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Share Repurchases	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 28, 2012
Share Repurchase [Abstract]
Share Repurchases	Note 14.    Share Repurchase Our credit facility permits the payment of cash dividends and/or the purchase of Denny's stock subject to certain limitations. In April 2011, we announced that the Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program to repurchase up to an additional 6.0 million shares of our Common Stock. Under the program, we may, from time to time, purchase shares in the open market (including pre-arranged stock trading plans in accordance with the guidelines specified in Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) or in privately negotiated transactions, subject to market and business conditions. As of March 28, 2012, we had repurchased 3.7 million shares of Common Stock for $14.0 million and there were 2.3 million shares remaining to be repurchased under this program. There were no shares repurchased during the quarter ended March 28, 2012.

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The entire disclosure for an entity's treasury stock, including the average cost per share, carrying basis for each class of treasury stock, description of share repurchase program authorized by an entity's board of directors, the number of shares repurchased, the cost of the shares repurchased, the remaining maximum dollar value of shares available for repurchase under the program, the treatment of the purchase price in excess of the current market value, number of shares held for each class of treasury stock, and other information necessary to a fair presentation.

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