TravelCenters of America (TA) 10-Q 5 Nov 18 2018 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Nov. 02, 2018
Document and Entity Information
Entity Registrant Name	TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA LLC
Entity Central Index Key	1,378,453
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2018
Amendment Flag	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		39,768,115
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,018
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Un

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 85,519	$ 35,526
Accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,044 and $809 as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively)	168,990	125,501
Inventory	198,021	186,867
Other current assets	27,050	27,015
Current assets of discontinued operations	335,698	23,609
Total current assets	815,278	398,518
Property and equipment, net	606,219	613,196
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	48,681	50,351
Other noncurrent assets	121,761	89,955
Noncurrent assets of discontinued operations	0	466,112
Total assets	1,591,939	1,618,132
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	204,178	155,581
Current HPT Leases liabilities	42,122	41,389
Other current liabilities	173,353	128,017
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	11,636	2,311
Total current liabilities	431,289	327,298
Long term debt, net	320,303	319,634
Noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities	357,560	368,782
Other noncurrent liabilities	26,774	27,376
Noncurrent liabilities of discontinued operations	0	8,547
Total liabilities	1,135,926	1,051,637
Shareholders' equity:
Common shares, no par value, 43,369 and 41,369 shares authorized as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and 39,768 and 39,984 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively	694,772	690,688
Accumulated other comprehensive income	598	580
Accumulated deficit	(240,824)	(126,220)
Total TA shareholders' equity	454,546	565,048
Noncontrolling interests	1,467	1,447
Total shareholders' equity	456,013	566,495
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 1,591,939	$ 1,618,132

Consolidated Balance Sheets (_2

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 1,044	$ 809
Common shares, shares authorized (in shares)	43,369	41,369
Common shares, shares issued (in shares)	39,768	39,984
Common shares, shares outstanding (in shares)	39,768	39,984

Consolidated Statements of Oper

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 1,659,397	$ 1,378,223	$ 4,697,925	$ 3,915,836
Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation):
Total cost of goods sold	1,289,016	1,024,192	3,613,227	2,895,564
Operating expenses:
Site level operating	233,344	216,303	685,217	660,730
Selling, general and administrative	35,097	34,348	98,292	108,996
Real estate rent	71,116	69,032	212,036	205,039
Depreciation and amortization	20,407	19,990	62,076	66,875
Total operating expenses	359,964	339,673	1,057,621	1,041,640
Income (loss) from operations	10,417	14,358	27,077	(21,368)
Interest expense, net	7,518	7,507	21,963	22,738
Other (income) expense, net	(569)	(481)	1,627	(1,490)
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	3,468	7,332	3,487	(42,616)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(1,879)	55,941	713	76,437
Income from continuing operations	1,589	63,273	4,200	33,821
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(72,069)	(966)	(118,682)	(3,828)
Net (loss) income	(70,480)	62,307	(114,482)	29,993
Less: net income for noncontrolling interests	34	30	122	100
Net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders	(70,514)	62,277	(114,604)	29,893
Other comprehensive income, net of taxes:
Foreign currency income (loss), net of taxes of $22, $78, $(42) and $144, respectively	31	89	(72)	168
Equity interest in investee's unrealized gain on investments	173	116	90	296
Other comprehensive income attributable to common shareholders	204	205	18	464
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to common shareholders	$ (70,310)	$ 62,482	$ (114,586)	$ 30,357
Net (loss) income per common share attributable to common shareholders:
Basic and diluted from continuing operations (in USD per share)	$ 0.04	$ 1.60	$ 0.10	$ 0.85
Basic and diluted from discontinued operations (in USD per share)	(1.81)	(0.02)	(2.97)	(0.09)
Basic and diluted (in USD per share)	$ (1.77)	$ 1.58	$ (2.87)	$ 0.76
Fuel
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 1,172,913	$ 908,456	$ 3,308,744	$ 2,582,699
Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation):
Total cost of goods sold	1,096,065	839,065	3,074,621	2,373,919
Nonfuel
Revenues:
Total revenues	482,621	465,232	1,377,159	1,319,308
Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation):
Total cost of goods sold	192,951	185,127	538,606	521,645
Rent and royalties from franchisees
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 3,863	$ 4,535	$ 12,022	$ 13,829

Consolidated Statements of Op_2

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Foreign currency income (loss), tax	$ 22	$ 78	$ (42)	$ 144

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	$ (114,482)	$ 29,993
Less: loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(118,682)	(3,828)
Income from continuing operations	4,200	33,821
Adjustments to reconcile income from continuing operations to net cash provided by operating activities for continuing operations:
Noncash rent expense	(10,857)	(11,008)
Depreciation and amortization expense	62,076	66,875
Deferred income taxes	(15,285)	(79,188)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of business acquisitions:
Accounts receivable	(44,154)	(33,369)
Inventory	(11,170)	(7,105)
Other assets	(66)	2,293
Accounts payable and other liabilities	107,887	43,544
Other, net	22,776	17,229
Net cash provided by operating activities for continuing operations	115,407	33,092
Net cash provided by operating activities for discontinued operations	7,423	13,335
Net cash provided by operating activities	122,830	46,427
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from asset sales with HPT	44,162	88,129
Capital expenditures	(106,756)	(85,459)
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(19,854)
Investment in equity investee	(1,359)	(4,500)
Net cash used in investing activities for continuing operations	(63,953)	(21,684)
Net cash used in investing activities for discontinued operations	(7,429)	(13,321)
Net cash used in investing activities	(71,382)	(35,005)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale leaseback transactions with HPT	491	2,361
Sale leaseback financing obligation payments	(802)	(555)
Other, net	(1,071)	(121)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,382)	1,685
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(80)	233
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	49,986	13,340
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period	36,082	61,312
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period	86,068	74,652
Less: cash of discontinued operations at the end of the period	549	555
Cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations at the end of the period	85,519	74,097
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest paid (including rent classified as interest and net of capitalized interest)	21,855	21,817
Income taxes paid, net of refunds	$ 166	$ 424

Business Description and Basis

Business Description and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation	Business Description and Basis of Presentation TravelCenters of America LLC, which we refer to as the Company or we, us and our, is a Delaware limited liability company. As of September 30, 2018 , we operated and franchised 302 travel centers and standalone restaurants. Our customers include trucking fleets and their drivers, independent truck drivers, highway and local motorists and casual diners. We also collect rents, royalties and other fees from our tenants and franchisees. As of September 30, 2018 , our business included 259 travel centers in 43 states in the United States, primarily along the U.S. interstate highway system, and the province of Ontario, Canada, operated primarily under the "TravelCenters of America," "TA," "TA Express," "Petro Stopping Centers" and "Petro" brand names. Of our 259 travel centers at September 30, 2018 , we owned 32 , we leased 201 , we operated two for a joint venture in which we own a noncontrolling interest and 24 were owned or leased from others by our franchisees. We operated 233 of our travel centers and franchisees operated 26 travel centers, including two we leased to franchisees. Our travel centers offer a broad range of products and services, including diesel fuel and gasoline as well as nonfuel products and services such as truck repair and maintenance services, full service restaurants, quick service restaurants and various customer amenities. As of September 30, 2018 , our business included 43 standalone restaurants in 13 states in the United States operated primarily under the "Quaker Steak & Lube", or QSL, brand name. Of our 43 standalone restaurants at September 30, 2018 , we operated 15 restaurants ( six we owned, eight we leased and one we operated for a joint venture in which we own a noncontrolling interest) and 28 were owned or leased from others and operated by our franchisees. We manage our business as one reportable segment. Our locations use similar processes to sell similar products and services. We make specific disclosures concerning fuel and nonfuel products and services because it facilitates our discussion of trends and operational initiatives within our business and industry. We have a single travel center located in a foreign country, Canada, that we do not consider material to our operations. During the third quarter of 2018, we entered into an agreement to sell our convenience stores business. We expect to complete this sale in the fourth quarter of 2018. As a result of this agreement, the results of the convenience stores business are reported as held for sale and presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. Additionally, the assets and liabilities of the convenience stores business have been presented as discontinued operations in our consolidated balance sheets. The sale of our convenience stores business eliminated the requirement to report information of our convenience stores segment. See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The accompanying consolidated financial statements are unaudited. These unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, applicable for interim financial statements. The disclosures presented do not include all the information necessary for complete financial statements in accordance with GAAP. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 , or our Annual Report. In the opinion of our management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, including normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. While our revenues are modestly seasonal, the quarterly variations in our operating results may reflect greater seasonal differences because our rent expense and certain other costs do not vary seasonally. For this and other reasons, our operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year. Reclassifications. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to be consistent with the current year presentation within our consolidated financial statements. Fair Value Measurement Senior Notes We collectively refer to our $110,000 of 8.25% Senior Notes due 2028, our $120,000 of 8.00% Senior Notes due 2029 and our $100,000 of 8.00% Senior Notes due 2030 as our Senior Notes, which are our senior unsecured obligations. We estimate that, based on their trading prices (a Level 1 input), the aggregate fair value of our Senior Notes on September 30, 2018 , was $326,188 . Goodwill Impairment Goodwill is tested for impairment annually as of July 31, or more frequently if the circumstances warrant, at the reporting unit level. During the second quarter of 2018, prior to classifying our convenience stores business as held for sale and as a discontinued operation, we determined that the decline in site level gross margin in excess of site level operating expenses for our convenience stores business for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, as compared to the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, in conjunction with the fact that the operating results for the convenience stores business, since acquisition, failed to meet our forecasted results was an indicator of impairment of the goodwill in our convenience stores business. Accordingly, we performed an impairment assessment of the goodwill in the convenience stores business as of May 31, 2018, using the same quantitative analysis approach that we historically followed for our goodwill impairment assessments. Based on this assessment, during the second quarter of 2018, we recorded an impairment charge of $51,500 , which is presented in loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. As a result of our convenience stores business being classified as held for sale and presented as a discontinued operation, we recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $17,942 in the convenience stores reporting unit as of September 1, 2018. See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. As of July 31, 2018, we evaluated our travel centers and QSL reporting units for impairment using a qualitative analysis which included evaluating financial trends and industry and market conditions and assessing the reasonableness of the assumptions used in the most recent quantitative analysis, including comparing actual results to the projections used in the quantitative analysis. Based on our analyses, we concluded that as of July 31, 2018, our goodwill in those reporting units was not impaired. Change in Accounting Principles In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or the FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , or ASU 2014-09, which established a comprehensive revenue recognition standard under GAAP for almost all industries. We adopted ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018, using the full retrospective method, which required that we restate our consolidated financial statements for prior year comparative periods. Although the majority of our revenue is initiated at the point of sale and was unaffected by this ASU, the implementation of this ASU affected the accounting for our loyalty programs, initial and renewal franchise fees and advertising fees received from franchisees. See Note 2 for more information about our revenues. Loyalty programs. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, we recognized the estimated cost of loyalty awards as a discount against the nonfuel revenues from which the rewards were redeemed. Loyalty awards now are recognized against the revenue that generates the loyalty award, primarily fuel revenues. The adoption of the new standard resulted in a $19,814 and $46,282 reclassification between fuel revenue and nonfuel revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Initial and renewal franchise fees. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, we recognized initial franchise fees as revenue at the time the franchisee opened for business, which is when we had fulfilled our initial obligations under the related agreement. Initial and renewal franchise fees now are recognized as revenue over the term of the related franchise agreement, which is the period the customer benefits from use of the franchise rights. The adoption of the new standard resulted in an increase in our accumulated deficit of $1,082 , an increase in other current liabilities of $188 and an increase in other noncurrent liabilities of $894 as of December 31, 2017 , as well as a decrease of $77 and an increase of $9 in rent and royalties from franchisees revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Advertising fees. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, we recognized advertising fees collected from franchisees as a reduction of the related advertising expenses incurred. We now recognize these advertising fees as revenue. The adoption of the new standard for these advertising fees resulted in an increase in each of selling, general and administrative expenses and rent and royalties from franchisees revenue of $418 and $1,331 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Income taxes. As a result of the adjustments described above, a deferred tax asset was recognized, increasing other noncurrent assets and decreasing our accumulated deficit each by $278 as of December 31, 2017 , and increasing our benefit for income taxes by $30 for the three months ended September 30, 2017 , and decreasing our benefit for income taxes by $3 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 . The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Assets: Other noncurrent assets $ 90,004 $ (327 ) $ 278 $ 89,955 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity: Other current liabilities $ 130,140 $ (2,311 ) $ 188 $ 128,017 Other noncurrent liabilities 35,029 (8,547 ) 894 27,376 Accumulated deficit (125,416 ) — (804 ) (126,220 ) (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income for the three months ended September 30, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Revenues: Fuel $ 1,055,593 $ (127,323 ) $ (19,814 ) $ 908,456 Nonfuel 516,555 (71,137 ) 19,814 465,232 Rent and royalties from franchisees 4,248 (54 ) 341 4,535 Total revenues 1,576,396 (198,514 ) 341 1,378,223 Selling, general and administrative expenses 36,587 (2,657 ) 418 34,348 Income before income taxes and discontinued operations 6,086 1,323 (77 ) 7,332 Benefit for income taxes 56,268 (357 ) 30 55,941 Income from continuing operations 62,354 966 (47 ) 63,273 (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Revenues: Fuel $ 2,981,154 $ (352,173 ) $ (46,282 ) $ 2,582,699 Nonfuel 1,473,023 (199,997 ) 46,282 1,319,308 Rent and royalties from franchisees 12,651 (162 ) 1,340 13,829 Total revenues 4,466,828 (552,332 ) 1,340 3,915,836 Selling, general and administrative expenses 115,276 (7,611 ) 1,331 108,996 Loss before income taxes and discontinued operations (47,976 ) 5,351 9 (42,616 ) Benefit for income taxes 77,963 (1,523 ) (3 ) 76,437 Income from continuing operations 29,987 3,828 6 33,821 (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 29,987 $ — $ 6 $ 29,993 Deferred income taxes (79,191 ) — 3 (79,188 ) Accounts receivable (33,439 ) — 70 (33,369 ) Accounts payable and other liabilities 46,232 (2,609 ) (79 ) 43,544 Net cash provided by operating activities 46,427 — — 46,427 (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. We recognized a net increase in our accumulated deficit at January 1, 2016, of $305 as a result of adopting ASU 2014-09. In January 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other , which simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. The new standard is required for annual or interim impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2019, and requires prospective application. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017, and we adopted this standard during the second quarter of 2018. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, Leases , or ASU 2016-02, which established a comprehensive lease standard under GAAP for virtually all industries. The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase of the leased asset by the lessee. This classification determines whether the lease expense is recognized based on the effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. A lessee is also required to recognize a right of use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases and operating leases. The new standard will apply for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein. To address implementation of ASU 2016-02 and evaluate its impact on our consolidated financial statements, we have developed a project plan and formed a team to evaluate our leases, lease classifications and related internal controls. While we are still finalizing our evaluation, including implementing a new lease accounting software we have elected the prospective transition method for adoption, which does not require us to restate prior year comparative periods, and will apply the package of practical expedients that will retain the lease classification and initial direct costs for any leases that existed prior to adoption. We believe the adoption of this update will have a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets due to the recognition of the lease rights and obligations as assets and liabilities, primarily as they relate to our leases with Hospitality Properties Trust, or HPT. See Note 7 for more information about our lease agreements and transactions with HPT. Although we continue to evaluate the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements, we do not expect amounts within our statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income will change materially. In June 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation , which aligns the accounting for share based payments to non-employees with the accounting for share based payments to employees. The new standard will apply for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein, and requires modified retrospective application. Early adoption is permitted. The implementation of this update is not expected to cause a material change to our consolidated financial statements.

Revenue

Revenue	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue	Revenue We recognize revenue based on the consideration specified in the contract with the customer, excluding any sales incentives (such as loyalty programs and customer rebates) and amounts collected on behalf of third parties (such as sales and excise taxes). The majority of our revenue is generated at the point of sale in our retail locations. Revenues consist of fuel revenues, nonfuel revenues and rent and royalties from franchisees. Fuel revenues. We recognize fuel revenues and the related costs at the time of sale to customers at our company operated locations. We sell diesel fuel and gasoline to our customers at prices that we establish daily or are indexed to market prices and reset daily. We sell diesel fuel under pricing arrangements with certain customers. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 , approximately 83% of our diesel fuel volume was sold at discounts to posted prices under pricing arrangements with our customers, some of which include rebates payable to the customer after the end of the period. Nonfuel revenues. We recognize nonfuel revenues and the related costs at the time of sale to customers at our company operated locations. We sell a variety of nonfuel products and services at stated retail prices in our travel centers and standalone restaurants, as well as through our RoadSquad®, RoadSquad OnSite® and TA Commercial Tire Network™ programs. Truck repair and maintenance goods or services may be sold at discounted pricing under pricing arrangements with certain customers, some of which include rebates payable to the customer after the end of the period. Rent and royalties from franchisees. We recognize franchise royalties and advertising fees from franchisees as revenue monthly based on the franchisees' sales data reported to us. Royalty revenues are contractual as a percentage of the franchisees' revenues and advertising fees are contractual as either a percentage of the franchisees' revenues or as a fixed amount. When we enter into a new franchise agreement or a renewal term with an existing franchisee, the franchisee is required to pay an initial or renewal franchise fee. Initial and renewal franchise fees are recognized as revenue on a straight line basis over the term of the respective franchise agreements. For those travel centers that we lease to a franchisee, we recognize rent revenue on a straight line basis based on the current contractual rent amount. These leases generally specify rent increases each year based on inflation rates for the respective periods or capital improvements we make at the travel centers. Because the rent increases related to these factors are contingent upon future events, we recognize the related rent revenue after such events have occurred. Other. Sales incentives and other promotional activities that we recognize as a reduction to revenue include, but are not limited to, the following: • Customer loyalty programs. We offer travel center trucking customers and casual restaurant diners the option to participate in our loyalty programs. Our loyalty programs provide customers with the right to earn loyalty awards on qualifying purchases that can be used for discounts on future purchases of goods or services. We apply a relative standalone selling price approach to our outstanding loyalty awards whereby a portion of each sale attributable to the loyalty awards earned is deferred and will be recognized as revenue in the category in which the loyalty awards are redeemed upon the redemption or expiration of the loyalty awards. Significant judgment is required to determine the standalone selling price for loyalty awards. Assumptions used in determining the standalone selling price include the historic redemption rate and the use of a weighted average selling price for fuel to calculate the revenue attributable to the loyalty awards. • Customer discounts and rebates. We enter into agreements with certain customers in which we agree to provide discounts on fuel and/or truck service purchases, some of which are structured as rebates payable to the customer after the end of the period. We recognize the cost of discounts against, and in the same period as, the revenue that generated the discounts earned. • Gift cards. We sell branded gift cards. Sales proceeds are recognized as a contract liability; the liability is reduced and revenue is recognized when the gift card subsequently is redeemed for goods or services. Unredeemed gift card balances are recognized as revenue when the possibility of redemption becomes remote. Disaggregation of Revenue We disaggregate our revenue based on the type of good or service provided to the customer, or by fuel revenues and nonfuel revenues, in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. Our locations use similar processes to sell similar products and services. Contract Liabilities Our contract liabilities, which are presented in our consolidated balance sheets in other current and other noncurrent liabilities, primarily include deferred revenue related to our loyalty programs, gift cards, rebates payable to customers and other deferred revenues. The following table shows the changes in our contract liabilities between periods. Loyalty Programs Other Contract Liabilities Total December 31, 2016 $ 13,686 $ 4,921 $ 18,607 Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period 72,424 11,335 83,759 Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period (65,854 ) (10,007 ) (75,861 ) Other (5,091 ) (1,568 ) (6,659 ) December 31, 2017 15,165 4,681 19,846 Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period 62,125 7,246 69,371 Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period (56,743 ) (6,910 ) (63,653 ) Other (4,522 ) (908 ) (5,430 ) September 30, 2018 $ 16,025 $ 4,109 $ 20,134 As of September 30, 2018 , we expect the unsatisfied performance obligations relating to these loyalty programs will be satisfied within 12 months . As of September 30, 2018 , the deferred initial and renewal franchise fee revenue expected to be recognized in future periods ranges between $42 and $171 for each of the years 2018 through 2022 .

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, we acquired a tire retread facility for $2,805 and certain assets at travel centers we owned from two of our franchisees for an aggregate purchase price of $5,202 . These acquisitions were accounted for as asset acquisitions. As of September 30, 2018, we had entered into an agreement to acquire a travel center from one of our franchisees for a purchase price of $10,050 , which we expect to account for as a business combination. We expect to complete this acquisition in the fourth quarter of 2018, but this purchase is subject to conditions and may not occur, may be delayed or the terms may change. Acquisition costs, such as legal fees, due diligence costs and closing costs, are included in other (income) expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income.

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued Operations	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Discontinued Operations	Discontinued Operations On September 1, 2018, we entered into an agreement with EG Retail (America), LLC and EG Group Limited, or EG Group, to sell 225 convenience stores, one standalone restaurant and certain related assets, or the convenience stores business, for an estimated aggregate purchase price of $328,752 . This sale price includes $23,752 of estimated net working capital items that are based on balances as of September 30, 2018 , and are subject to adjustment based upon the values of these working capital items and certain other customary proration adjustments as of the closing date. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur during the fourth quarter of 2018 , and is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions for a transaction of this type. Upon the classification of the assets and related liabilities as held for sale, we determined that the carrying value of the convenience stores business exceeded the agreed purchase price less costs to sell, resulting in a loss on disposal of $78,681 that includes transaction costs of $8,982 as of September 30, 2018. We estimate we will recognize an additional $586 of transaction related costs during the fourth quarter of 2018. The following table includes the carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities presented in discontinued operations in our consolidated balance sheets. September 30, December 31, Assets: Cash $ 549 $ 556 Inventory 24,632 22,773 Other current assets 588 280 Property and equipment, net 376,365 387,894 Goodwill — 68,702 Other intangible assets, net 7,952 9,189 Other noncurrent assets — 327 Loss upon classification as held for sale (74,388 ) — Total assets of discontinued operations $ 335,698 $ 489,721 Liabilities: Other current liabilities $ 11,636 $ 2,311 Other noncurrent liabilities — 8,547 Total liabilities of discontinued operations $ 11,636 $ 10,858 The following table presents the results of operations for our discontinued operations for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 . Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2018 2017 2018 2017 Revenues $ 219,730 $ 198,514 $ 606,574 $ 552,332 Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation) 183,515 158,031 500,830 441,789 Site level operating expenses 27,595 27,858 81,566 82,292 Selling, general and administrative expenses 2,659 2,657 7,458 7,611 Real estate rent expense 571 567 1,720 1,703 Depreciation and amortization expense 4,533 10,724 20,330 24,288 Impairment of goodwill 17,942 — 69,442 — Loss from discontinued operations (17,085 ) (1,323 ) (74,772 ) (5,351 ) Benefit for income taxes 3,755 357 14,829 1,523 Loss from discontinued operations, (13,330 ) (966 ) (59,943 ) (3,828 ) Loss upon classification as held for sale (78,681 ) — (78,681 ) — Benefit for income taxes 19,942 — 19,942 — Loss from discontinued operations $ (72,069 ) $ (966 ) $ (118,682 ) $ (3,828 )

Earnings Per Share from Continu

Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations	Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations The following table presents a reconciliation of income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders to income from continuing operations available to common shareholders and the related earnings per share. Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2018 2017 2018 2017 Income from continuing operations $ 1,589 $ 63,273 $ 4,200 $ 33,821 Less: net income for noncontrolling interests 34 30 122 100 Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders 1,555 63,243 4,078 33,721 Less: income from continuing operations attributable to participating securities 53 3,286 183 1,774 Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders $ 1,502 $ 59,957 $ 3,895 $ 31,947 Weighted average common shares (1) 38,402 37,497 38,137 37,458 Basic and diluted income per common share from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders $ 0.04 $ 1.60 $ 0.10 $ 0.85 (1) Excludes unvested shares awarded under our share award plans, which shares are considered participating securities because they participate equally in earnings and losses with all of our other common shares. The weighted average number of unvested shares outstanding for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , was 1,368 and 2,055 , respectively. The weighted average number of unvested shares outstanding for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , was 1,787 and 2,080 , respectively.

Equity Investments

Equity Investments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Equity Investments	Equity Investments Our investments in equity affiliates, which are presented in our consolidated balance sheets in other noncurrent assets, and our proportional share of our investees' net income (loss), which is included in other (income) expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income, were as follows: PTP Other (1) Total Investment balance: As of September 30, 2018 $ 19,995 $ 19,136 $ 39,131 As of December 31, 2017 20,807 21,695 42,502 Income (loss) from equity investments: Three months ended September 30, 2018 $ 1,359 $ (786 ) $ 573 Three months ended September 30, 2017 1,253 (725 ) 528 Nine months ended September 30, 2018 2,388 (4,008 ) (1,620 ) Nine months ended September 30, 2017 2,954 (1,223 ) 1,731 (1) Includes other equity investments including our investment in Affiliates Insurance Company, or AIC. See Note 9 for more information about our investment in AIC. Petro Travel Plaza Holdings LLC Petro Travel Plaza Holdings LLC, or PTP, is a joint venture between us and Tejon Development Corporation that owns travel centers and a standalone restaurant in California. We own a 40% interest in PTP and we receive a management fee from PTP to operate these locations. This investment is accounted for under the equity method. We recognized management fee income of $393 and $386 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $1,172 and $1,156 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. In addition, we supply PTP with its fuel at our cost. We sold $20,133 and $15,963 of fuel to PTP during the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $54,701 and $44,618 during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. The following table sets forth summarized financial information of PTP and does not represent the amounts we have included in our consolidated financial statements in connection with our investment in PTP. Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2018 2017 (1) 2018 2017 (1) Total revenues $ 33,260 $ 28,380 $ 88,321 $ 79,213 Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation) 23,508 19,191 63,917 53,707 Operating income 3,690 3,392 6,824 8,139 Net income and comprehensive income 3,531 3,267 6,375 7,790 (1) Total revenues and cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , have been adjusted for the adoption of ASU 2014-09. Motor fuel taxes are no longer included in fuel revenues or fuel cost of goods sold, resulting in a decrease from the originally reported amounts in each of fuel revenues and fuel cost of goods sold of $3,603 and $10,002 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively.

HPT Leases

HPT Leases	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
HPT Leases	HPT Leases As of September 30, 2018 , we leased from HPT a total of 199 properties under five leases, four of which we refer to as the TA Leases and one of which we refer to as the Petro Lease, and which collectively we refer to as the HPT Leases. We recognized rent expense under the HPT Leases of $68,513 and $66,483 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $204,224 and $197,340 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. Our minimum annual rent under the HPT Leases as of September 30, 2018 , was $286,063 . In addition to the payment of minimum annual rent, the HPT Leases provide for payment to HPT of percentage rent based on increases in total nonfuel revenues over base year levels. We incurred percentage rent under the HPT Leases of $1,002 and $434 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $2,674 and $1,435 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , we sold to HPT $44,653 and $62,888 , respectively, of improvements we made to properties leased from HPT. As a result, pursuant to the terms of the HPT Leases, our minimum annual rent payable to HPT increased by $3,795 and $5,345 , respectively. At September 30, 2018 , our property and equipment balance included $17,303 of improvements of the type that we typically request that HPT purchase for an increase in minimum annual rent; however, HPT is not obligated to purchase these improvements. The following table summarizes the various amounts related to the HPT Leases that are included in our consolidated balance sheets. September 30, December 31, Current HPT Leases liabilities: Accrued rent $ 24,746 $ 24,170 Sale leaseback financing obligation 1,020 863 Straight line rent accrual 2,458 2,458 Deferred gain 10,128 10,128 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 3,770 3,770 Total current HPT Leases liabilities $ 42,122 $ 41,389 Noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities: Deferred rent obligation $ 150,000 $ 150,000 Sale leaseback financing obligation 22,597 22,987 Straight line rent accrual 46,528 46,937 Deferred gain 103,445 111,041 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 34,990 37,817 Total noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities $ 357,560 $ 368,782 Business and Property Management Agreements with RMR The RMR Group LLC, or RMR, provides us certain services that we require to operate our business, and which relate to various aspects of our business. RMR provides these services pursuant to a business management agreement. Until July 31, 2017, we also had a property management agreement with RMR for building management services at our headquarters building. Pursuant to our business management agreement and property management agreement with RMR, we incurred aggregate fees payable to RMR of $3,969 and $3,782 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $10,929 and $10,647 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. In addition, we are responsible for our share of RMR's costs for providing internal audit services to us. The amounts we recognized as expense for these internal audit costs were $60 and $67 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $184 and $202 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. These amounts are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. For more information about our relationships with RMR please refer to Notes 11 and 12 in our Annual Report. Related Party Transactions We have relationships and historical and continuing transactions with HPT, RMR, AIC and others related to them, including other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services and which have directors, trustees and officers who are also our Directors or officers. Relationship with HPT We are HPT's largest tenant and HPT is our principal landlord and largest shareholder. As of September 30, 2018 , HPT owned 3,420 of our common shares, representing approximately 8.6% of our outstanding common shares. As of September 30, 2018 , we leased from HPT a total of 199 properties under the HPT Leases. RMR provides management services to both us and HPT, and Adam D. Portnoy, one of our Managing Directors, also serves as a managing trustee of HPT. See Note 7 for more information about our lease agreements and transactions with HPT. Relationship with RMR We have an agreement with RMR to provide management services to us. Adam D. Portnoy, one of our Managing Directors, is the sole trustee, an officer and the controlling shareholder of ABP Trust, which is the controlling shareholder of The RMR Group Inc.; The RMR Group Inc. is the managing member of RMR LLC. See Note 8 for further information regarding our current and former management agreements with RMR. In addition, as further described below, as of October 10, 2018, RMR owned approximately 3.8% of our outstanding common shares. Retirement of Our Former President, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director On November 29, 2017, we and RMR entered into a retirement agreement with Thomas M. O'Brien, who served as our President and Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, and as one of our Managing Directors until December 31, 2017, and remained our employee through June 30, 2018. Under Mr. O'Brien's retirement agreement, (i) consistent with past practice, we paid Mr. O'Brien his current annual base salary of $300 until June 30, 2018, and we paid him a cash bonus in respect of 2017 in the amount of $2,060 in December 2017, (ii) in lieu of any share grants for his 2017 service, we paid Mr. O'Brien an additional cash payment in the amount of $475 in December 2017, and (iii) following his retirement from the Company on June 30, 2018, we made an additional cash payment to Mr. O'Brien in July 2018 in the amount of $1,505 and, as of his retirement date, fully accelerated the vesting of 625 then unvested common shares of the Company previously awarded to him. Pursuant to his retirement agreement, Mr. O'Brien granted to us, in the first instance, and RMR in the second instance, a right of first refusal to purchase our common shares he owns if he determined to sell any of those shares. In September 2018, Mr. O’Brien notified us of his intent to sell 1,493 of our common shares. We declined to exercise our purchase right, and on October 10, 2018, RMR purchased those shares, representing approximately 3.8% of our outstanding common shares. Relationship with AIC We, HPT and five other companies to which RMR provides management services currently own AIC, an Indiana insurance company, in equal amounts. We and the other AIC shareholders participate in a combined property insurance program arranged and reinsured in part by AIC. We paid aggregate annual premiums, including taxes and fees, of approximately $2,502 in connection with the renewal of this insurance program for the policy year ending June 30, 2019, which amount may be adjusted from time to time as we acquire and dispose of properties that are included in this insurance program. As of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 , our investment in AIC had a carrying value of $9,157 and $8,185 , respectively. These amounts are included in other noncurrent assets on our consolidated balance sheets. We recognized income of $826 and $31 related to our investment in AIC for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $882 and $533 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, which amounts are included in other (income) expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. Our other comprehensive income includes our proportionate share of unrealized gains on securities, which are owned by AIC, related to our investment in AIC. For further information about these and other such relationships and certain other related party transactions, refer to our Annual Report.

