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Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2019	Jun. 29, 2019	Mar. 30, 2019	Sep. 29, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 28, 2019	Sep. 29, 2018
Net income/(loss)	$ 26,837	$ 31,044	$ 19,640	$ (5,137)	$ (29,138)	$ 98,075	$ 77,521	$ 63,800
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	(47,626)	16,326	(4,886)	(5,584)	(76,837)	17,295	(36,186)	(65,126)
Pension adjustments	859			668			2,576	2,001
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	(52,841)			(4,644)			(38,015)	(63,989)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	(26,004)			(9,781)			39,506	(189)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,120			(538)			7,822	1,981
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	(27,124)			(9,243)			31,684	(2,170)
Parent [Member]
Net income/(loss)	26,837			(5,137)			77,521	63,800
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	1,328			165			1,509	1,281
Pension adjustments	767			565			2,300	1,696
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	2,648			693			4,384	1,804
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	29,485			(4,444)			81,905	65,604
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	29,485			(4,444)			81,905	65,604
Guarantors [Member]
Net income/(loss)	15,165			20,575			50,505	91,200
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	0			0			0	(53,387)
Pension adjustments	0			0			0	0
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	0			0			0	(53,387)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	15,165			20,575			50,505	37,813
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	15,165			20,575			50,505	37,813
Non-guarantors [Member]
Net income/(loss)	37,532			7,863			125,499	116,277
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	(48,954)			(5,749)			(37,695)	(13,020)
Pension adjustments	92			103			276	305
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	(55,489)			(5,337)			(42,399)	(12,406)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	(17,957)			2,526			83,100	103,871
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,120			(538)			7,822	1,981
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	(19,077)			3,064			75,278	101,890
Eliminations [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments				0				0
Natural Gas Swap [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0		22	0	22
Natural Gas Swap [Member] \| Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments								22
Natural Gas Swap [Member] \| Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments								0
Natural Gas Swap [Member] \| Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments								0
Soybean Meal [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			3			0	3
Soybean Meal [Member] \| Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments				3				3
Soybean Meal [Member] \| Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments				0				0
Soybean Meal [Member] \| Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments				0				0
Corn Option [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	553	22		(40)	$ 447	$ (1,605)	575	(1,198)
Corn Option [Member] \| Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	553			(40)			575	(1,198)
Corn Option [Member] \| Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Corn Option [Member] \| Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	(1,683)			0			450	0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member] \| Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0						0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member] \| Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0						0
Heating Oil Swaps And Options [Member] \| Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	(1,683)						450
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	(4,944)	$ 1,451	$ (1,937)	309			(5,430)	309
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] \| Parent [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] \| Guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] \| Non-guarantors [Member]
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Derivative adjustments	(4,944)			309			(5,430)	309
Eliminations [Member]
Net income/(loss)	(52,697)			(28,438)			(176,004)	(207,477)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	0			0			0	0
Pension adjustments	0			0			0	0
Derivative adjustments	0			0			0	0
Total other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax	0			0			0	0
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	(52,697)			(28,438)			(176,004)	(207,477)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Darling	$ (52,697)			$ (28,438)			$ (176,004)	$ (207,477)