BJ's Restaurants (BJRI) 10-Q 6 May 14 2014 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014	1-May-14
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]	'	'
Document Type	'10-Q	'
Amendment Flag	'false	'
Document Period End Date	1-Apr-14	'
Document Fiscal Year Focus	'2014	'
Document Fiscal Period Focus	'Q1	'
Trading Symbol	'BJRI	'
Entity Registrant Name	'BJs RESTAURANTS INC	'
Entity Central Index Key	'0001013488	'
Current Fiscal Year End Date	'--12-30	'
Entity Filer Category	'Large Accelerated Filer	'
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	'	28,453,555

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Apr. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$34,869	$22,995
Marketable securities	9,253	7,988
Accounts and other receivables	11,069	12,776
Inventories	7,135	7,433
Prepaids and other current assets	8,132	9,028
Deferred income taxes	11,695	10,616
Total current assets	82,153	70,836
Land held for sale	'	2,905
Property and equipment, net	520,875	513,597
Long-term marketable securities	1,000	1,803
Goodwill	4,673	4,673
Other assets, net	17,391	17,065
Total assets	626,092	610,879
Current liabilities:	'	'
Accounts payable	28,839	31,485
Accrued expenses	68,778	60,654
Total current liabilities	97,617	92,139
Deferred income taxes	33,254	30,579
Deferred rent	22,879	22,271
Deferred lease incentives	49,652	51,953
Other liabilities	12,690	12,501
Total liabilities	216,092	209,443
Commitments and contingencies	'	'
Shareholders' equity:	'	'
Preferred stock, 5,000 shares authorized, none issued or outstanding	'	'
Common stock, no par value, 125,000 shares authorized and 28,453 and 28,295 shares issued and outstanding as of April 1, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively	184,309	182,491
Capital surplus	47,929	45,841
Retained earnings	177,762	173,104
Total shareholders' equity	410,000	401,436
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$626,092	$610,879

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets_Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Apr. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Statement Of Financial Position [Abstract]	'	'
Preferred stock, shares authorized	5,000	5,000
Preferred stock, issued	'	'
Preferred stock, outstanding	'	'
Common stock, par value	'	'
Common stock, shares authorized	125,000	125,000
Common stock, shares issued	28,453	28,295
Common stock, shares outstanding	28,453	28,295

Consolidated_Statements_of_Inc

Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 02, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]	'	'
Revenues	$205,822	$188,625
Costs and expenses:	'	'
Cost of sales	51,187	46,294
Labor and benefits	74,396	65,933
Occupancy and operating	45,074	40,576
General and administrative	12,826	12,709
Depreciation and amortization	13,452	11,469
Restaurant opening	1,128	712
Loss on disposal of assets	422	100
Legal and other settlements	1,550	'
Total costs and expenses	200,035	177,793
Income from operations	5,787	10,832
Other income:	'	'
Interest income, net	7	47
Other income, net	386	324
Total other income	393	371
Income before income taxes	6,180	11,203
Income tax expense	1,522	2,930
Net income	$4,658	$8,273
Net income per share:	'	'
Basic	$0.16	$0.29
Diluted	$0.16	$0.29
Weighted average number of shares outstanding:	'	'
Basic	28,369	28,139
Diluted	28,978	28,838

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cas

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014		Apr. 02, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:	'		'
Net income	$4,658		$8,273
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:	'		'
Depreciation and amortization	13,452		11,469
Deferred income taxes	1,596		2,068
Stock-based compensation expense	1,242		1,167
Loss on disposal of assets	422		100
Changes in assets and liabilities:	'		'
Accounts and other receivables	-78		8,359
Inventories	298		-431
Prepaids and other current assets	896		1,075
Other assets, net	-333		-410
Accounts payable	-1,417		4,064
Accrued expenses	8,395		-415
Deferred rent	608		910
Deferred lease incentives	-984		1,043
Other liabilities	226		328
Landlord contribution for tenant improvements, net	400		-475
Net cash provided by operating activities	29,381		37,125
Cash flows from investing activities:	'		'
Purchases of property and equipment	-24,648		-30,260
Proceeds from sale of assets	4,932		14
Proceeds from marketable securities sold	2,838		8,054
Purchases of marketable securities	-3,300		-6,498
Collection of notes receivable	'		110
Net cash used in investing activities	-20,178		-28,580
Cash flows from financing activities:	'		'
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	1,167		328
Taxes paid on vested stock units under employee plans	-314		-212
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,818		151
Net cash provided by financing activities	2,671		267
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	11,874		8,812
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	22,995		15,074
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	34,869		23,886
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:	'		'
Cash paid for income taxes	2,012		1,423
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:	'		'
Fixed assets acquired by accounts payable	6,997		1,535
Stock-based compensation capitalized	$43	[1]	$52	[1]
[1]	Capitalized stock-based compensation is included in "Property and equipment, net" on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Basis_of_Presentation

Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]	'
Basis of Presentation	'
	1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (referred to herein as the “Company” or in the first person notations “we,” “us” and “our”) and our wholly owned subsidiaries. The financial statements presented herein include all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the period. Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions for the reporting periods covered by the financial statements. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.
	Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been omitted pursuant to requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). A description of our accounting policies and other financial information is included in our audited consolidated financial statements as filed with the SEC on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. We believe that the disclosures included in our accompanying interim financial statements and footnotes are adequate to make the information not misleading, but should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K. The accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2013, has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements.
	Reclassifications
	Certain reclassifications of prior period’s financial statement amounts have been made to conform to the current period’s format.

Marketable_Securities

Marketable Securities	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Investments Debt And Equity Securities [Abstract]	'
Marketable Securities	'
	2. MARKETABLE SECURITIES
	Our investment policy restricts the investment of our excess cash balances to instruments with historically minimal volatility, such as money market funds, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations, municipal and bank securities, and investment-grade corporate debt securities. All highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase are classified as cash equivalents and included with “Cash and cash equivalents” on our accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Marketable securities, which we have the intent and ability to hold until maturity, are classified as held-to-maturity securities and reported at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. Marketable securities, in the form of municipal variable rate demand notes with expected put dates prior to the contractual maturity of the underlying debt security and backed by financial institutions in the form of a letter of credit or liquidity facility, are classified as available-for-sale securities. These securities are reported at fair value, using a market approach and classified as Level 2 fair value measurements, as further described in Note 3. Any unrealized gains or losses on available-for-sale securities would be recorded in other comprehensive income. As of April 1, 2014 and December 31, 2013, there were no unrealized gains or losses with respect to available-for-sale securities.
	We determine the appropriate classification of our marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluate the held-to-maturity or available-for-sale designations as of each balance sheet date. Marketable securities are classified as either short-term or long-term based on each instrument’s underlying contractual maturity date or the expected put date. Marketable securities with maturities or expected put dates of 12 months or less are classified as short-term and marketable securities with maturities or expected put dates greater than 12 months are classified as long-term. Gains or losses are determined on the specific identification cost method and recorded in earnings when realized.
	Investments in marketable securities consist of the following (in thousands):
			April 1, 2014				December 31, 2013
			Fair Value		Average		Fair		Average
					Maturity (1)		Value		Maturity (1)
	Available-for-sale
	Short-term marketable securities:
	Municipal variable rate demand notes		$	2,300		<1 month	$	—
			1-Apr-14				31-Dec-13
			Amortized		Average		Amortized		Average
			Cost		Maturity (1)		Cost		Maturity (1)
	Held-to-maturity
	Short-term marketable securities:
	Municipal securities, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations		$	5,914		6 months	$	6,943		5 months
	Domestic corporate obligations			1,039		7 months		1,045		10 months
			$	6,953			$	7,988
	Long-term marketable securities:
	Municipal securities and direct agency obligations		$	1,000		24 months	$	1,803		14 months
			$	1,000			$	1,803
	-1	Average maturity is determined from the respective balance sheet dates and reported in the table as the lesser of the original maturity date or the expected put date for each investment type.

Fair_Value_Measurement

Fair Value Measurement	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Fair Value Measurement	'
	3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
	In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a framework for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities was established by defining a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. These tiers include:
		•	Level 1: Defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
		•	Level 2: Defined as pricing inputs other than quoted prices in active markets included in Level 1, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. Level 2 includes those financial instruments that are valued using models or other valuation methodologies. These models are primarily industry-standard models that consider various assumptions, including quoted forward prices for commodities, time value, volatility factors, and current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures.
		•	Level 3: Defined as pricing inputs that are generally less observable from objective sources. These inputs may be used with internally developed methodologies that result in management’s best estimate of fair value.
	At April 1, 2014, we had approximately $45.1 million of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities. Our marketable securities are held by institutional brokers, classified as held-to-maturity securities and reported at amortized cost, which approximates fair value (effectively, Level 2), or variable rate demand notes classified as available-for-sale securities and reported at fair value (Level 2). We have placed a majority of our temporary excess cash with major financial institutions and institutional brokers that, in turn, invest in instruments with historically minimal volatility, such as money market funds, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations, municipal and bank securities, and investment-grade corporate debt securities. Our investment policy limits the amount of exposure to any one institution or investment. We have not experienced any losses on these marketable securities to date, and we believe that we are not exposed to significant risk of loss on these marketable securities.

