Significant Accounting Policies (Income Before Income Tax Attributable to Joint Ventures) (Detail) (Corporate Joint Venture [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Corporate Joint Venture [Member]
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Papa John's International, Inc.	$ 6,184	$ 5,658	$ 6,171
Noncontrolling interests	3,732	3,485	3,756
Total income before income tax	$ 9,916	$ 9,143	$ 9,927

The income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes but after deducting the portion attributable to noncontrolling interest.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pzza_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesAttributableToParent
Namespace Prefix:	pzza_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of Income (Loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

-Number 51

-Paragraph 38

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 10

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration