Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2015 USD ($) item	Dec. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Segment information
Revenues	$ 526,841	$ 526,688	$ 529,107	$ 517,973	$ 499,673	$ 499,114	$ 496,406	$ 481,431	$ 2,100,609	$ 1,976,624	$ 1,877,910
Income/(loss) from operations	38,795	35,644	$ 49,753	$ 41,054	34,792	$ 34,175	42,691	33,073	165,246	144,731	160,954
Total assets	1,233,346				1,161,376				1,233,346	1,161,376	1,108,106
Capital expenditures									153,941	113,982	106,289
Depreciation and amortization									85,563	82,835	78,558
Impairment of assets and lease terminations		$ 6,000					$ 500	$ 200	6,011	696	(561)
The Cheesecake Factory restaurants
Segment information
Revenues									1,913,758	1,792,796	1,688,036
Income/(loss) from operations									275,686	240,774	250,230
Total assets	934,606				861,697				934,606	861,697	813,780
Capital expenditures									122,358	104,525	98,660
Depreciation and amortization									$ 71,821	68,504	63,549
Number of restaurants for which impairment and lease termination expenses were recorded | item									4
Impairment of assets and lease terminations										700	(1,200)
Other
Segment information
Revenues									$ 186,851	183,828	189,874
Income/(loss) from operations									18,047	14,983	19,985
Total assets	152,243				154,033				152,243	154,033	155,231
Capital expenditures									13,644	3,713	3,621
Depreciation and amortization									$ 9,690	10,337	10,514
Other | Grand Lux Cafe
Segment information
Number of restaurants for which impairment and lease termination expenses were recorded | item									4
Impairment of assets and lease terminations									$ 6,000		600
Corporate Non Segment
Segment information
Income/(loss) from operations									(128,487)	(111,026)	(109,261)
Total assets	$ 146,497				$ 145,646				146,497	145,646	139,095
Capital expenditures									17,939	5,744	4,008
Depreciation and amortization									$ 4,052	$ 3,994	$ 4,495