Segment Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011		Dec. 26, 2010		Dec. 27, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 306,213	$ 305,668	$ 293,534	$ 312,467	$ 286,838	$ 273,126	$ 280,647	$ 285,786	$ 1,217,882		$ 1,126,397		$ 1,078,550
Intersegment revenues									189,386		303,034		291,269
Depreciation and amortization									32,681		32,407		31,446
Income (loss) before income taxes									86,275		82,281		90,194
Property and equipment, gross	450,477				426,140				450,477		426,140
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(265,345)				(239,546)				(265,345)		(239,546)		(214,091)
Net property and equipment	185,132				186,594				185,132		186,594		187,971
Expenditures for property and equipment									29,319		31,125		33,538
Domestic Company-owned Restaurants [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers, domestic									525,841		503,272		503,818
Depreciation and amortization									12,965		13,155		12,993
Income (loss) before income taxes									28,980		31,619		34,894
Property and equipment, gross	176,506				165,434				176,506		165,434		158,884
Expenditures for property and equipment									14,094		9,124		8,300
Domestic Commissaries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers, domestic									508,155		454,506		417,689
Intersegment revenues									151,423		135,005		133,999
Depreciation and amortization									4,633		4,522		4,819
Income (loss) before income taxes									30,532		14,188		29,393
Property and equipment, gross	85,714				82,162				85,714		82,162		80,180
Expenditures for property and equipment									5,612		2,795		6,029
North America Franchising [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									74,416		70,241		62,995
Intersegment revenues									2,163		2,045		2,019
Income (loss) before income taxes									66,222		62,229		55,008
International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									58,558		46,427		40,003
Intersegment revenues									215		909		1,093
Depreciation and amortization									2,398		2,368		2,207
Income (loss) before income taxes									(165)		(4,771)		(4,368)
Property and equipment, gross	17,413				17,574				17,413		17,574		16,587
Expenditures for property and equipment									1,733		4,835		7,277
North America [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other sales									50,912		51,951		54,045
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues									25,117	[1]	153,014	[1]	142,407	[1]
Income (loss) before income taxes											20,954	[2]	22,543	[2]
All Others [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues									10,468		12,061		11,751
Depreciation and amortization									4,663		3,489		2,743
Income (loss) before income taxes									(441)		1,847		2,697
Property and equipment, gross	38,746				33,786				38,746		33,786		25,526
Expenditures for property and equipment									1,792		8,151		313
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization									8,022		8,873		8,684
Income (loss) before income taxes									(38,243)		(43,266)		(49,755)
Property and equipment, gross	132,098				127,184				132,098		127,184		120,885
Expenditures for property and equipment									6,088		6,220		11,619
Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									$ (610)		$ (519)		$ (218)

[1] The intersegment revenues for variable interest entities of $25.1 million in 2011, $153.0 million in 2010 and $142.4 million in 2009 are attributable to BIBP.

[2] Represents BIBP's operating income, net of noncontrolling interest income, for each year. The 2010 operating income for BIBP includes a reduction in BIBP's cost of sales of $14.2 million associated with PJFS's agreement to pay to BIBP for past cheese purchases an amount equal to its accumulated deficit.