Noncontrolling Interests (Details 1)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2014 restaurant	Dec. 29, 2013 restaurant	Dec. 30, 2012 restaurant	Jul. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012
Star Papa, LP
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	84	81	78
Papa John's Ownership	51.00%	51.00%	51.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	49.00%	49.00%	49.00%
Colonel's Limited, LLC
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	56	52	52
Papa John's Ownership	70.00%	70.00%	70.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	30.00%	30.00%	30.00%
PJ Minnesota, LLC
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	35	33	30
Papa John's Ownership	70.00%	80.00%	80.00%	80.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	30.00%	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Increase in Noncontrolling Interest Holder's Ownership in a Joint Venture	10.00%
PJ Denver, LLC
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	25	25	22
Papa John's Ownership	60.00%	60.00%	60.00%		60.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	40.00%	40.00%	40.00%		40.00%