Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment (Details)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 24, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 25, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 26, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2018 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2018 USD ($)
Segment Information
Reportable segments, number | segment									4
Revenues	$ 373,981,000	$ 364,007,000	$ 407,959,000	$ 427,369,000	$ 467,606,000	$ 431,709,000	$ 434,778,000	$ 449,266,000	$ 1,573,316,000	$ 1,783,359,000	$ 1,713,620,000
Depreciation and amortization									46,403,000	43,668,000	40,987,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									5,891,000	140,342,000	158,809,000
Refranchising and impairment gains/(losses), net									(289,000)	(1,674,000)	10,222,000
Impairment loss										1,674,000	1,350,000
Legal settlement expense											(898,000)
Property and equipment, gross	665,172,000				640,499,000				665,172,000	640,499,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(438,278,000)				(406,168,000)				(438,278,000)	(406,168,000)	(386,884,000)
Net property and equipment	226,894,000				234,331,000				226,894,000	234,331,000	230,473,000	$ 234,331,000
Expenditures for property and equipment									42,028,000	52,593,000	55,554,000
China Operations
Segment Information
Impairment loss										1,700,000	1,400,000
Negative publicity and consumer sentiment
Segment Information
Special charges									50,700,000
Domestic company owned restaurants segment
Segment Information
Revenues									692,380,000	816,718,000	815,931,000
Refranchising and impairment gains/(losses), net									300,000		11,600,000
North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues									79,293,000	106,729,000	102,980,000
North America franchising | Negative publicity and consumer sentiment
Segment Information
Special charges									15,400,000
International
Segment Information
Revenues									110,349,000	114,021,000	100,904,000
All others
Segment Information
Revenues									60,509,000
Operating segments | Domestic company owned restaurants segment
Segment Information
Revenues									692,380,000	816,718,000	815,931,000
Depreciation and amortization									15,411,000	15,484,000	16,028,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									18,988,000	47,548,000	75,136,000
Property and equipment, gross	236,526,000				235,640,000				236,526,000	235,640,000	225,081,000
Expenditures for property and equipment									13,568,000	15,245,000	16,257,000
Operating segments | North America commissaries
Segment Information
Revenues									609,866,000	673,712,000	623,883,000
Depreciation and amortization									7,397,000	6,897,000	6,027,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									27,961,000	47,844,000	46,325,000
Transfer of expenses between unallocated corporate and segments									7,900,000
Property and equipment, gross	140,309,000				136,701,000				140,309,000	136,701,000	128,469,000
Expenditures for property and equipment									3,994,000	14,767,000	14,164,000
Operating segments | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues									79,293,000	106,729,000	102,980,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									70,732,000	96,298,000	91,669,000
Operating segments | International
Segment Information
Revenues									131,268,000	126,285,000	113,103,000
Depreciation and amortization									1,696,000	2,018,000	2,188,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									14,399,000	15,888,000	11,408,000
Property and equipment, gross	17,218,000				17,257,000				17,218,000	17,257,000	15,673,000
Expenditures for property and equipment									986,000	1,884,000	4,390,000
Operating segments | All others
Segment Information
Revenues									60,509,000	59,915,000	57,723,000
Depreciation and amortization									8,513,000	5,276,000	3,830,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									(6,888,000)	(179,000)	1,467,000
Transfer of expenses between unallocated corporate and segments									3,500,000
Property and equipment, gross	71,880,000				58,977,000				71,880,000	58,977,000	55,586,000
Expenditures for property and equipment									13,438,000	8,239,000	7,897,000
Elimination
Segment Information
Revenues									(235,269,000)	(265,029,000)	(256,444,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(1,005,000)	(958,000)	(2,405,000)
Elimination | North America commissaries
Segment Information
Revenues									(201,325,000)	(244,699,000)	(236,896,000)
Elimination | North America franchising
Segment Information
Revenues									(2,965,000)	(3,342,000)	(2,869,000)
Elimination | International
Segment Information
Revenues									(283,000)	(273,000)	(269,000)
Elimination | All others
Segment Information
Revenues									(30,696,000)	(16,715,000)	(16,410,000)
Unallocated corporate
Segment Information
Depreciation and amortization									13,386,000	13,993,000	12,914,000
Income (loss) before income taxes									(118,296,000)	(66,099,000)	(64,791,000)
Transfer of expenses between unallocated corporate and segments									(13,200,000)
Property and equipment, gross	$ 199,239,000				$ 191,924,000				199,239,000	191,924,000	192,548,000
Expenditures for property and equipment									10,042,000	$ 12,458,000	$ 12,846,000
Unallocated corporate | Negative publicity and consumer sentiment
Segment Information
Special charges									$ 35,300,000