Business and Property Managemen

Business and Property Management Agreements with RMR	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Business and Property Management Agreements with RMR	HPT Leases As of September 30, 2018 , we leased from HPT a total of 199 properties under five leases, four of which we refer to as the TA Leases and one of which we refer to as the Petro Lease, and which collectively we refer to as the HPT Leases. We recognized rent expense under the HPT Leases of $68,513 and $66,483 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $204,224 and $197,340 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. Our minimum annual rent under the HPT Leases as of September 30, 2018 , was $286,063 . In addition to the payment of minimum annual rent, the HPT Leases provide for payment to HPT of percentage rent based on increases in total nonfuel revenues over base year levels. We incurred percentage rent under the HPT Leases of $1,002 and $434 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $2,674 and $1,435 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , we sold to HPT $44,653 and $62,888 , respectively, of improvements we made to properties leased from HPT. As a result, pursuant to the terms of the HPT Leases, our minimum annual rent payable to HPT increased by $3,795 and $5,345 , respectively. At September 30, 2018 , our property and equipment balance included $17,303 of improvements of the type that we typically request that HPT purchase for an increase in minimum annual rent; however, HPT is not obligated to purchase these improvements. The following table summarizes the various amounts related to the HPT Leases that are included in our consolidated balance sheets. September 30, December 31, Current HPT Leases liabilities: Accrued rent $ 24,746 $ 24,170 Sale leaseback financing obligation 1,020 863 Straight line rent accrual 2,458 2,458 Deferred gain 10,128 10,128 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 3,770 3,770 Total current HPT Leases liabilities $ 42,122 $ 41,389 Noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities: Deferred rent obligation $ 150,000 $ 150,000 Sale leaseback financing obligation 22,597 22,987 Straight line rent accrual 46,528 46,937 Deferred gain 103,445 111,041 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 34,990 37,817 Total noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities $ 357,560 $ 368,782 Business and Property Management Agreements with RMR The RMR Group LLC, or RMR, provides us certain services that we require to operate our business, and which relate to various aspects of our business. RMR provides these services pursuant to a business management agreement. Until July 31, 2017, we also had a property management agreement with RMR for building management services at our headquarters building. Pursuant to our business management agreement and property management agreement with RMR, we incurred aggregate fees payable to RMR of $3,969 and $3,782 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $10,929 and $10,647 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. In addition, we are responsible for our share of RMR's costs for providing internal audit services to us. The amounts we recognized as expense for these internal audit costs were $60 and $67 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $184 and $202 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. These amounts are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. For more information about our relationships with RMR please refer to Notes 11 and 12 in our Annual Report. Related Party Transactions We have relationships and historical and continuing transactions with HPT, RMR, AIC and others related to them, including other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services and which have directors, trustees and officers who are also our Directors or officers. Relationship with HPT We are HPT's largest tenant and HPT is our principal landlord and largest shareholder. As of September 30, 2018 , HPT owned 3,420 of our common shares, representing approximately 8.6% of our outstanding common shares. As of September 30, 2018 , we leased from HPT a total of 199 properties under the HPT Leases. RMR provides management services to both us and HPT, and Adam D. Portnoy, one of our Managing Directors, also serves as a managing trustee of HPT. See Note 7 for more information about our lease agreements and transactions with HPT. Relationship with RMR We have an agreement with RMR to provide management services to us. Adam D. Portnoy, one of our Managing Directors, is the sole trustee, an officer and the controlling shareholder of ABP Trust, which is the controlling shareholder of The RMR Group Inc.; The RMR Group Inc. is the managing member of RMR LLC. See Note 8 for further information regarding our current and former management agreements with RMR. In addition, as further described below, as of October 10, 2018, RMR owned approximately 3.8% of our outstanding common shares. Retirement of Our Former President, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director On November 29, 2017, we and RMR entered into a retirement agreement with Thomas M. O'Brien, who served as our President and Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, and as one of our Managing Directors until December 31, 2017, and remained our employee through June 30, 2018. Under Mr. O'Brien's retirement agreement, (i) consistent with past practice, we paid Mr. O'Brien his current annual base salary of $300 until June 30, 2018, and we paid him a cash bonus in respect of 2017 in the amount of $2,060 in December 2017, (ii) in lieu of any share grants for his 2017 service, we paid Mr. O'Brien an additional cash payment in the amount of $475 in December 2017, and (iii) following his retirement from the Company on June 30, 2018, we made an additional cash payment to Mr. O'Brien in July 2018 in the amount of $1,505 and, as of his retirement date, fully accelerated the vesting of 625 then unvested common shares of the Company previously awarded to him. Pursuant to his retirement agreement, Mr. O'Brien granted to us, in the first instance, and RMR in the second instance, a right of first refusal to purchase our common shares he owns if he determined to sell any of those shares. In September 2018, Mr. O’Brien notified us of his intent to sell 1,493 of our common shares. We declined to exercise our purchase right, and on October 10, 2018, RMR purchased those shares, representing approximately 3.8% of our outstanding common shares. Relationship with AIC We, HPT and five other companies to which RMR provides management services currently own AIC, an Indiana insurance company, in equal amounts. We and the other AIC shareholders participate in a combined property insurance program arranged and reinsured in part by AIC. We paid aggregate annual premiums, including taxes and fees, of approximately $2,502 in connection with the renewal of this insurance program for the policy year ending June 30, 2019, which amount may be adjusted from time to time as we acquire and dispose of properties that are included in this insurance program. As of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 , our investment in AIC had a carrying value of $9,157 and $8,185 , respectively. These amounts are included in other noncurrent assets on our consolidated balance sheets. We recognized income of $826 and $31 related to our investment in AIC for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $882 and $533 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, which amounts are included in other (income) expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. Our other comprehensive income includes our proportionate share of unrealized gains on securities, which are owned by AIC, related to our investment in AIC. For further information about these and other such relationships and certain other related party transactions, refer to our Annual Report.

