Other Non-current Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 01, 2017	Jan. 01, 2017
Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Line Items]
Sale leaseback obligations, less current portion	$ 178,724	$ 176,831
Long-term portion of unfavorable leases	26,342	21,784
Other	4,872	4,950
Other noncurrent liabilities	222,092	216,575
Deferred Landlord Contributions, Noncurrent	6,237	5,702
Off-market Lease, Unfavorable	$ 5,917	$ 7,308

Deferred Landlord Contributions, Noncurrent

No definition available.

Name:	cec_DeferredLandlordContributionsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	cec_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Lease-related Liabilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cec_LeaserelatedLiabilities
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

[Line Items] for Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Table]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cec_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	cec_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sale Leaseback Obligations, Noncurrent

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cec_SaleLeasebackObligationsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	cec_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents a liability associated with the acquisition of an off-market lease when the terms of the lease are unfavorable to the market terms for the lease at the date of acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OffMarketLeaseUnfavorable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of liabilities classified as other, due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Obligations not otherwise itemized or categorized in the footnotes to the financial statements that are expected to be paid after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer), from the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(15))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(15))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(24))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant