Business Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2016	Sep. 29, 2015	Sep. 27, 2016	Sep. 29, 2015	Dec. 29, 2015	Dec. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Refranchising loss	$ 129	$ 2,174	$ 9,072	$ 11,732
Revenues:
Total revenues	684,206	664,654	2,068,259	1,989,815
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	135,405	124,581	415,459	377,913
Depreciation and amortization	38,985	33,885	114,073	100,167
Unallocated General and Administrative Expenses	43,538	37,575	130,657	103,515
Pre-opening expenses	1,948	2,298	5,584	6,253
Interest expense	2,529	1,363	6,059	2,266
Other (income) expense, net	411	(55)	274	948
Income before income taxes	49,281	50,794	162,750	168,497
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	47,409	48,445	146,364	153,301
Segment Assets
Unallocated cash and cash equivalents	86,598	275,177	86,598	275,177	$ 241,886	$ 196,493
Unallocated trade and other accounts receivable	47,717		47,717		38,211
Unallocated property and equipment	795,476		795,476		776,248
Total assets	1,253,536		1,253,536		1,440,839
Company bakery cafe operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	593,434	584,664	1,801,502	1,756,464
Franchise operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	38,210	33,740	114,079	98,952
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment profit:
Depreciation and amortization	38,985		114,073	100,167
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment profit:
Unallocated General and Administrative Expenses	42,251	36,296	126,719	99,782
Segment Assets
Unallocated cash and cash equivalents	86,598		86,598		241,886
Unallocated trade and other accounts receivable	7,022		7,022		2,968
Unallocated property and equipment	114,536		114,536		107,333
Unallocated deposits and other	5,560		5,560		6,660
Other unallocated assets	24,720		24,720		39,592
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Assets
Total assets	1,015,100		1,015,100		1,042,400
Operating Segments [Member] | Company bakery cafe operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	593,434	584,664	1,801,502	1,756,464
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	92,267	87,513	286,216	266,456
Depreciation and amortization	28,894	26,004	85,828	78,698
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	33,723	39,756	104,070	117,866
Segment Assets
Total assets	910,698		910,698		953,717
Operating Segments [Member] | Franchise operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	38,210	33,740	114,079	98,952
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	36,923	32,461	110,141	95,219
Segment Assets
Total assets	18,462		18,462		13,049
Operating Segments [Member] | Fresh dough and other product operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	103,041	96,198	301,320	284,089
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	6,215	4,607	19,102	16,238
Depreciation and amortization	2,519	2,321	7,157	6,855
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	3,026	3,217	13,585	7,710
Segment Assets
Total assets	85,940		85,940		$ 75,634
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate Administration [Member]
Segment profit:
Depreciation and amortization	7,572	5,560	21,088	14,614
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	10,660	5,472	28,709	27,725
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ (50,479)	$ (49,948)	$ (148,642)	$ (149,690)