LongTerm_Debt

Long-Term Debt	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Long-Term Debt	'
	4. LONG-TERM DEBT
	Line of Credit
	On February 17, 2012, we entered into a $75 million unsecured revolving line of credit (“Line of Credit”) with a major financial institution. The Line of Credit expires on January 31, 2017, and may be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We utilize the Line of Credit principally for letters of credit that are required to support certain self-insurance programs and for working capital and construction requirements as needed. As of April 1, 2014, there were no funded borrowings outstanding under the Line of Credit and there were outstanding letters of credit totaling approximately $11.5 million. The Line of Credit bears interest at either LIBOR plus a percentage not to exceed 1.50%, or at a rate ranging from the financial institution’s prime rate to 0.75% below the financial institution’s prime rate based on a Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio as defined in the Line of Credit agreement. The Line of Credit agreement requires compliance with a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, a Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio and certain non-financial covenants. At April 1, 2014, we were in compliance with these covenants.

Net_Income_Per_Share

Net Income Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Net Income Per Share	'
	5. NET INCOME PER SHARE
	Basic net income per share is computed by dividing the net income attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if stock options issued by us to sell common stock at set prices were exercised and if restrictions on restricted stock units issued by us were to lapse (collectively, equity awards). The consolidated financial statements present basic and diluted net income per share. Common stock equivalents included in the diluted computation represent shares to be issued upon assumed exercises of outstanding stock options and the assumed lapsing of the restrictions on restricted stock units using the treasury stock method.
	The following table presents a reconciliation of basic and diluted net income per share computations and the number of dilutive equity awards (stock options and restricted stock units) that were included in the dilutive net income per share computation (in thousands):
		For The Thirteen Weeks Ended
		April 1, 2014		April 2, 2013
	Numerator:
	Net income for basic and diluted net income per share	$	4,658	$	8,273
	Denominator:
	Weighted-average shares outstanding—basic		28,369		28,139
	Dilutive effect of equity awards		609		699
	Weighted-average shares outstanding—diluted		28,978		28,838
	For the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2014 and April 2, 2013, there were approximately 0.8 million and 0.7 million shares of common stock equivalents, respectively, that have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net income per share because they are anti-dilutive.

Related_Party

Related Party	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]	'
Related Party	'
	6. RELATED PARTY
	As of April 1, 2014, we believe that Jacmar Companies and their affiliates (collectively referred to herein as “Jacmar”) owned approximately 11.2% of our outstanding common stock. In addition, James Dal Pozzo, the Chief Executive Officer of Jacmar, is a member of our Board of Directors. Jacmar, through its affiliation with DMA is currently our largest supplier of food, beverage, paper products and supplies. We began using DMA for our national foodservice distribution in July 2006. In July 2012, we finalized a new five-year agreement with DMA, after conducting another extensive competitive bidding process. Jacmar services our restaurants in California and Nevada, while other DMA distributors service our restaurants in all other states. We also understand that Jacmar and its affiliates are the controlling shareholders of the Shakey’s pizza parlor chain. We believe that Jacmar sells products to us at prices comparable to those offered by unrelated third parties based on our competitive bidding process. Jacmar supplied us with $20.9 million and $19.7 million of food, beverage, paper products and supplies for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2014 and April 2, 2013, respectively, which represents 21.8% and 22.7% of our total costs of sales and operating and occupancy costs, respectively. We had trade payables related to these products of $5.6 million and $4.8 million, at April 1, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. Jacmar does not provide us with any produce, liquor, wine or beer products, all of which are provided by other vendors and are included in total cost of sales.