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions	HPT Leases As of September 30, 2018 , we leased from HPT a total of 199 properties under five leases, four of which we refer to as the TA Leases and one of which we refer to as the Petro Lease, and which collectively we refer to as the HPT Leases. We recognized rent expense under the HPT Leases of $68,513 and $66,483 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $204,224 and $197,340 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. Our minimum annual rent under the HPT Leases as of September 30, 2018 , was $286,063 . In addition to the payment of minimum annual rent, the HPT Leases provide for payment to HPT of percentage rent based on increases in total nonfuel revenues over base year levels. We incurred percentage rent under the HPT Leases of $1,002 and $434 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $2,674 and $1,435 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , we sold to HPT $44,653 and $62,888 , respectively, of improvements we made to properties leased from HPT. As a result, pursuant to the terms of the HPT Leases, our minimum annual rent payable to HPT increased by $3,795 and $5,345 , respectively. At September 30, 2018 , our property and equipment balance included $17,303 of improvements of the type that we typically request that HPT purchase for an increase in minimum annual rent; however, HPT is not obligated to purchase these improvements. The following table summarizes the various amounts related to the HPT Leases that are included in our consolidated balance sheets. September 30, December 31, Current HPT Leases liabilities: Accrued rent $ 24,746 $ 24,170 Sale leaseback financing obligation 1,020 863 Straight line rent accrual 2,458 2,458 Deferred gain 10,128 10,128 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 3,770 3,770 Total current HPT Leases liabilities $ 42,122 $ 41,389 Noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities: Deferred rent obligation $ 150,000 $ 150,000 Sale leaseback financing obligation 22,597 22,987 Straight line rent accrual 46,528 46,937 Deferred gain 103,445 111,041 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 34,990 37,817 Total noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities $ 357,560 $ 368,782 Business and Property Management Agreements with RMR The RMR Group LLC, or RMR, provides us certain services that we require to operate our business, and which relate to various aspects of our business. RMR provides these services pursuant to a business management agreement. Until July 31, 2017, we also had a property management agreement with RMR for building management services at our headquarters building. Pursuant to our business management agreement and property management agreement with RMR, we incurred aggregate fees payable to RMR of $3,969 and $3,782 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $10,929 and $10,647 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. In addition, we are responsible for our share of RMR's costs for providing internal audit services to us. The amounts we recognized as expense for these internal audit costs were $60 and $67 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $184 and $202 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. These amounts are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. For more information about our relationships with RMR please refer to Notes 11 and 12 in our Annual Report. Related Party Transactions We have relationships and historical and continuing transactions with HPT, RMR, AIC and others related to them, including other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services and which have directors, trustees and officers who are also our Directors or officers. Relationship with HPT We are HPT's largest tenant and HPT is our principal landlord and largest shareholder. As of September 30, 2018 , HPT owned 3,420 of our common shares, representing approximately 8.6% of our outstanding common shares. As of September 30, 2018 , we leased from HPT a total of 199 properties under the HPT Leases. RMR provides management services to both us and HPT, and Adam D. Portnoy, one of our Managing Directors, also serves as a managing trustee of HPT. See Note 7 for more information about our lease agreements and transactions with HPT. Relationship with RMR We have an agreement with RMR to provide management services to us. Adam D. Portnoy, one of our Managing Directors, is the sole trustee, an officer and the controlling shareholder of ABP Trust, which is the controlling shareholder of The RMR Group Inc.; The RMR Group Inc. is the managing member of RMR LLC. See Note 8 for further information regarding our current and former management agreements with RMR. In addition, as further described below, as of October 10, 2018, RMR owned approximately 3.8% of our outstanding common shares. Retirement of Our Former President, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director On November 29, 2017, we and RMR entered into a retirement agreement with Thomas M. O'Brien, who served as our President and Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, and as one of our Managing Directors until December 31, 2017, and remained our employee through June 30, 2018. Under Mr. O'Brien's retirement agreement, (i) consistent with past practice, we paid Mr. O'Brien his current annual base salary of $300 until June 30, 2018, and we paid him a cash bonus in respect of 2017 in the amount of $2,060 in December 2017, (ii) in lieu of any share grants for his 2017 service, we paid Mr. O'Brien an additional cash payment in the amount of $475 in December 2017, and (iii) following his retirement from the Company on June 30, 2018, we made an additional cash payment to Mr. O'Brien in July 2018 in the amount of $1,505 and, as of his retirement date, fully accelerated the vesting of 625 then unvested common shares of the Company previously awarded to him. Pursuant to his retirement agreement, Mr. O'Brien granted to us, in the first instance, and RMR in the second instance, a right of first refusal to purchase our common shares he owns if he determined to sell any of those shares. In September 2018, Mr. O’Brien notified us of his intent to sell 1,493 of our common shares. We declined to exercise our purchase right, and on October 10, 2018, RMR purchased those shares, representing approximately 3.8% of our outstanding common shares. Relationship with AIC We, HPT and five other companies to which RMR provides management services currently own AIC, an Indiana insurance company, in equal amounts. We and the other AIC shareholders participate in a combined property insurance program arranged and reinsured in part by AIC. We paid aggregate annual premiums, including taxes and fees, of approximately $2,502 in connection with the renewal of this insurance program for the policy year ending June 30, 2019, which amount may be adjusted from time to time as we acquire and dispose of properties that are included in this insurance program. As of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 , our investment in AIC had a carrying value of $9,157 and $8,185 , respectively. These amounts are included in other noncurrent assets on our consolidated balance sheets. We recognized income of $826 and $31 related to our investment in AIC for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and $882 and $533 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, which amounts are included in other (income) expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. Our other comprehensive income includes our proportionate share of unrealized gains on securities, which are owned by AIC, related to our investment in AIC. For further information about these and other such relationships and certain other related party transactions, refer to our Annual Report.

Contingencies

Contingencies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Contingencies Environmental Contingencies Extensive environmental laws regulate our operations and properties. These laws may require us to investigate and clean up hazardous substances, including petroleum or natural gas products, released at our owned and leased properties. Governmental entities or third parties may hold us liable for property damage and personal injuries, and for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs incurred in connection with any contamination and regulatory compliance at our locations. We use both underground storage tanks and above ground storage tanks to store petroleum products, natural gas and other hazardous substances at our locations. We must comply with environmental laws regarding tank construction, integrity testing, leak detection and monitoring, overfill and spill control, release reporting and financial assurance for corrective action in the event of a release. At some locations we must also comply with environmental laws relative to vapor recovery or discharges to water. Under the terms of the HPT Leases, we generally have agreed to indemnify HPT for any environmental liabilities related to properties that we lease from HPT and we are required to pay all environmental related expenses incurred in the operation of the leased properties. Under an agreement with Equilon Enterprises LLC doing business as Shell Oil Products U.S., or Shell, we have agreed to indemnify Shell and its affiliates from certain environmental liabilities incurred with respect to our travel centers where Shell has installed natural gas fueling lanes. From time to time we have received, and in the future likely will receive, notices of alleged violations of environmental laws or otherwise have become or will become aware of the need to undertake corrective actions to comply with environmental laws at our locations. Investigatory and remedial actions were, and regularly are, undertaken with respect to releases of hazardous substances at our locations. In some cases we have received, and may receive in the future, contributions to partially offset our environmental costs from insurers, from state funds established for environmental clean up associated with the sale of petroleum products or from indemnitors who agreed to fund certain environmental related costs at locations purchased from those indemnitors. To the extent we incur material amounts for environmental matters for which we do not receive or expect to receive insurance or other third party reimbursement and for which we have not previously recorded a liability, our operating results may be materially adversely affected. In addition, to the extent we fail to comply with environmental laws and regulations, or we become subject to costs and requirements not similarly experienced by our competitors, our competitive position may be harmed. At September 30, 2018 , we had an accrued liability of $2,696 for environmental matters as well as a receivable for expected recoveries of certain of these estimated future expenditures of $758 , resulting in an estimated net amount of $1,938 that we expect to fund in the future. We cannot precisely know the ultimate costs we may incur in connection with currently known environmental related violations, corrective actions, investigation and remediation; however, we do not expect the costs for such matters to be material, individually or in the aggregate, to our financial position or results of operations. We currently have insurance of up to $20,000 per incident and up to $20,000 in the aggregate for certain environmental liabilities, subject, in each case, to certain limitations and deductibles, which expires in June 2021. However, we can provide no assurance that we will be able to maintain similar environmental insurance coverage in the future on acceptable terms. We cannot predict the ultimate effect changing circumstances and changing environmental laws may have on us in the future or the ultimate outcome of matters currently pending. We cannot be certain that contamination presently unknown to us does not exist at our sites, or that a material liability will not be imposed on us in the future. If we discover additional environmental issues, or if government agencies impose additional environmental requirements, increased environmental compliance or remediation expenditures may be required, which could have a material adverse effect on us. Legal Proceedings We are routinely involved in various legal and administrative proceedings, including tax audits, incidental to the ordinary course of our business. Except as set forth below, we do not expect that any litigation or administrative proceedings in which we are presently involved, or of which we are aware, will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. On November 30, 2016, we filed a complaint, or the Complaint, captioned TA Operating LLC v. Comdata, Inc., et al. C.A. No. 12954-CB (Del. Ch.), in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or the Court, against Comdata Inc., or Comdata, and its parent company with respect to a notice of termination we received from Comdata on November 3, 2016. Based upon Comdata's assertion that we had breached an agreement under which we agreed to install radio frequency identification, or RFID, technology at our travel centers, or the RFID Agreement, the notice purported to terminate a different agreement between us and Comdata under which we agreed to accept Comdata issued fuel cards through January 2, 2022, for certain purchases by our customers in exchange for fees payable by us to Comdata, or the Merchant Agreement. In the Complaint, we sought, among other things, (a) a declaration that we are not in default under the Merchant Agreement; (b) a judgment that Comdata has breached its contractual duties to us; (c) a judgment that Comdata breached its implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing to us; (d) a judgment that Comdata has and is willfully and knowingly engaged in unfair, abusive and deceptive business practices in the course of its business dealings with us in violation of Tennessee law; (e) an order for specific performance by Comdata of its obligations to us under the Merchant Agreement; (f) injunctive relief; and (g) damages, including attorneys' fees and costs, and further relief as the Court deemed appropriate. At a hearing held on December 14, 2016, the Court denied our request for preliminary injunctive relief subject to Comdata's agreement to continue providing services under the Merchant Agreement pending a final ruling from the Court. On December 21, 2016, Comdata filed a counterclaim alleging that we defaulted under the RFID Agreement and that this alleged default allowed Comdata to terminate both the RFID Agreement and the Merchant Agreement. In addition, from February 1, 2017, until mid-September 2017, Comdata unilaterally withheld increased fees from the transaction settlement payments due to us, during which time the difference between the withheld fees and the fees payable under the Merchant Agreement totaled $6,903 . After a trial in April 2017, and post-trial briefing and argument, on September 11, 2017, the Court issued its post-trial Memorandum Opinion. The Court found that we were entitled to, among other things, an order requiring Comdata to specifically perform under the Merchant Agreement through January 2, 2022, and awarded damages to us and against Comdata for the difference between the higher transaction fees we paid to Comdata since February 1, 2017, and what we would have paid during this period under the fee structure in the Merchant Agreement, plus pre- and post- judgment interest. The Court also found that the Merchant Agreement provided for an award of reasonable attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party in a lawsuit enforcing any rights under the Merchant Agreement. We and Comdata reached agreement on the amount of excess fees to be paid to us by Comdata and on the calculation of pre-judgment interest, but did not reach agreement on when final judgment should enter and on the amounts of, or schedule for resolving an award of, attorneys' fees and costs. On October 17, 2017, the Court entered an order outlining a schedule for resolving issues related to attorneys' fees and costs, pursuant to which briefing concluding on January 3, 2018. On April 2, 2018, the Court entered an order granting our application for attorneys' fees and costs and denying Comdata's fee application, or the Fees Opinion. The Court found that we were entitled to an award of attorneys' fees and costs in the amount of $9,844 for the period from September 2016 through November 2017, plus pre- and post-judgment interest, and directed the parties to submit a form of final order and judgment consistent with the Fees Opinion within five business days. We and Comdata reached agreement on a form of final order and judgment, as well as on the calculation of pre- and post-judgment interest and on the additional amount of attorneys' fees and costs to be paid to us by Comdata for the period from December 2017 through mid-April 2018. On April 9, 2018, the Court entered its final order and judgment, or the Order, substantially in the form submitted by the parties earlier that same day. Pursuant to the Order, Comdata is required to continue to honor the terms of the Merchant Agreement and the RFID Agreement and to reimburse us for attorneys' fees and costs, together with interest, in the amount of $10,650 , which we collected in April 2018. For the period from February 1, 2017 through mid-September 2017, we recognized expense of $6,903 related to the excess transaction fees charged by Comdata. In September 2017, we recognized a receivable, with an offsetting reduction of transaction fees expense, of $6,903 for the amount of excess transaction fees we subsequently recovered from Comdata in November 2017. We recognized litigation expenses related to this matter of $312 for the three months ended September 30, 2017 , and $115 and $9,211 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, which are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. Our attorneys' fees and costs related to this matter totaled $10,633 through June 30, 2018. We recognized a $10,082 reduction in selling, general and administrative expenses and $568 of interest income in May 2018 as a result of the Court entering the Order on April 9, 2018, and we collected these amounts from Comdata in April 2018.

