Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2013	Oct. 02, 2012	Oct. 01, 2013	Oct. 02, 2012	Jan. 01, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013 Grand Lux Cafe item	Oct. 01, 2013 Corporate	Oct. 02, 2012 Corporate	Oct. 01, 2013 Corporate	Oct. 02, 2012 Corporate	Jan. 01, 2013 Corporate	Oct. 01, 2013 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants	Jul. 02, 2013 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants item	Oct. 02, 2012 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants	Oct. 01, 2013 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants	Oct. 02, 2012 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants	Jan. 01, 2013 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants	Oct. 01, 2013 Other	Oct. 02, 2012 Other	Oct. 01, 2013 Other	Oct. 02, 2012 Other	Jan. 01, 2013 Other	Mar. 31, 2013 Other Grand Lux Cafe item	Apr. 02, 2013 Other Grand Lux Cafe
Segment information
Revenues	$ 469,699,000	$ 453,819,000	$ 1,402,835,000	$ 1,344,322,000								$ 425,084,000		$ 402,493,000	$ 1,262,480,000	$ 1,202,173,000		$ 44,615,000	$ 51,326,000	$ 140,355,000	$ 142,149,000
Income from operations	38,631,000	39,324,000	116,588,000	110,513,000			(27,782,000)	(19,208,000)	(81,386,000)	(73,379,000)		61,686,000		55,771,000	183,641,000	174,402,000		4,727,000	2,761,000	14,333,000	9,490,000
Depreciation and amortization	19,661,000	18,733,000	58,106,000	55,540,000			1,201,000	1,052,000	3,355,000	3,158,000		15,826,000		15,163,000	46,892,000	45,208,000		2,634,000	2,518,000	7,859,000	7,174,000
Capital expenditures	29,581,000	30,192,000	67,098,000	64,611,000			1,135,000	6,393,000	3,174,000	9,895,000		26,842,000		20,900,000	60,837,000	41,700,000		1,604,000	2,899,000	3,087,000	13,016,000
Total assets	1,101,138,000		1,101,138,000		1,092,167,000		185,999,000		185,999,000		162,685,000	753,740,000			753,740,000		764,208,000	161,399,000		161,399,000		165,274,000
Impairment and accelerated depreciation expense												1,100,000	1,500,000
Number of restaurants related to planned relocation													4
Expected future rent and other closing costs																								$ 600,000
Number of locations closed						3																	3