Minimum percentage of beneficial ownership interest required to exercise rights.

No definition available.

Name:	pzza_MinimumOwnershipInterestRequiredToExerciseRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	pzza_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of preferred share purchase right for each outstanding shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pzza_NumberOfPreferredSharePurchaseRightForEachOutstandingShares
Namespace Prefix:	pzza_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the ratio of market price to exercise price if beneficial ownership is acquired without prior board approval.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pzza_RatioOfMarketPriceToExercisePriceIfBeneficialOwnershipAcquiredWithoutPriorBoardApproval
Namespace Prefix:	pzza_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of securities into which each warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, each warrant may be converted into two shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByEachWarrantOrRight
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_RightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=pzza_FounderWithHisAffiliatesAndFamilyMembersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stockholders' Equity / (Deficit) - Stockholder Rights Plan (Details) - $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 22, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Rights
Ownership trigger threshold		15.00%
Number of preferred share purchase rights granted for each outstanding share of common stock		1
Exercise price per right		$ 250.00
Ratio of market price to exercise price if beneficial ownership is acquired without prior board approval		2
Rights \| Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Number of shares of stock available to purchase per right		0.001
Preferred stock, par value		$ 0.01
Rights \| John H. Schnatter with his affiliates and family members
Ownership trigger threshold		31.00%