Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2018	Mar. 26, 2017
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 427,369	$ 449,266
Company-owned Restaurants
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	193,695
Commissary Sales
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	235,266
Franchise royalties and fees
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	34,807
Other Sales
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	28,638
Domestic Company-owned restaurants
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	190,242	206,896
Domestic Company-owned restaurants | Company-owned Restaurants
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	190,242
North America commissary
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	161,713	171,340
North America commissary | Commissary Sales
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	217,587
North America franchising
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	24,806	27,607
North America franchising | Franchise royalties and fees
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	25,825
International.
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	35,532
International. | Company-owned Restaurants
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	3,453
International. | Commissary Sales
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	17,679
International. | Franchise royalties and fees
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	8,982
International. | Other Sales
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,488
All others
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	15,076
All others | Other Sales
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	23,150
Elimination
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	(65,037)	(67,589)
Elimination | North America commissary
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	(55,874)	(61,736)
Elimination | North America franchising
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	(1,019)	$ (764)
Elimination | International.
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	(70)
Elimination | All others
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ (8,074)