Inventory

Inventory	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventory	Inventory Inventory consisted of the following: September 30, December 31, Nonfuel products $ 155,351 $ 152,555 Fuel products 42,670 34,312 Total inventory $ 198,021 $ 186,867

Business Description and Basi_2

Business Description and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Segment Reporting	We manage our business as one reportable segment. Our locations use similar processes to sell similar products and services. We make specific disclosures concerning fuel and nonfuel products and services because it facilitates our discussion of trends and operational initiatives within our business and industry. We have a single travel center located in a foreign country, Canada, that we do not consider material to our operations.
Basis of Presentation	The accompanying consolidated financial statements are unaudited. These unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, applicable for interim financial statements. The disclosures presented do not include all the information necessary for complete financial statements in accordance with GAAP. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 , or our Annual Report. In the opinion of our management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, including normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. While our revenues are modestly seasonal, the quarterly variations in our operating results may reflect greater seasonal differences because our rent expense and certain other costs do not vary seasonally. For this and other reasons, our operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to be consistent with the current year presentation within our consolidated financial statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, Leases , or ASU 2016-02, which established a comprehensive lease standard under GAAP for virtually all industries. The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase of the leased asset by the lessee. This classification determines whether the lease expense is recognized based on the effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. A lessee is also required to recognize a right of use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases and operating leases. The new standard will apply for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein. To address implementation of ASU 2016-02 and evaluate its impact on our consolidated financial statements, we have developed a project plan and formed a team to evaluate our leases, lease classifications and related internal controls. While we are still finalizing our evaluation, including implementing a new lease accounting software we have elected the prospective transition method for adoption, which does not require us to restate prior year comparative periods, and will apply the package of practical expedients that will retain the lease classification and initial direct costs for any leases that existed prior to adoption. We believe the adoption of this update will have a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets due to the recognition of the lease rights and obligations as assets and liabilities, primarily as they relate to our leases with Hospitality Properties Trust, or HPT. See Note 7 for more information about our lease agreements and transactions with HPT. Although we continue to evaluate the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements, we do not expect amounts within our statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income will change materially. In June 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation , which aligns the accounting for share based payments to non-employees with the accounting for share based payments to employees. The new standard will apply for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein, and requires modified retrospective application. Early adoption is permitted. The implementation of this update is not expected to cause a material change to our consolidated financial statements. Change in Accounting Principles In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or the FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , or ASU 2014-09, which established a comprehensive revenue recognition standard under GAAP for almost all industries. We adopted ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018, using the full retrospective method, which required that we restate our consolidated financial statements for prior year comparative periods. Although the majority of our revenue is initiated at the point of sale and was unaffected by this ASU, the implementation of this ASU affected the accounting for our loyalty programs, initial and renewal franchise fees and advertising fees received from franchisees. See Note 2 for more information about our revenues. Loyalty programs. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, we recognized the estimated cost of loyalty awards as a discount against the nonfuel revenues from which the rewards were redeemed. Loyalty awards now are recognized against the revenue that generates the loyalty award, primarily fuel revenues. The adoption of the new standard resulted in a $19,814 and $46,282 reclassification between fuel revenue and nonfuel revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Initial and renewal franchise fees. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, we recognized initial franchise fees as revenue at the time the franchisee opened for business, which is when we had fulfilled our initial obligations under the related agreement. Initial and renewal franchise fees now are recognized as revenue over the term of the related franchise agreement, which is the period the customer benefits from use of the franchise rights. The adoption of the new standard resulted in an increase in our accumulated deficit of $1,082 , an increase in other current liabilities of $188 and an increase in other noncurrent liabilities of $894 as of December 31, 2017 , as well as a decrease of $77 and an increase of $9 in rent and royalties from franchisees revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Advertising fees. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, we recognized advertising fees collected from franchisees as a reduction of the related advertising expenses incurred. We now recognize these advertising fees as revenue. The adoption of the new standard for these advertising fees resulted in an increase in each of selling, general and administrative expenses and rent and royalties from franchisees revenue of $418 and $1,331 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Income taxes. As a result of the adjustments described above, a deferred tax asset was recognized, increasing other noncurrent assets and decreasing our accumulated deficit each by $278 as of December 31, 2017 , and increasing our benefit for income taxes by $30 for the three months ended September 30, 2017 , and decreasing our benefit for income taxes by $3 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 .
Revenue Recognition	We recognize revenue based on the consideration specified in the contract with the customer, excluding any sales incentives (such as loyalty programs and customer rebates) and amounts collected on behalf of third parties (such as sales and excise taxes). The majority of our revenue is generated at the point of sale in our retail locations. Revenues consist of fuel revenues, nonfuel revenues and rent and royalties from franchisees. Fuel revenues. We recognize fuel revenues and the related costs at the time of sale to customers at our company operated locations. We sell diesel fuel and gasoline to our customers at prices that we establish daily or are indexed to market prices and reset daily. We sell diesel fuel under pricing arrangements with certain customers. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 , approximately 83% of our diesel fuel volume was sold at discounts to posted prices under pricing arrangements with our customers, some of which include rebates payable to the customer after the end of the period. Nonfuel revenues. We recognize nonfuel revenues and the related costs at the time of sale to customers at our company operated locations. We sell a variety of nonfuel products and services at stated retail prices in our travel centers and standalone restaurants, as well as through our RoadSquad®, RoadSquad OnSite® and TA Commercial Tire Network™ programs. Truck repair and maintenance goods or services may be sold at discounted pricing under pricing arrangements with certain customers, some of which include rebates payable to the customer after the end of the period. Rent and royalties from franchisees. We recognize franchise royalties and advertising fees from franchisees as revenue monthly based on the franchisees' sales data reported to us. Royalty revenues are contractual as a percentage of the franchisees' revenues and advertising fees are contractual as either a percentage of the franchisees' revenues or as a fixed amount. When we enter into a new franchise agreement or a renewal term with an existing franchisee, the franchisee is required to pay an initial or renewal franchise fee. Initial and renewal franchise fees are recognized as revenue on a straight line basis over the term of the respective franchise agreements. For those travel centers that we lease to a franchisee, we recognize rent revenue on a straight line basis based on the current contractual rent amount. These leases generally specify rent increases each year based on inflation rates for the respective periods or capital improvements we make at the travel centers. Because the rent increases related to these factors are contingent upon future events, we recognize the related rent revenue after such events have occurred. Other. Sales incentives and other promotional activities that we recognize as a reduction to revenue include, but are not limited to, the following: • Customer loyalty programs. We offer travel center trucking customers and casual restaurant diners the option to participate in our loyalty programs. Our loyalty programs provide customers with the right to earn loyalty awards on qualifying purchases that can be used for discounts on future purchases of goods or services. We apply a relative standalone selling price approach to our outstanding loyalty awards whereby a portion of each sale attributable to the loyalty awards earned is deferred and will be recognized as revenue in the category in which the loyalty awards are redeemed upon the redemption or expiration of the loyalty awards. Significant judgment is required to determine the standalone selling price for loyalty awards. Assumptions used in determining the standalone selling price include the historic redemption rate and the use of a weighted average selling price for fuel to calculate the revenue attributable to the loyalty awards. • Customer discounts and rebates. We enter into agreements with certain customers in which we agree to provide discounts on fuel and/or truck service purchases, some of which are structured as rebates payable to the customer after the end of the period. We recognize the cost of discounts against, and in the same period as, the revenue that generated the discounts earned. • Gift cards. We sell branded gift cards. Sales proceeds are recognized as a contract liability; the liability is reduced and revenue is recognized when the gift card subsequently is redeemed for goods or services. Unredeemed gift card balances are recognized as revenue when the possibility of redemption becomes remote.

Business Description and Basi_3

Business Description and Basis of Presentation (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Effect of adoption of ASU 2014-09 on consolidated financial statements	The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Assets: Other noncurrent assets $ 90,004 $ (327 ) $ 278 $ 89,955 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity: Other current liabilities $ 130,140 $ (2,311 ) $ 188 $ 128,017 Other noncurrent liabilities 35,029 (8,547 ) 894 27,376 Accumulated deficit (125,416 ) — (804 ) (126,220 ) (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income for the three months ended September 30, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Revenues: Fuel $ 1,055,593 $ (127,323 ) $ (19,814 ) $ 908,456 Nonfuel 516,555 (71,137 ) 19,814 465,232 Rent and royalties from franchisees 4,248 (54 ) 341 4,535 Total revenues 1,576,396 (198,514 ) 341 1,378,223 Selling, general and administrative expenses 36,587 (2,657 ) 418 34,348 Income before income taxes and discontinued operations 6,086 1,323 (77 ) 7,332 Benefit for income taxes 56,268 (357 ) 30 55,941 Income from continuing operations 62,354 966 (47 ) 63,273 (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Revenues: Fuel $ 2,981,154 $ (352,173 ) $ (46,282 ) $ 2,582,699 Nonfuel 1,473,023 (199,997 ) 46,282 1,319,308 Rent and royalties from franchisees 12,651 (162 ) 1,340 13,829 Total revenues 4,466,828 (552,332 ) 1,340 3,915,836 Selling, general and administrative expenses 115,276 (7,611 ) 1,331 108,996 Loss before income taxes and discontinued operations (47,976 ) 5,351 9 (42,616 ) Benefit for income taxes 77,963 (1,523 ) (3 ) 76,437 Income from continuing operations 29,987 3,828 6 33,821 (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations. The following table presents the effect of the adoption of the new standard on our consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 . As Reported Discontinued Operations (1) Adoption of ASU 2014-09 As Adjusted Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 29,987 $ — $ 6 $ 29,993 Deferred income taxes (79,191 ) — 3 (79,188 ) Accounts receivable (33,439 ) — 70 (33,369 ) Accounts payable and other liabilities 46,232 (2,609 ) (79 ) 43,544 Net cash provided by operating activities 46,427 — — 46,427 (1) See Note 4 for more information about our discontinued operations.