StockBased_Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]	'
Stock-Based Compensation	'
	7. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
	We have two stock-based compensation plans – the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan and the 1996 Stock Option Plan – under which we may issue shares of our common stock to employees, officers, directors and consultants. Upon effectiveness of the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), the 1996 Stock Option Plan was closed for purposes of new grants. Both of these plans have been approved by our shareholders. Under the Plan, we have granted incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, and restricted stock units (“RSUs”). Shares subject to stock options and stock appreciation rights are charged against the Plan share reserve on the basis of one share for each one share granted while shares subject to other types of awards, including restricted stock units, are currently charged against the Plan share reserve on the basis of 1.5 shares for each one share granted. The Plan also contains other limits with respect to the terms of different types of incentive awards and with respect to the number of shares subject to awards that can be granted to an employee during any fiscal year. All options granted under the Plan expire within 10 years of their date of grant.
	Under the Plan, we issue RSUs as a component of the annual equity grant award to officers and other employees and in connection with the BJ’s Gold Standard Stock Ownership Program (the “GSSOP”). The GSSOP is a longer-term equity incentive program that utilizes Company RSUs or stock options and is dependent on each participant’s extended service with us in their respective positions and remaining in good standing during that service period (i.e., five years).
	The Plan permits us to set the vesting terms and exercise period for awards at our discretion. Stock options generally vest at 20% per year or cliff vest, either ratably in years three through five or 100% in year five, and expire ten years from date of grant. RSUs generally vest at 20% per year for non-GSSOP RSU grantees and generally cliff vest either at 33% on the third anniversary and 67% on the fifth anniversary or at 100% after the fifth anniversary for GSSOP participants. Beginning in 2014, we began issuing RSU’s with vesting subject to achievement of performance targets as well as time-based vesting.
	The following table presents information related to stock-based compensation (in thousands):
			For The Thirteen Weeks Ended
			April 1, 2014			April 2, 2013
	Labor and benefits stock-based compensation		$	517		$	328
	General and administrative stock-based compensation		$	725		$	839
	Capitalized stock-based compensation (1)		$	43		$	52
	-1	Capitalized stock-based compensation is included in “Property and equipment, net” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	Stock Options
	The fair value of each stock option grant issued is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:
			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended
			April 1, 2014			April 2, 2013
	Expected volatility			37.9	%		36.9	%
	Risk free interest rate			1.6	%		0.7	%
	Expected option life			5 years			5 years
	Dividend yield			0	%		0	%
	Fair value of options granted		$	10.63		$	11.06
	U.S. GAAP requires us to make certain assumptions and judgments regarding the grant date fair value. These judgments include expected volatility, risk free interest rate, expected option life, dividend yield and vesting percentage. These estimations and judgments are determined by us using many different variables that, in many cases, are outside of our control. The changes in these variables or trends, including stock price volatility and risk free interest rate, may significantly impact the grant date fair value resulting in a significant impact to our financial results.
	The exercise price of the stock options under our stock-based compensation plans shall be equal to or exceed 100% of the fair market value of the shares at the date of option grant. The following table represents stock option activity:
			Options Outstanding						Options Exercisable
			Shares			Weighted			Shares		Weighted
			(in thousands)			Average			(in thousands)		Average
						Exercise					Exercise
						Price					Price
	Outstanding options at December 31, 2013			2,049		$	22.82			1,514	$	18.74
	Granted			200		$	29.92
	Exercised			(115	)	$	15.48
	Forfeited			(26	)	$	43.39
	Outstanding options at April 1, 2014			2,108		$	23.65			1,460	$	19.44
	As of April 1, 2014, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to non-vested stock options was $5.9 million, which is generally expected to be recognized over the next five years.
	Restricted Stock Units
	Restricted stock unit activity was as follows:
			Shares			Weighted
			(in thousands)			Average
						Fair Value
	Outstanding RSUs at December 31, 2013			433		$	33.23
	Granted			92		$	30.89
	Vested or released			(18	)	$	31.98
	Forfeited			(10	)	$	37.21
	Outstanding RSUs at April 1, 2014			497		$	32.74
	The fair value of the RSUs is the quoted market value of our common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of each RSU is expensed over the period during which the restrictions are expected to lapse (i.e., five years). As of April 1, 2014, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to non-vested restricted shares was approximately $8.4 million, which is generally expected to be recognized over the next five years.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Income Taxes	'
	8. INCOME TAXES
	We calculate our interim income tax provision in accordance with ASC Topic 270, “Interim Reporting” and ASC Topic 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” At the end of each interim period, we estimate the annual effective tax rate and apply that rate to our ordinary quarterly earnings. The tax expense or benefit related to significant, unusual, or extraordinary items is recognized in the interim period in which those items occur. In addition, the effect of changes in enacted tax laws, rates or tax status is recognized in the interim period in which the change occurs. The computation of the annual estimated effective tax rate at each interim period requires certain estimates and significant judgment including the expected operating income for the year, permanent and temporary differences as a result of differences between amounts measured and recognized in accordance with tax laws and financial accounting standards, and the likelihood of recovering deferred tax assets generated in the current fiscal year. The accounting estimates used to compute income tax expense may change as new events occur, additional information is obtained or the tax environment changes.
	As of April 1, 2014, unrecognized tax benefits recorded was approximately $0.2 million, of which approximately $0.1 million, if reversed, would impact our effective tax rate. We anticipate a decrease of $0.1 million to our liability for unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve-month period due to the lapse of statutes of limitation. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in thousands):
	Balance at December 31, 2013	$	219
	Decrease for tax positions taken in prior years		(22	)
	Balance at April 1, 2014	$	197
	Our uncertain tax positions are related to tax years that remain subject to examination by tax agencies. As of April 1, 2014, the earliest tax year still subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service is 2010. The earliest year still subject to examination by a significant state or local taxing jurisdiction is 2009.

Legal_Proceedings

Legal Proceedings	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Legal Proceedings	'
	9. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
	We are subject to private lawsuits, administrative proceedings and demands that arise in the ordinary course of our business and which typically involve claims from customers, employees and others related to operational, employment, real estate and intellectual property issues common to the foodservice industry. A number of these claims may exist at any given time. We are self-insured for a portion of our general liability insurance and our employee workers’ compensation programs. We maintain coverage with a third party insurer to limit our total exposure for these programs. We believe that most of our customer claims will be covered by our general liability insurance, subject to coverage limits and the portion of such claims that are self-insured. Punitive damages awards and employee unfair practice claims, however, are not covered by our general liability insurance. To date, we have not been ordered to pay punitive damages with respect to any claims, but there can be no assurance that punitive damages will not be awarded with respect to any future claims. We could be affected by adverse publicity resulting from allegations in lawsuits, claims and proceedings, regardless of whether these allegations are valid or whether we are ultimately determined to be liable. We currently believe that the final disposition of these types of lawsuits, proceedings and claims will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. It is possible, however, that our future results of operations for a particular quarter or fiscal year could be impacted by changes in circumstances relating to lawsuits, proceedings or claims.

Subsequent_Event

Subsequent Event	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Subsequent Events [Abstract]	'
Subsequent Event	'
	10. SUBSEQUENT EVENT
	On April 21, 2014, we entered into an agreement (the “PW/Luxor Agreement”) with a group (or consortium) of shareholders, including, among others, Atlas Fund II LP, PW Partners LLC and Luxor Capital Partners, LP. Under the terms of the PW/Luxor Agreement, we agreed to nominate three new independent directors to our Board of Directors at our 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, one of whom was appointed effective immediately on April 21, 2014. We also agreed to implement additional initiatives to enhance long-term value for our shareholders, including a $50 million share repurchase, which our Board of Directors authorized, and a further expansion of our current non-strategic cost optimization initiative. As of April 1, 2014, approximately $1.6 million of professional fees and expenses have been accrued related to this agreement and included in “Legal and other settlements” on our Consolidated Statements of Income for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2014.

Basis_of_Presentation_Policies

Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Investments Debt And Equity Securities [Abstract]	'
Basis of Presentation	'
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (referred to herein as the “Company” or in the first person notations “we,” “us” and “our”) and our wholly owned subsidiaries. The financial statements presented herein include all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the period. Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions for the reporting periods covered by the financial statements. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.
	Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been omitted pursuant to requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). A description of our accounting policies and other financial information is included in our audited consolidated financial statements as filed with the SEC on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. We believe that the disclosures included in our accompanying interim financial statements and footnotes are adequate to make the information not misleading, but should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K. The accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2013, has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements.
Reclassifications	'
	Reclassifications
	Certain reclassifications of prior period’s financial statement amounts have been made to conform to the current period’s format.
Marketable Securities	'
	Our investment policy restricts the investment of our excess cash balances to instruments with historically minimal volatility, such as money market funds, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations, municipal and bank securities, and investment-grade corporate debt securities. All highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase are classified as cash equivalents and included with “Cash and cash equivalents” on our accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Marketable securities, which we have the intent and ability to hold until maturity, are classified as held-to-maturity securities and reported at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. Marketable securities, in the form of municipal variable rate demand notes with expected put dates prior to the contractual maturity of the underlying debt security and backed by financial institutions in the form of a letter of credit or liquidity facility, are classified as available-for-sale securities. These securities are reported at fair value, using a market approach and classified as Level 2 fair value measurements, as further described in Note 3. Any unrealized gains or losses on available-for-sale securities would be recorded in other comprehensive income. As of April 1, 2014 and December 31, 2013, there were no unrealized gains or losses with respect to available-for-sale securities.
	We determine the appropriate classification of our marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluate the held-to-maturity or available-for-sale designations as of each balance sheet date. Marketable securities are classified as either short-term or long-term based on each instrument’s underlying contractual maturity date or the expected put date. Marketable securities with maturities or expected put dates of 12 months or less are classified as short-term and marketable securities with maturities or expected put dates greater than 12 months are classified as long-term. Gains or losses are determined on the specific identification cost method and recorded in earnings when realized.
Fair Value Measurement	'
	In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a framework for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities was established by defining a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. These tiers include:
		•	Level 1: Defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
		•	Level 2: Defined as pricing inputs other than quoted prices in active markets included in Level 1, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. Level 2 includes those financial instruments that are valued using models or other valuation methodologies. These models are primarily industry-standard models that consider various assumptions, including quoted forward prices for commodities, time value, volatility factors, and current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures.
		•	Level 3: Defined as pricing inputs that are generally less observable from objective sources. These inputs may be used with internally developed methodologies that result in management’s best estimate of fair value.
Net Income Per Share	'
	Basic net income per share is computed by dividing the net income attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if stock options issued by us to sell common stock at set prices were exercised and if restrictions on restricted stock units issued by us were to lapse (collectively, equity awards). The consolidated financial statements present basic and diluted net income per share. Common stock equivalents included in the diluted computation represent shares to be issued upon assumed exercises of outstanding stock options and the assumed lapsing of the restrictions on restricted stock units using the treasury stock method.
Income Taxes	'
	We calculate our interim income tax provision in accordance with ASC Topic 270, “Interim Reporting” and ASC Topic 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” At the end of each interim period, we estimate the annual effective tax rate and apply that rate to our ordinary quarterly earnings. The tax expense or benefit related to significant, unusual, or extraordinary items is recognized in the interim period in which those items occur. In addition, the effect of changes in enacted tax laws, rates or tax status is recognized in the interim period in which the change occurs. The computation of the annual estimated effective tax rate at each interim period requires certain estimates and significant judgment including the expected operating income for the year, permanent and temporary differences as a result of differences between amounts measured and recognized in accordance with tax laws and financial accounting standards, and the likelihood of recovering deferred tax assets generated in the current fiscal year. The accounting estimates used to compute income tax expense may change as new events occur, additional information is obtained or the tax environment changes.

Marketable_Securities_Tables

Marketable Securities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Investments Debt And Equity Securities [Abstract]	'
Investments in Marketable Securities	'
	Investments in marketable securities consist of the following (in thousands):
			April 1, 2014				December 31, 2013
			Fair Value		Average		Fair		Average
					Maturity (1)		Value		Maturity (1)
	Available-for-sale
	Short-term marketable securities:
	Municipal variable rate demand notes		$	2,300		<1 month	$	—
			1-Apr-14				31-Dec-13
			Amortized		Average		Amortized		Average
			Cost		Maturity (1)		Cost		Maturity (1)
	Held-to-maturity
	Short-term marketable securities:
	Municipal securities, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations		$	5,914		6 months	$	6,943		5 months
	Domestic corporate obligations			1,039		7 months		1,045		10 months
			$	6,953			$	7,988
	Long-term marketable securities:
	Municipal securities and direct agency obligations		$	1,000		24 months	$	1,803		14 months
			$	1,000			$	1,803
	-1	Average maturity is determined from the respective balance sheet dates and reported in the table as the lesser of the original maturity date or the expected put date for each investment type.

Net_Income_Per_Share_Tables

Net Income Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share Computations and Number of Dilutive Securities (Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units) Included in Dilutive Net Income Per Share Computation	'
	The following table presents a reconciliation of basic and diluted net income per share computations and the number of dilutive equity awards (stock options and restricted stock units) that were included in the dilutive net income per share computation (in thousands):
		For The Thirteen Weeks Ended
		April 1, 2014		April 2, 2013
	Numerator:
	Net income for basic and diluted net income per share	$	4,658	$	8,273
	Denominator:
	Weighted-average shares outstanding—basic		28,369		28,139
	Dilutive effect of equity awards		609		699
	Weighted-average shares outstanding—diluted		28,978		28,838

