Retirement Plans

6 Months Ended

Apr. 12, 2015

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense [Abstract]

Retirement Plans

RETIREMENT PLANS

Defined benefit pension plans — We sponsor two defined benefit pension plans: a qualified plan covering substantially all full-time Jack in the Box employees hired prior to January 1, 2011, and an unfunded supplemental executive plan which provides certain employees additional pension benefits and was closed to new participants effective January 1, 2007. In fiscal 2011, the Board of Directors approved changes to our qualified plan whereby participants will no longer accrue benefits effective December 31, 2015. Benefits under both plans are based on the employees’ years of service and compensation over defined periods of employment.

Postretirement healthcare plans — We also sponsor two healthcare plans, closed to new participants, that provide postretirement medical benefits to certain employees who have met minimum age and service requirements. The plans are contributory, with retiree contributions adjusted annually, and contain other cost-sharing features such as deductibles and coinsurance.

Net periodic benefit cost — The components of net periodic benefit cost in each period were as follows (in thousands):

	Quarter						Year-to-date
	April 12, 2015			April 13, 2014			April 12, 2015			April 13, 2014
Defined benefit pension plans:
Service cost	$	1,908		$	1,875		$	4,452		$	4,374
Interest cost	5,237			5,364			12,220			12,516
Expected return on plan assets	(5,370		)	(5,652		)	(12,531		)	(13,188		)
Actuarial loss	2,172			1,024			5,068			2,388
Amortization of unrecognized prior service costs	62			62			145			145
Net periodic benefit cost	$	4,009		$	2,673		$	9,354		$	6,235
Postretirement healthcare plans:
Interest cost	$	276		$	379		$	644		$	883
Actuarial loss	42			125			98			292
Net periodic benefit cost	$	318		$	504		$	742		$	1,175

Future cash flows — Our policy is to fund our plans at or above the minimum required by law. As of the date of our last actuarial funding valuation, there was no minimum contribution funding requirement. Details regarding fiscal 2015 contributions are as follows (in thousands):

	Defined Benefit Pension Plans		Postretirement Healthcare Plans
Net year-to-date contributions	$	7,543	$	570
Remaining estimated net contributions during fiscal 2015	$	17,000	$	700

We will continue to evaluate contributions to our qualified defined benefit pension plan based on changes in pension assets as a result of asset performance in the current market and economic environment.