Revenue (Tables)

Revenue (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Changes in contract liabilities between periods	The following table shows the changes in our contract liabilities between periods. Loyalty Programs Other Contract Liabilities Total December 31, 2016 $ 13,686 $ 4,921 $ 18,607 Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period 72,424 11,335 83,759 Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period (65,854 ) (10,007 ) (75,861 ) Other (5,091 ) (1,568 ) (6,659 ) December 31, 2017 15,165 4,681 19,846 Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period 62,125 7,246 69,371 Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period (56,743 ) (6,910 ) (63,653 ) Other (4,522 ) (908 ) (5,430 ) September 30, 2018 $ 16,025 $ 4,109 $ 20,134

Discontinued Operations (Tables

Discontinued Operations (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Presentation of Balance Sheets and Results of Operations for Discontinued Operations	The following table includes the carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities presented in discontinued operations in our consolidated balance sheets. September 30, December 31, Assets: Cash $ 549 $ 556 Inventory 24,632 22,773 Other current assets 588 280 Property and equipment, net 376,365 387,894 Goodwill — 68,702 Other intangible assets, net 7,952 9,189 Other noncurrent assets — 327 Loss upon classification as held for sale (74,388 ) — Total assets of discontinued operations $ 335,698 $ 489,721 Liabilities: Other current liabilities $ 11,636 $ 2,311 Other noncurrent liabilities — 8,547 Total liabilities of discontinued operations $ 11,636 $ 10,858 The following table presents the results of operations for our discontinued operations for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 . Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2018 2017 2018 2017 Revenues $ 219,730 $ 198,514 $ 606,574 $ 552,332 Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation) 183,515 158,031 500,830 441,789 Site level operating expenses 27,595 27,858 81,566 82,292 Selling, general and administrative expenses 2,659 2,657 7,458 7,611 Real estate rent expense 571 567 1,720 1,703 Depreciation and amortization expense 4,533 10,724 20,330 24,288 Impairment of goodwill 17,942 — 69,442 — Loss from discontinued operations (17,085 ) (1,323 ) (74,772 ) (5,351 ) Benefit for income taxes 3,755 357 14,829 1,523 Loss from discontinued operations, (13,330 ) (966 ) (59,943 ) (3,828 ) Loss upon classification as held for sale (78,681 ) — (78,681 ) — Benefit for income taxes 19,942 — 19,942 — Loss from discontinued operations $ (72,069 ) $ (966 ) $ (118,682 ) $ (3,828 )

Earnings Per Share from Conti_2

Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders to income from continuing operations available to common shareholders	The following table presents a reconciliation of income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders to income from continuing operations available to common shareholders and the related earnings per share. Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2018 2017 2018 2017 Income from continuing operations $ 1,589 $ 63,273 $ 4,200 $ 33,821 Less: net income for noncontrolling interests 34 30 122 100 Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders 1,555 63,243 4,078 33,721 Less: income from continuing operations attributable to participating securities 53 3,286 183 1,774 Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders $ 1,502 $ 59,957 $ 3,895 $ 31,947 Weighted average common shares (1) 38,402 37,497 38,137 37,458 Basic and diluted income per common share from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders $ 0.04 $ 1.60 $ 0.10 $ 0.85 (1) Excludes unvested shares awarded under our share award plans, which shares are considered participating securities because they participate equally in earnings and losses with all of our other common shares. The weighted average number of unvested shares outstanding for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , was 1,368 and 2,055 , respectively. The weighted average number of unvested shares outstanding for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 , was 1,787 and 2,080 , respectively.

Equity Investments (Tables)

Equity Investments (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Summarized financial information for investment in equity affiliates	The following table sets forth summarized financial information of PTP and does not represent the amounts we have included in our consolidated financial statements in connection with our investment in PTP. Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2018 2017 (1) 2018 2017 (1) Total revenues $ 33,260 $ 28,380 $ 88,321 $ 79,213 Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation) 23,508 19,191 63,917 53,707 Operating income 3,690 3,392 6,824 8,139 Net income and comprehensive income 3,531 3,267 6,375 7,790 (1) Total revenues and cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , have been adjusted for the adoption of ASU 2014-09. Motor fuel taxes are no longer included in fuel revenues or fuel cost of goods sold, resulting in a decrease from the originally reported amounts in each of fuel revenues and fuel cost of goods sold of $3,603 and $10,002 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 , respectively. Our investments in equity affiliates, which are presented in our consolidated balance sheets in other noncurrent assets, and our proportional share of our investees' net income (loss), which is included in other (income) expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income, were as follows: PTP Other (1) Total Investment balance: As of September 30, 2018 $ 19,995 $ 19,136 $ 39,131 As of December 31, 2017 20,807 21,695 42,502 Income (loss) from equity investments: Three months ended September 30, 2018 $ 1,359 $ (786 ) $ 573 Three months ended September 30, 2017 1,253 (725 ) 528 Nine months ended September 30, 2018 2,388 (4,008 ) (1,620 ) Nine months ended September 30, 2017 2,954 (1,223 ) 1,731 (1) Includes other equity investments including our investment in Affiliates Insurance Company, or AIC. See Note 9 for more information about our investment in AIC.

HPT Leases (Tables)

HPT Leases (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Summary of various amounts related to the HPT Leases included in the consolidated balance sheets	The following table summarizes the various amounts related to the HPT Leases that are included in our consolidated balance sheets. September 30, December 31, Current HPT Leases liabilities: Accrued rent $ 24,746 $ 24,170 Sale leaseback financing obligation 1,020 863 Straight line rent accrual 2,458 2,458 Deferred gain 10,128 10,128 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 3,770 3,770 Total current HPT Leases liabilities $ 42,122 $ 41,389 Noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities: Deferred rent obligation $ 150,000 $ 150,000 Sale leaseback financing obligation 22,597 22,987 Straight line rent accrual 46,528 46,937 Deferred gain 103,445 111,041 Deferred tenant improvements allowance 34,990 37,817 Total noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities $ 357,560 $ 368,782

Inventory (Tables)

Inventory (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of inventory	Inventory consisted of the following: September 30, December 31, Nonfuel products $ 155,351 $ 152,555 Fuel products 42,670 34,312 Total inventory $ 198,021 $ 186,867

Business Description and Basi_4

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Business Description (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018storestaterestauranttravel_centersegment
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment	1
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites | store	302
Travel centers
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of states | state	43
Number of sites owned	32
Number of sites leased	201
Number of sites operated under joint venture	2
Travel centers | Company operated sites
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites	233
Travel centers | Franchisee operated sites
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites	26
Number of sites owned by franchisees or leased from others	24
Travel centers | Franchisee operated and leased sites
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites	2
Travel centers | TA, TA Express and Petro brands
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites	259
Restaurants
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of states | state	13
Number of sites owned | restaurant	6
Number of sites leased | restaurant	8
Number of sites operated under joint venture | restaurant	1
Restaurants | Company operated sites
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites	15
Restaurants | Franchisee operated sites
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites owned by franchisees or leased from others | restaurant	28
Restaurants | QSL brand
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of sites | restaurant	43

Business Description and Basi_5

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Senior Notes (Details) - Senior Notes	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)
Level 1 input
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fair value of debt instrument	$ 326,188,000
8.25% Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount issued	$ 110,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	8.25%
8.00% Senior Notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount issued	$ 120,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	8.00%
8.00% Senior Notes due 2030
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount issued	$ 100,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	8.00%

Business Description and Basi_6

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Goodwill Impairment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 01, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairment of goodwill		$ 51,500
Disposal group, held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairment of goodwill	$ 17,942

Business Description and Basi_7

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Change in Accounting Principle (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues	$ 1,659,397	$ 1,378,223	$ 4,697,925	$ 3,915,836
Increase (decrease) to accumulated deficit	240,824		240,824		$ 126,220
Increase to other current liabilities	173,353		173,353		128,017
Increase to other noncurrent liabilities	26,774		26,774		27,376
Increase in selling, general and administrative expenses	35,097	34,348	98,292	108,996
Increase to other noncurrent assets	121,761		121,761		89,955
Increase (decrease) to benefit for income taxes	(1,879)	55,941	713	76,437
Nonfuel
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues	482,621	465,232	1,377,159	1,319,308
Fuel
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues	1,172,913	908,456	3,308,744	2,582,699
Rent and royalties from franchisees
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues	$ 3,863	4,535	$ 12,022	13,829
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		341		1,340
Increase (decrease) to accumulated deficit					804	$ 305
Increase to other current liabilities					188
Increase to other noncurrent liabilities					894
Increase in selling, general and administrative expenses		418		1,331
Increase to other noncurrent assets					278
Increase (decrease) to benefit for income taxes		30		(3)
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Nonfuel
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		19,814		46,282
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Fuel
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		(19,814)		(46,282)
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Rent and royalties from franchisees
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		341		1,340
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Loyalty programs | Nonfuel
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		19,814		46,282
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Loyalty programs | Fuel
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		(19,814)		(46,282)
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Initial and renewal franchise fees
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to accumulated deficit					1,082
Increase to other current liabilities					188
Increase to other noncurrent liabilities					894
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Initial and renewal franchise fees | Rent and royalties from franchisees
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		(77)		9
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Advertising fees
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase in selling, general and administrative expenses		418		1,331
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Advertising fees | Rent and royalties from franchisees
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to revenues		418		1,331
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Income taxes
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) to accumulated deficit					(278)
Increase to other noncurrent assets					$ 278
Increase (decrease) to benefit for income taxes		$ 30		$ (3)

Business Description and Basi_8

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Effect of Adoption of ASU 2014-09 on the Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Other noncurrent assets	$ 121,761	$ 89,955
Other current liabilities	173,353	128,017
Other noncurrent liabilities	26,774	27,376
Accumulated deficit	$ (240,824)	(126,220)
Discontinued Operations
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Other noncurrent assets		327
Other current liabilities		2,311
Other noncurrent liabilities		8,547
Accumulated deficit		0
As Reported
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Other noncurrent assets		90,004
Other current liabilities		130,140
Other noncurrent liabilities		35,029
Accumulated deficit		(125,416)
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Other noncurrent assets		278
Other current liabilities		188
Other noncurrent liabilities		894
Accumulated deficit		$ (804)	$ (305)

