Noncontrolling Interests - Joint Ventures (Details) - restaurant	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2014	Dec. 27, 2015	Dec. 29, 2013
Star Papa, LP
Minority Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	84	87	81
Papa John's Ownership	51.00%	51.00%	51.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	49.00%	49.00%	49.00%
Colonel's Limited, LLC
Minority Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	56	61	52
Papa John's Ownership	70.00%	70.00%	70.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	30.00%	30.00%	30.00%
PJ Minnesota, LLC
Minority Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	35	33	33
Papa John's Ownership	70.00%	70.00%	80.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	30.00%	30.00%	20.00%
Increase in Noncontrolling Interest Holder's Ownership in a Joint Venture	10.00%
PJ Denver, LLC
Minority Interest [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	25	32	25
Papa John's Ownership	60.00%	60.00%	60.00%
Noncontrolling Interest Ownership	40.00%	40.00%	40.00%