StockBased_Compensation_Tables

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]	'
Information Related to Stock-Based Compensation	'
	The following table presents information related to stock-based compensation (in thousands):
			For The Thirteen Weeks Ended
			April 1, 2014			April 2, 2013
	Labor and benefits stock-based compensation		$	517		$	328
	General and administrative stock-based compensation		$	725		$	839
	Capitalized stock-based compensation (1)		$	43		$	52
	-1	Capitalized stock-based compensation is included in “Property and equipment, net” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Black-Scholes Option-Pricing Model with Weighted Average Assumptions	'
	The fair value of each stock option grant issued is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:
			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended
			April 1, 2014			April 2, 2013
	Expected volatility			37.9	%		36.9	%
	Risk free interest rate			1.6	%		0.7	%
	Expected option life			5 years			5 years
	Dividend yield			0	%		0	%
	Fair value of options granted		$	10.63		$	11.06
Stock Option Activity	'
	The following table represents stock option activity:
			Options Outstanding						Options Exercisable
			Shares			Weighted			Shares		Weighted
			(in thousands)			Average			(in thousands)		Average
						Exercise					Exercise
						Price					Price
	Outstanding options at December 31, 2013			2,049		$	22.82			1,514	$	18.74
	Granted			200		$	29.92
	Exercised			(115	)	$	15.48
	Forfeited			(26	)	$	43.39
	Outstanding options at April 1, 2014			2,108		$	23.65			1,460	$	19.44
Restricted Stock Unit Activity	'
	Restricted stock unit activity was as follows:
			Shares			Weighted
			(in thousands)			Average
						Fair Value
	Outstanding RSUs at December 31, 2013			433		$	33.23
	Granted			92		$	30.89
	Vested or released			(18	)	$	31.98
	Forfeited			(10	)	$	37.21
	Outstanding RSUs at April 1, 2014			497		$	32.74

Income_Taxes_Tables

Income Taxes (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Amount of Unrecognized Tax Benefits	'
	A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in thousands):
	Balance at December 31, 2013	$	219
	Decrease for tax positions taken in prior years		(22	)
	Balance at April 1, 2014	$	197

Marketable_Securities_Addition

Marketable Securities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 01, 2014
			Maximum	Short-term marketable securities	Long-term marketable securities
				Maximum	Minimum
Investment [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'
Liquid investments maturity period	'	'	'3 months	'	'
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized gain (loss)	$0	$0	'	'	'
Marketable securities maturity period (in months)	'	'	'	'12 months	'12 months

Investments_in_Marketable_Secu

Investments in Marketable Securities (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Short-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	$9,253		$7,988
Long-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	1,000		1,803
Held-to-maturity securities	'		'
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Long-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	1,000		1,803
Short-term marketable securities | Available-for-sale securities | Municipal variable rate demand notes	'		'
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Short-term marketable securities, Fair Value	2,300		'
Marketable securities, maturity period (in months), maximum	'1 month	[1]	'0 months	[1]
Short-term marketable securities | Held-to-maturity securities	'		'
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Short-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	6,953		7,988
Short-term marketable securities | Held-to-maturity securities | Municipal securities, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations	'		'
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Short-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	5,914		6,943
Marketable securities, Average Maturity (in months)	'6 months	[1]	'5 months	[1]
Short-term marketable securities | Held-to-maturity securities | Domestic corporate obligations	'		'
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Short-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	1,039		1,045
Marketable securities, Average Maturity (in months)	'7 months	[1]	'10 months	[1]
Long-term marketable securities | Held-to-maturity securities | Municipal securities, U.S. Treasury and direct agency obligations	'		'
Investment [Line Items]	'		'
Long-term marketable securities, Amortized Cost	$1,000		$1,803
Marketable securities, Average Maturity (in months)	'24 months	[1]	'14 months	[1]
[1]	Average maturity is determined from the respective balance sheet dates and reported in the table as the lesser of the original maturity date or the expected put date for each investment type.

Fair_Value_Measurement_Additio

Fair Value Measurement - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Apr. 01, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities	$45.10

LongTerm_Debt_Additional_Infor

Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended
	Feb. 17, 2012	Apr. 01, 2014
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]	'	'
Unsecured revolving line of credit	$75,000,000	'
Line of credit, expiration date	31-Jan-17	'
Letters of credit outstanding amount	'	$11,500,000
Maximum	'	'
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]	'	'
Line of credit, adjustment to interest rate	1.50%	'
Minimum	'	'
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]	'	'
Line of credit, adjustment to interest rate	0.75%	'

Reconciliation_of_Basic_and_Di

Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share Computations and Number of Dilutive Securities - Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units - Included in Dilutive Net Income Per Share Computation (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 02, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]	'	'
Net income for basic and diluted net income per share	$4,658	$8,273
Weighted-average shares outstanding - basic	28,369	28,139
Dilutive effect of equity awards	609	699
Weighted-average shares outstanding - diluted	28,978	28,838

Net_Income_Per_Share_Additiona

Net Income Per Share - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 02, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'	'
Common stock equivalents excluded from calculation of diluted net income per share	0.8	0.7

