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Cash and Receivables (Notes) | 12 Months Ended
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Jan. 03, 2021
Cash and Receivables [Abstract] |
Cash and Receivables Disclosure [Text Block] | Cash and Receivables
| Year End
| January 3, 2021 |  | December 29, 2019
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  |
Cash | $ | 231,922 |  |  | $ | 185,203 |
Cash equivalents | 75,067 |  |  | 114,992 |
| 306,989 |  |  | 300,195 |
Restricted cash |  |  |
Accounts held by trustee for the securitized financing facility | 33,635 |  |  | 34,209 |
Other | 338 |  |  | 330 |
| 33,973 |  |  | 34,539 |
Advertising Funds (a) | 77,279 |  |  | 23,973 |
| 111,252 |  |  | 58,512 |
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | 418,241 |  |  | $ | 358,707 |
_______________ (a)Included in “Advertising funds restricted assets.”
|  | January 3, 2021 |  | December 29, 2019
|  | Gross |  | Allowance for Doubtful Accounts |  | Net |  | Gross |  | Allowance for Doubtful Accounts |  | Net
Accounts and Notes Receivable, Net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Current |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable (a) (b) |  | $ | 97,399 |  |  | $ | (3,739) |  |  | $ | 93,660 |  |  | $ | 103,852 |  |  | $ | (3,314) |  |  | $ | 100,538 |
Notes receivable from franchisees (c) (d) |  | 21,227 |  |  | (4,996) |  |  | 16,231 |  |  | 23,628 |  |  | (6,705) |  |  | 16,923 |
|  | $ | 118,626 |  |  | $ | (8,735) |  |  | $ | 109,891 |  |  | $ | 127,480 |  |  | $ | (10,019) |  |  | $ | 117,461 |
Non-current (e) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes receivable from franchisees (d) |  | $ | 6,759 |  |  | $ | (629) |  |  | $ | 6,130 |  |  | $ | 1,617 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1,617 |
_______________ (a)Includes income tax refund receivables of $5,399 and $13,555 as of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively. Additionally, 2019 includes receivables of $25,350 related to insurance coverage for the financial institutions class action. See Note 11 for further information on our legal reserves. (b)During 2020, rent receivables increased by $5,226 due to actions taken by the Company in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included offering to defer base rent payments on properties owned by Wendy’s and leased to franchisees by 50% and offering to pass along any deferrals that were obtained on properties leased by Wendy’s and subleased to franchisees by up to 100%, beginning in May for a three month period, which are being repaid over a 12 month period beginning in August 2020. (c)Includes the current portion of sales-type and direct financing lease receivables of $5,965 and $3,146 as of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively. See Note 20 for further information. Included a note receivable from a U.S. franchisee totaling $1,000 as of December 29, 2019. The note was repaid during 2020. (d)Includes a note receivable from a franchisee in India, of which $356 and $1,000 are included in current notes receivable as of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively, and $629 which is included in non-current notes receivable as of January 3, 2021. As of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, the Company had a reserve of $985 on the loan outstanding to the franchisee in India. Includes a note receivable from a franchisee in Indonesia, of which $831 and $1,262 are included in current notes receivable and $1,780 and $1,617 are included in non-current notes receivable as of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively. Includes notes receivable related to the Brazil JV, of which $12,775 and $15,920 are included in current notes receivable as of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively, and $4,350 is included in non-current notes receivable as of January 3, 2021. As of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, the Company had reserves of $4,640 and $5,720, respectively, on the loans outstanding related to the Brazil JV. See Note 8 for further information. (e)Included in “Other assets.” The following is an analysis of the allowance for doubtful accounts:
| Accounts Receivable |  | Notes Receivable |  | Total
2020 |  |  |  |  |
Balance at December 29, 2019 | $ | 3,314 |  |  | $ | 6,705 |  |  | $ | 10,019 |
Provision for doubtful accounts | 647 |  |  | 206 |  |  | 853 |
Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries | (222) |  |  | (1,286) |  |  | (1,508) |
Balance at January 3, 2021 | $ | 3,739 |  |  | $ | 5,625 |  |  | $ | 9,364 |
2019 |  |  |  |  |
Balance at December 30, 2018 | $ | 4,939 |  |  | $ | 2,000 |  |  | $ | 6,939 |
Provision for doubtful accounts | (1,618) |  |  | 4,912 |  |  | 3,294 |
Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries | (7) |  |  | (207) |  |  | (214) |
Balance at December 29, 2019 | $ | 3,314 |  |  | $ | 6,705 |  |  | $ | 10,019 |
2018 |  |  |  |  |
Balance at December 31, 2017 | $ | 4,546 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 4,546 |
Provision for doubtful accounts | 606 |  |  | 1,956 |  |  | 2,562 |
Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries | (213) |  |  | 44 |  |  | (169) |
Balance at December 30, 2018 | $ | 4,939 |  |  | $ | 2,000 |  |  | $ | 6,939 |

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- Definition Cash and Receivables Disclosure [Text Block] + References No definition available. + Details
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