Related Person Transactions - TA Transaction Agreement (Details) $ in Thousands					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) agreement property item shares	Jun. 22, 2016 USD ($) property item	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) property	Jun. 01, 2015 property	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) agreement item shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) agreement property item shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2007
Related Party Transaction
Number of Management Agreements or Leases | item	14				14		14
Aggregate purchase price advanced							$ 191,856
Rental income					$ 77,293	$ 69,063	153,552	$ 133,814
Straight Line Rent Adjustments					$ 3,693	1,511	7,445	2,056
Capital improvements from leased facilities, funded							$ 86,929	120,174
Hillsboro, TX
Related Party Transaction
Aggregate purchase price advanced			$ 19,683
TA No. 2
Related Party Transaction
Number of properties acquired and leased back to the acquiree | property	1
Travel centers
Related Party Transaction
Number of Management Agreements or Leases | agreement	5				5		5
Number of properties acquired | property							4
Travel Centers of America LLC
Related Party Transaction
Percentage of ownership formerly held in subsidiary										100.00%
Number of common shares owned | shares	3,420,000				3,420,000		3,420,000
Common shares of TA held by company as a percent of total TA shares outstanding	8.80%				8.80%		8.80%
Lessee as percentage of gross carrying value of real estate	36.00%				36.00%		36.00%
Number of properties acquired and leased back to the acquiree | property			1	5
Increase (decrease) in minimum annual rent							$ 4,680	3,435
Number of amended and restated leases | property		1
Rental income					$ 68,967	60,884	137,084	117,674
Straight Line Rent Adjustments					3,585	1,390	7,229	1,805
Capital improvements from leased facilities, funded							55,059	40,415
Amount of percentage rent recognized					279		529
Annual percentage rent waived					61	289	372	548
Accruals for unpaid rent, excluding any deferred rents	$ 58,597				$ 58,597		58,597		$ 40,988
Travel Centers of America LLC | TA New Leases
Related Party Transaction
Amount of percentage rent recognized						2,048
Annual percentage rent waived							$ 2,500
Travel Centers of America LLC | Travel centers
Related Party Transaction
Number of properties acquired and leased back to the acquiree | item		2
Aggregate purchase price advanced	$ 22,297	$ 23,876	$ 19,683
Increase (decrease) in minimum annual rent			$ 1,673
Number of Sites | item	197				197		197
Minimum Annual Rent	$ 268,001				$ 268,001		$ 268,001
Deferred Rent	$ 150,000				$ 150,000		$ 150,000
Number of renewal options available | item							2
Term of renewal option							15 years
Travel Centers of America LLC | Travel centers | TA No. 1
Related Party Transaction
Increase (decrease) in minimum annual rent		1,121
Number of Sites | item	40				40		40
Minimum Annual Rent	$ 50,651				$ 50,651		$ 50,651
Deferred Rent	27,421				$ 27,421		$ 27,421
Travel Centers of America LLC | Travel centers | TA No. 2
Related Party Transaction
Increase (decrease) in minimum annual rent	$ 1,895
Number of Sites | item	39				39		39
Minimum Annual Rent	$ 49,817				$ 49,817		$ 49,817
Deferred Rent	$ 29,107				$ 29,107		$ 29,107
Travel Centers of America LLC | Travel centers | TA No. 3
Related Party Transaction
Increase (decrease) in minimum annual rent		$ 908
Number of Sites | item	39				39		39
Minimum Annual Rent	$ 52,130				$ 52,130		$ 52,130
Deferred Rent	$ 29,324				$ 29,324		$ 29,324
Travel Centers of America LLC | Travel centers | TA No. 4
Related Party Transaction
Number of Sites | item	39				39		39
Minimum Annual Rent	$ 49,274				$ 49,274		$ 49,274
Deferred Rent	$ 21,233				$ 21,233		$ 21,233
Travel Centers of America LLC | Travel centers | TA No. 5
Related Party Transaction
Number of Sites | item	40				40		40
Minimum Annual Rent	$ 66,129				$ 66,129		$ 66,129
Deferred Rent	$ 42,915				42,915		42,915
RMR LLC
Related Party Transaction
Rental income					$ 9	$ 9	$ 17	$ 17