CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2021	Dec. 26, 2020	Dec. 28, 2019
Operating activities:
Consolidated net income	$ 475,124	$ 143,649	$ 106,232
Reconciliation of consolidated net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	39,120	38,715	37,337
Amortization of intangibles	6,270	6,128	5,356
Amortization of debt issuance costs	265	319	318
Loss from unconsolidated affiliates	157	10,219	24,594
Insurance proceeds - noncapital related	0	0	485
Redemption premium	5,674	0	0
Change in the fair value of contingent consideration	0	0	3,625
Insurance recovery	0	0	(485)
Stock-based compensation expense	9,822	8,570	8,744
Provision for doubtful accounts receivable	1,216	1,208	(80)
Non-cash pension plan termination expense	0	11,642	0
(Gain) loss on disposals of assets	(769)	132	(963)
Gain on sale of businesses	(57,760)	0	0
Impairment charges	2,829	3,771	0
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	7,413	(4,046)	(428)
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of businesses acquired and sold:
Receivables	(124,708)	(76,404)	6,585
Inventories	(119,514)	5,207	39,561
Other assets	919	20,609	(15,639)
Current liabilities	73,755	74,097	(7,076)
Other liabilities	(5,467)	(1,142)	(7,944)
Other, net	(2,645)	2,399	322
Net cash provided by operating activities	311,701	245,073	200,544
Investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets, net of cash transferred	2,302	181	3,240
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	(30,206)	(72,648)	3,465
Proceeds from sale of business, net of cash sold	81,884	0	0
Capital expenditures	(31,833)	(43,885)	(31,162)
Payment received for (issuance of) notes receivable		(9,270)	0
Payment received for (issuance of) notes receivable	8,539
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(1,613)	0	(16,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	29,073	(125,622)	(40,457)
Financing activities:
Dividends paid to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.	(29,137)	(22,341)	(22,325)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(9,722)	0	(846)
Issuance of long-term debt	595,000	190,038	100,658
Repayments of long-term debt	(920,610)	(246,898)	(206,718)
Repayment of debt by consolidated joint ventures, net	(5,113)	(259)	(4,305)
Repurchase of common stock	(4,864)	(5,574)	(1,763)
Payment of contingent consideration	(1,250)	(7,000)	(3,170)
Net cash received (used) to settle stock-based awards	85	(230)	(1,225)
Debt issuance costs	(1,111)	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(376,722)	(92,264)	(139,694)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(1,052)	2,147	511
(Decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	(37,000)	29,334	20,904
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the beginning of the year	127,376	98,042	77,138
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the end of the year	$ 90,376	$ 127,376	$ 98,042