CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 25, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 3,420,345	$ 3,982,455	$ 3,769,345
Cost of goods sold	2,433,511	2,864,862	2,938,989
Depreciation and amortization	39,954	43,731	45,390
Selling, general, and administrative expense	208,172	203,086	184,052
Gain on sale of businesses	(4,137)	0	(57,760)
Gain on sale of assets, net	0	(6,373)	0
Impairment charges	6,258	0	2,829
Gain on insurance settlement	(19,466)	0	0
Operating income	756,053	877,149	655,845
Interest expense	(1,221)	(810)	(7,709)
Interest income	38,208	6,457	353
Realized and unrealized gains on short-term investments	41,865	2,918	0
Gain on extinguishment of NMTC liability	7,534	0	0
Redemption premium	0	0	(5,674)
Environmental expense	(825)	(1,298)	(5,053)
Pension plan termination expense	0	(13,100)	0
Other income, net	3,618	4,715	3,377
Income before income taxes	845,232	876,031	641,139
Income tax expense	(220,762)	(223,322)	(165,858)
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax	(14,821)	10,111	(157)
Consolidated net income	609,649	662,820	475,124
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,752)	(4,504)	(6,604)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 602,897	$ 658,316	$ 468,520
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	111,420	111,558	112,022
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	2,242	1,552	1,574
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	113,662	113,110	113,596
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 5.41	$ 5.90	$ 4.18
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	5.30	5.82	4.12
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60	$ 0.50	$ 0.26