Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 12, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 24, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 25, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 26, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 26, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 27, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) entity	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($) entity	Dec. 27, 2015 USD ($) entity
Segment Information
Reportable segments, number | entity											5	5	5
Revenues			$ 467,606,000	$ 431,709,000	$ 434,778,000	$ 449,266,000	$ 439,619,000	$ 422,442,000	$ 422,964,000	$ 428,595,000	$ 1,783,359,000	$ 1,713,620,000	$ 1,637,375,000
Depreciation and amortization											43,668,000	40,987,000	40,307,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											140,342,000	158,809,000	119,147,000
Gain on refranchising												11,600,000
Impairment loss											1,674,000	1,350,000
Legal settlement expense												(898,000)	12,278,000
Property and equipment, gross			640,499,000				617,357,000				640,499,000	617,357,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortization			(406,168,000)				(386,884,000)				(406,168,000)	(386,884,000)	(361,518,000)
Net property and equipment			234,331,000				230,473,000				234,331,000	230,473,000	214,044,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											52,593,000	55,554,000	38,972,000
China Operations
Segment Information
Impairment loss											1,700,000	1,400,000
Perrin v. Papa John's International, Inc. and Papa John's USA, Inc.
Segment Information
Legal settlement expense	$ (900,000)	$ 12,300,000										(898,000)	12,300,000
Domestic Company-owned restaurants
Segment Information
Revenues											816,718,000	815,931,000	756,307,000
North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues											106,729,000	102,980,000	96,056,000
International
Segment Information
Revenues											126,285,000	113,103,000	104,691,000
Operating segments | Domestic Company-owned restaurants
Segment Information
Revenues											816,718,000	815,931,000	756,307,000
Depreciation and amortization											15,484,000	16,028,000	14,841,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											47,548,000	75,136,000	56,452,000
Property and equipment, gross			235,640,000				225,081,000				235,640,000	225,081,000	223,246,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											15,245,000	16,257,000	14,631,000
Operating segments | North America commissaries
Segment Information
Revenues											673,712,000	623,883,000	615,610,000
Depreciation and amortization											6,897,000	6,027,000	6,205,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											47,844,000	46,325,000	44,721,000
Property and equipment, gross			136,701,000				128,469,000				136,701,000	128,469,000	110,344,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											14,767,000	14,164,000	3,924,000
Operating segments | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues											106,729,000	102,980,000	96,056,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											96,298,000	91,669,000	83,315,000
Operating segments | International
Segment Information
Revenues											126,285,000	113,103,000	104,691,000
Depreciation and amortization											2,018,000	2,188,000	2,935,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											15,888,000	11,408,000	10,891,000
Property and equipment, gross			17,257,000				15,673,000				17,257,000	15,673,000	14,826,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											1,884,000	4,390,000	4,540,000
Operating segments | All others
Segment Information
Revenues											59,915,000	57,723,000	64,711,000
Depreciation and amortization											5,276,000	3,830,000	4,829,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											(179,000)	1,467,000	845,000
Property and equipment, gross			58,977,000				55,586,000				58,977,000	55,586,000	47,481,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											8,239,000	7,897,000	4,701,000
Elimination
Segment Information
Revenues											265,029,000	256,444,000	241,870,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											(958,000)	(2,405,000)	(1,181,000)
Elimination | North America commissaries
Segment Information
Revenues											244,699,000	236,896,000	224,067,000
Elimination | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues											3,342,000	2,869,000	2,690,000
Elimination | International
Segment Information
Revenues											273,000	269,000	292,000
Elimination | All others
Segment Information
Revenues											16,715,000	16,410,000	14,821,000
Unallocated corporate
Segment Information
Depreciation and amortization											13,993,000	12,914,000	11,497,000
Income (loss) before income taxes											(66,099,000)	(64,791,000)	(75,896,000)
Property and equipment, gross			$ 191,924,000				$ 192,548,000				191,924,000	192,548,000	179,665,000
Expenditures for property and equipment											$ 12,458,000	$ 12,846,000	$ 11,176,000