Related_Party_Additional_Infor

Related Party - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 02, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]	'	'	'
Expenses for supply of food, beverage, paper products and supplies	$20.90	$19.70	'
Percentage of total costs of sales and operating and occupancy costs	21.80%	22.70%	'
Trade payables	$5.60	'	$4.80
Jacmar Companies	'	'	'
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]	'	'	'
Percentage of outstanding common stock	11.20%	'	'
Agreement terms	'5 years	'	'

StockBased_Compensation_Additi

Stock-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014
	CompensationPlan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Number of stock-based compensation plans	2
Number of shares charged to reserve per granted share	1
Share basis for number shares charged to reserve	1
Expiration term of stock options	'10 years
Minimum	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Exercise price of stock options under stock-based compensation plans	100.00%
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Number of shares charged to reserve per granted share	1.5
Share basis for number shares charged to reserve	1
Stock options vesting percentage in year five	20.00%
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense	8.4
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expenses recognition period (in years)	'5 years
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | Cliff Vesting Year Five	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Stock options vesting percentage in year five	100.00%
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | Cliff Vesting Third Anniversary	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Stock options vesting percentage in year five	33.00%
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | Cliff Vesting Fifth Anniversary	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Stock options vesting percentage in year five	67.00%
2005 Equity Incentive Plan	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Service period	'Five years
Stock Options	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Expiration term of stock options	'10 years
Stock options vesting percentage in year five	20.00%
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense	5.9
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expenses recognition period (in years)	'5 years
Stock Options | Cliff Vesting Year Five	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Stock options vesting percentage in year five	100.00%
Stock Options | Minimum	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Vesting period (in years)	'3 years
Stock Options | Maximum	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Vesting period (in years)	'5 years

Information_Related_to_StockBa

Information Related to Stock-Based Compensation (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014		Apr. 02, 2013
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'		'
Capitalized stock-based compensation	$43	[1]	$52	[1]
Labor and benefits stock-based compensation	'		'
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'		'
Stock-based compensation	517		328
General and administrative stock-based compensation	'		'
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'		'
Stock-based compensation	$725		$839
[1]	Capitalized stock-based compensation is included in "Property and equipment, net" on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

BlackScholes_OptionPricing_Mod

Black-Scholes Option-Pricing Model with Weighted Average Assumptions (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 02, 2013
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]	'	'
Expected volatility	37.90%	36.90%
Risk free interest rate	1.60%	0.70%
Expected option life	'5 years	'5 years
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%
Fair value of options granted	$10.63	$11.06

Stock_Option_Activity_Detail

Stock Option Activity (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014
Options Outstanding, Shares	'
Outstanding options, Beginning Balance	2,049
Granted	200
Exercised	-115
Forfeited	-26
Outstanding options, Ending Balance	2,108
Options Exercisable, Shares	'
Options Exercisable Outstanding, Beginning Balance	1,514
Options Exercisable Outstanding, Ending Balance	1,460
Options outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price	'
Outstanding options, Beginning Balance	$22.82
Granted	$29.92
Exercised	$15.48
Forfeited	$43.39
Outstanding options, Ending Balance	$23.65
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price	'
Options Exercisable, Beginning Balance	$18.74
Options Exercisable, Ending Balance	$19.44

Restricted_Stock_Unit_Activity

Restricted Stock Unit Activity (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014
Shares Outstanding	'
Outstanding RSUs Beginning Balance, Shares	433
Granted, Shares	92
Vested or released, Shares	-18
Forfeited, Shares	-10
Outstanding RSUs Ending Balance, Shares	497
Weighted Average Fair Value	'
Outstanding RSUs Beginning Balance, Weighted Average Fair Value	$33.23
Granted, Weighted Average Fair Value	$30.89
Vested or released, Weighted Average Fair Value	$31.98
Forfeited, Weighted Average Fair Value	$37.21
Outstanding RSUs Ending Balance, Weighted Average Fair Value	$32.74

Income_Taxes_Additional_Inform

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Apr. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'	'
Unrecognized tax benefit	$197,000	$219,000
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate, if reversed	100,000	'
Anticipated decrease in liability for unrecognized tax benefits within next twelve-month period	$100,000	'

Reconciliation_of_Beginning_an

Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Amount of Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Beginning Balance	$219
Decrease for tax positions taken in prior years	-22
Ending Balance	$197

Subsequent_Event_Additional_In

Subsequent Event - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Apr. 01, 2014	Apr. 21, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified		Subsequent Event [Member]
		Director
Subsequent Event [Line Items]	'	'
Share repurchase authorized by board of directors	'	50
Professional fees accrued	$1.60	'
Number of new directors to be appointed	'	3