Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2014 item	Apr. 01, 2014 item	Jul. 02, 2013	Apr. 02, 2013 item	Jul. 01, 2014	Jul. 02, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment information
Revenues	$ 496,406,000		$ 470,118,000		$ 977,837,000	$ 933,136,000
Income from operations	42,691,000		41,170,000		75,764,000	77,957,000
Depreciation and amortization	20,534,000		19,215,000		40,785,000	38,445,000
Capital expenditures	27,709,000		22,936,000		57,810,000	37,517,000
Total assets	1,080,521,000				1,080,521,000		1,124,114,000
The Cheesecake Factory [Member]
Segment information
Revenues	451,454,000		424,845,000		888,060,000	837,396,000
Income from operations	65,046,000		62,718,000		123,036,000	121,955,000
Depreciation and amortization	16,897,000		15,551,000		33,651,000	31,066,000
Capital expenditures	25,906,000		20,721,000		54,022,000	33,995,000
Total assets	792,709,000				792,709,000		813,780,000
Number of restaurants for which impairment and lease termination expenses were recorded	1	1		2
Pre-tax lease termination expenses	500,000	200,000
Pre-tax impairment expense				1,500,000
Other Segments [Member]
Segment information
Revenues	44,952,000		45,273,000		89,777,000	95,740,000
Income from operations	4,589,000		5,106,000		9,015,000	9,606,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,609,000		2,605,000		5,200,000	5,225,000
Capital expenditures	418,000		1,305,000		1,412,000	1,483,000
Total assets	151,604,000				151,604,000		155,231,000
Other Segments [Member] | Grand Lux Cafe [Member]
Segment information
Pre-tax lease termination expenses				600,000
Number of restaurants discontinued				3
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment information
Income from operations	(26,944,000)		(26,654,000)		(56,287,000)	(53,604,000)
Depreciation and amortization	1,028,000		1,059,000		1,934,000	2,154,000
Capital expenditures	1,385,000		910,000		2,376,000	2,039,000
Total assets	$ 136,208,000				$ 136,208,000		$ 155,103,000