)				(146,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (10,003)					$ (10,003)
Reissuance of treasury stock (shares)	281,185	281,000				281,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	$ 2,635		(7,478)			$ 10,113
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (shares)		(71,000)
Net issuance of shares for stock plans	0	$ (1)	1
Repurchase of restricted shares (shares)		(41,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(2,396)		(2,396)
Stock-based compensation	10,783		10,783
Tax benefit from stock-based compensation	0		0
Dividends on common stock	(52,234)		407	(52,641)
Dividends declared from additional paid-in capital	$ (17,718)		(17,718)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	17,993,124	17,993,000
Stockholders' equity, ending of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	$ (215,540)	$ 250	276,408	(69,940)	(105)	$ (422,153)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	7,029,188					7,029,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	$ 80,354			80,354
Other comprehensive loss	45				45
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (shares)		(479,000)				(479,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (34,929)					$ (34,929)
Reissuance of treasury stock (shares)	167,396	167,000				167,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	$ 3,928		(2,551)			$ 6,479
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (shares)		(11,000)
Net issuance of shares for stock plans	0
Repurchase of restricted shares (shares)		(27,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(1,972)		(1,972)
Stock-based compensation	10,546		10,546
Dividends on common stock				0
Dividends declared from additional paid-in capital	$ (44,705)		(44,705)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	17,644,267	17,644,000
Stockholders' equity, ending of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	$ (202,273)	$ 250	$ 237,726	$ 10,414	$ (60)	$ (450,603)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	7,340,631					7,341,000