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(16) Share-Based Compensation (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Jan. 01, 2012
Share-based Compensation [Abstract] |
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity | The table below summarizes 2011 activity and includes certain additional information for The Wendy’s Company stock options.
| Common Stock Options
| Options |  | Weighted Average Exercise Price |  | Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life in Years |  | Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at January 2, 2011 | 28,074 |  |  | $ | 6.45 |  |  |  |  |
Granted | 5,715 |  |  | $ | 5.00 |  |  |  |  |
Exercised | (1,477 | ) |  | $ | 4.25 |  |  |  |  |
Forfeited / expired | (2,053 | ) |  | $ | 8.22 |  |  |  |  |
Outstanding at January 1, 2012 | 30,259 |  |  | $ | 6.16 |  |  | 5.0 |  |  | $ | 15,707 |
Vested or expected to vest at January 1, 2012 | 29,700 |  |  | $ | 6.19 |  |  | 4.9 |  |  | $ | 15,291 |
Exercisable at January 1, 2012 | 21,655 |  |  | $ | 6.77 |  |  | 3.4 |  |  | $ | 9,291 |
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions | The fair value of stock options on the date of grant was calculated utilizing the following weighted average assumptions:
| 2011 |  | 2010 |  | 2009
Risk-free interest rate | 1.74 | % |  | 2.01 | % |  | 2.46 | %
Expected option life in years | 5.6 |  |  | 5.4 |  |  | 5.1 |
Expected volatility | 45.2 | % |  | 45.2 | % |  | 49.6 | %
Expected dividend yield | 1.59 | % |  | 1.53 | % |  | 1.35 | %
Schedule of Nonvested Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes the activity of The Wendy’s Company non-vested restricted shares for 2011:
| Common Stock
| Shares |  | Weighted Average Fair Value
Non-vested at January 2, 2011 | 1,053 |  |  | $ | 4.59 |
Granted | 721 |  |  | $ | 5.01 |
Vested | (691 | ) |  | $ | 4.69 |
Forfeited | (40 | ) |  | $ | 4.50 |
Non-vested at January 1, 2012 | 1,043 |  |  | $ | 4.82 |
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Performance Share Awards, Valuation Assumptions | The fair value of market condition awards granted in 2011 and 2010 was estimated on the date of the grant using the Monte Carlo simulation model. The Monte Carlo simulation model utilizes multiple input variables to estimate the probability that the market conditions will be achieved, as noted in the table below:
| 2011 |  | 2010
Risk-free interest rate | 0.61 | % |  | 0.93 | %
Expected life in years | 3.02 |  |  | 2.98 |
Expected volatility | 52.0 | % |  | 55.0 | %
Expected dividend yield (a) | 0.00 | % |  | 0.00 | %
_____________________
(a) | The Monte Carlo method assumes a reinvestment of dividends.
Schedule of Nonvested Performance-based Units Activity | The following table summarizes the activity of The Wendy’s Company non-vested performance shares for 2011:
| Performance Condition Awards |  | Market Condition Awards
| Shares |  | Weighted Average Fair Value |  | Shares |  | Weighted Average Fair Value
Non-vested at January 2, 2011 | 1,207 |  |  | $ | 3.91 |  |  | 832 |  |  | $ | 5.56 |
Granted | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | 1,292 |  |  | $ | 6.91 |
Dividend equivalent units issued (a) | 17 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | 21 |  |  | $ | — |
Vested | (215 | ) |  | $ | 3.91 |  |  | (431 | ) |  | $ | 6.56 |
Forfeited | (354 | ) |  | $ | 3.91 |  |  | (273 | ) |  | $ | 5.72 |
Non-vested at January 1, 2012 | 655 |  |  | $ | 3.91 |  |  | 1,441 |  |  | $ | 6.46 |
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(a) | Dividend equivalent units are issued in lieu of cash dividends for non-vested performance shares. There is no weighted average fair value associated with dividend equivalent units.
Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan | Total share-based compensation expense and related income tax benefit recognized in Wendy’s Restaurants consolidated statements of operations were as follows:
| 2011 |  | 2010 |  | 2009
The Wendy’s Company stock options | $ | 9,733 |  |  | $ | 7,566 |  |  | $ | 9,157 |
Restricted Shares | 1,087 |  |  | 1,540 |  |  | 1,201 |
Performance Shares: |  |  |  |  |
Performance Condition Shares | 820 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Market Condition Shares (a) | 4,688 |  |  | 469 |  |  | — |
Compensation adjustments (b) | (361 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Total share-based compensation expense (c) | 15,967 |  |  | 9,575 |  |  | 10,358 |
Less: Income tax benefit | (5,949 | ) |  | (3,424 | ) |  | (3,720 | )
Share-based compensation expense, net of income tax benefit | $ | 10,018 |  |  | $ | 6,151 |  |  | $ | 6,638 |
_____________________
(a) | Includes expense of $2,347 for the accelerated vesting of awards partially offset by a credit of $384 for awards that were canceled in conjunction with the sale of Arby’s and the relocation of the Companies’ Atlanta headquarters and the restaurant support center to Ohio.
(b) | Adjustments related to modifications of share-based compensation awards.
(c) | Excludes $700, $3,215 and $3,212 for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, which is included in discontinued operations.
Total share-based compensation expense and related income tax benefit recognized in The Wendy’s Company consolidated statements of operations were as follows:
| 2011 |  | 2010 |  | 2009
Stock options | $ | 9,898 |  |  | $ | 7,700 |  |  | $ | 10,515 |
Restricted Shares | 1,943 |  |  | 2,311 |  |  | 1,567 |
Performance Shares: |  |  |  |  |
Performance Condition Shares | 820 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Market Condition Shares (a) | 4,688 |  |  | 478 |  |  | — |
Compensation adjustments (b) | (361 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Compensation expense credited to “Stockholders’ Equity” (c) | 16,988 |  |  | 10,489 |  |  | 12,082 |
Dividends and related interest on the Restricted Shares | 2 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 13 |
Total share-based compensation expense | 16,990 |  |  | 10,492 |  |  | 12,095 |
Less: Income tax benefit | (6,338 | ) |  | (3,773 | ) |  | (4,380 | )
Share-based compensation expense, net of income tax benefit | $ | 10,652 |  |  | $ | 6,719 |  |  | $ | 7,715 |
_____________________
(a) | Includes expense of $2,347 for the accelerated vesting of awards partially offset by a credit of $384 for awards that were canceled in conjunction with the sale of Arby’s and the relocation of the Companies’ Atlanta headquarters and restaurant support center to Ohio.
(b) | Adjustments related to modifications of share-based compensation awards.
(c) | Excludes $700, $3,215 and $3,212 for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, which is included in discontinued operations.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the amount of total share-based compensation cost, including the amounts attributable to each share-based compensation plan and any related tax benefits. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph (h)(1) -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 2 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the changes in outstanding nonvested performance-based units. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph (c)(2) -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 2 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the number and weighted-average exercise prices (or conversion ratios) for share options (or share units) that were outstanding at the beginning and end of the year, vested and expected to vest, exercisable or convertible at the end of the year, and the number of share options or share units that were granted, exercised or converted, forfeited, and expired during the year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph (c)(1) -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 2 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the significant assumptions used during the year to estimate the fair value of stock options, including, but not limited to: (a) expected term of share options and similar instruments, (b) expected volatility of the entity's shares, (c) expected dividends, (d) risk-free rate(s), and (e) discount for post-vesting restrictions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph (f)(2) -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 2 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the significant assumptions used during the year to estimate the fair value of performance share awards, including, but not limited to: (a) expected term of share awards and similar instrument, (b) expected volatility of the entity's shares, (c) expected dividends, (d) risk-free rate(s). + References No definition available. + Details
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