Business Description and Basi_9

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Effect of Adoption of ASU 2014-09 on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 1,659,397	$ 1,378,223	$ 4,697,925	$ 3,915,836
Selling, general and administrative	35,097	34,348	98,292	108,996
Income before income taxes and discontinued operations	3,468	7,332	3,487	(42,616)
Benefit for income taxes	1,879	(55,941)	(713)	(76,437)
Income from continuing operations	1,589	63,273	4,200	33,821
Fuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,172,913	908,456	3,308,744	2,582,699
Nonfuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	482,621	465,232	1,377,159	1,319,308
Rent and royalties from franchisees
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 3,863	4,535	$ 12,022	13,829
Discontinued Operations
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		198,514		552,332
Selling, general and administrative		2,657		7,611
Income before income taxes and discontinued operations		(1,323)		(5,351)
Benefit for income taxes		(357)		(1,523)
Income from continuing operations		(966)		(3,828)
Discontinued Operations | Fuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		127,323		352,173
Discontinued Operations | Nonfuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		71,137		199,997
Discontinued Operations | Rent and royalties from franchisees
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		54		162
As Reported
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		1,576,396		4,466,828
Selling, general and administrative		36,587		115,276
Income before income taxes and discontinued operations		6,086		(47,976)
Benefit for income taxes		(56,268)		(77,963)
Income from continuing operations		62,354		29,987
As Reported | Fuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		1,055,593		2,981,154
As Reported | Nonfuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		516,555		1,473,023
As Reported | Rent and royalties from franchisees
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		4,248		12,651
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		341		1,340
Selling, general and administrative		418		1,331
Income before income taxes and discontinued operations		(77)		9
Benefit for income taxes		(30)		3
Income from continuing operations		(47)		6
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Fuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		(19,814)		(46,282)
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Nonfuel
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		19,814		46,282
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Rent and royalties from franchisees
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues		$ 341		$ 1,340

Business Description and Bas_10

Business Description and Basis of Presentation - Effect of Adoption of ASU 2014-09 on Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net income	$ (70,480)	$ 62,307	$ (114,482)	$ 29,993
Deferred income taxes			(15,285)	(79,188)
Accounts receivable			(44,154)	(33,369)
Accounts payable and other liabilities			(107,887)	(43,544)
Net cash provided by operating activities			$ 122,830	46,427
Discontinued Operations
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net income				0
Deferred income taxes				0
Accounts receivable				0
Accounts payable and other liabilities				(2,609)
Net cash provided by operating activities				0
As Reported
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net income				29,987
Deferred income taxes				(79,191)
Accounts receivable				(33,439)
Accounts payable and other liabilities				(46,232)
Net cash provided by operating activities				46,427
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net income				6
Deferred income taxes				3
Accounts receivable				70
Accounts payable and other liabilities				79
Net cash provided by operating activities				$ 0

Revenue - Narrative (Details)

Revenue - Narrative (Details)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Percent of diesel fuel sold at discounts	83.00%	83.00%

Revenue - Changes in Contract L

Revenue - Changes in Contract Liabilities Between Periods (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 20,134	$ 19,846	$ 18,607
Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period	69,371	83,759
Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period	(63,653)	(75,861)
Other	(5,430)	(6,659)
Ending balance	20,134	19,846	18,607
Loyalty Programs
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Beginning balance	16,025	15,165	13,686
Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period	62,125	72,424
Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period	(56,743)	(65,854)
Other	(4,522)	(5,091)
Ending balance	16,025	15,165	13,686
Other Contract Liabilities
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Beginning balance	4,109	4,681	4,921
Increases due to unsatisfied performance obligations arising during the period	7,246	11,335
Revenue recognized from satisfying performance obligations during the period	(6,910)	(10,007)
Other	(908)	(1,568)
Ending balance	$ 4,109	$ 4,681	$ 4,921

Revenue - Contract Liabilities

Revenue - Contract Liabilities (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)
Minimum
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Deferred initial and renewal franchisee fee revenue	$ 42
Maximum
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Deferred initial and renewal franchisee fee revenue	$ 171
Loyalty programs
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Expected timing for unsatisfied performance obligations to be satisfied	12 months

Acquisitions (Details)

Acquisitions (Details) - Travel centers $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)franchisee	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)franchisee
Acquisitions
Purchase price for asset acquisitions		$ 2,805
Franchisee operated and leased sites
Acquisitions
Purchase price for asset acquisitions		$ 5,202
Number of travel centers where certain assets were acquired | franchisee		2
Forecast | Franchisee operated sites
Acquisitions
Number of franchise owned travel centers acquired | franchisee	1
Purchase price	$ 10,050

Discontinued Operations - Narra

Discontinued Operations - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)store	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)store	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)	Sep. 01, 2018restaurantconvenience_store
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of sites agreed to be sold | store		302		302
Disposal group, held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Estimated aggregate purchase price		$ 328,752		$ 328,752
Estimated net working capital items included in sale price		23,752		23,752
Loss upon classification as held for sale		78,681	$ 0	$ 78,681	$ 0
Transaction costs		$ 8,982
Disposal group, held for sale | Forecast
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transaction costs	$ 586
Convenience stores | Disposal group, held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of sites agreed to be sold | convenience_store						225
Restaurants | Disposal group, held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of sites agreed to be sold | restaurant						1

Discontinued Operations - Carry

Discontinued Operations - Carrying Amounts of Major Classes of Assets and Liabilities Presented in Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
Assets:
Cash	$ 549		$ 555
Disposal group, held for sale
Assets:
Cash	549	$ 556
Inventory	24,632	22,773
Other current assets	588	280
Property and equipment, net	376,365	387,894
Goodwill	0	68,702
Other intangible assets, net	7,952	9,189
Other assets	0	327
Loss upon classification as held for sale	(74,388)	0
Total assets of discontinued operations	335,698	489,721
Liabilities:
Other current liabilities	11,636	2,311
Other liabilities	0	8,547
Total liabilities of discontinued operations	$ 11,636	$ 10,858

Discontinued Operations - Resul

Discontinued Operations - Results of Operations for Discontined Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Loss from discontinued operations	$ (72,069)	$ (966)	$ (118,682)	$ (3,828)
Disposal group, held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenues	219,730	198,514	606,574	552,332
Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation)	183,515	158,031	500,830	441,789
Site level operating expenses	27,595	27,858	81,566	82,292
Selling, general and administrative expenses	2,659	2,657	7,458	7,611
Real estate rent expense	571	567	1,720	1,703
Depreciation and amortization expense	4,533	10,724	20,330	24,288
Impairment of goodwill	17,942	0	69,442	0
Loss from discontinued operations before income taxes	(17,085)	(1,323)	(74,772)	(5,351)
Benefit for income taxes	3,755	357	14,829	1,523
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(13,330)	(966)	(59,943)	(3,828)
Loss upon classification as held for sale	(78,681)	0	(78,681)	0
Benefit for income taxes	19,942	0	19,942	0
Loss from discontinued operations	$ (72,069)	$ (966)	$ (118,682)	$ (3,828)

Earnings Per Share from Conti_3

Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations	$ 1,589	$ 63,273	$ 4,200	$ 33,821
Less: net income for noncontrolling interests	34	30	122	100
Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders	1,555	63,243	4,078	33,721
Less: income from continuing operations attributable to participating securities	53	3,286	183	1,774
Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders	$ 1,502	$ 59,957	$ 3,895	$ 31,947
Weighted average common shares (in shares)	38,402	37,497	38,137	37,458
Basic and diluted income per common share from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders (in USD per share)	$ 0.04	$ 1.60	$ 0.10	$ 0.85
Weighted average number of unvested shares outstanding (in shares)	1,368	2,055	1,787	2,080

Equity Investments - Investment

Equity Investments - Investments in Equity Affiliates Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Other income (expense), net
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Income (loss) from equity investments	$ 573	$ 528	$ (1,620)	$ 1,731
Other noncurrent assets
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment balance	39,131		39,131		$ 42,502
PTP | Other income (expense), net
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Income (loss) from equity investments	1,359	1,253	2,388	2,954
PTP | Other noncurrent assets
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment balance	19,995		19,995		20,807
Other | Other income (expense), net
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Income (loss) from equity investments	(786)	$ (725)	(4,008)	$ (1,223)
Other | Other noncurrent assets
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment balance	$ 19,136		$ 19,136		$ 21,695

Equity Investments - Petro Trav

Equity Investments - Petro Travel Plaza Holdings LLC (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues	$ 1,659,397	$ 1,378,223	$ 4,697,925	$ 3,915,836
Fuel products
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues	$ 1,172,913	908,456	$ 3,308,744	2,582,699
PTP
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	40.00%		40.00%
Management fee income	$ 393	386	$ 1,172	1,156
PTP | Fuel products
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues	$ 20,133	$ 15,963	$ 54,701	$ 44,618

Equity Investments - PTP Summar

Equity Investments - PTP Summarized Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues	$ 1,659,397	$ 1,378,223	$ 4,697,925	$ 3,915,836
Fuel cost of goods sold	1,289,016	1,024,192	3,613,227	2,895,564
Fuel products
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues	1,172,913	908,456	3,308,744	2,582,699
Fuel cost of goods sold	1,096,065	839,065	3,074,621	2,373,919
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues		341		1,340
Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Fuel products
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues		(19,814)		(46,282)
PTP
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Total revenues	33,260	28,380	88,321	79,213
Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation)	23,508	19,191	63,917	53,707
Operating income	3,690	3,392	6,824	8,139
Net income and comprehensive income	3,531	3,267	6,375	7,790
PTP | Fuel products
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues	$ 20,133	15,963	$ 54,701	44,618
PTP | Difference between revenue guidance in effect before and after ASC 606 | Adoption of ASU 2014-09 | Fuel products
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fuel revenues		(3,603)		(10,002)
Fuel cost of goods sold		$ (3,603)		$ (10,002)

HPT Leases - Narrative (Details

HPT Leases - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)propertylease	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)propertylease	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)propertylease	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Rent expense under the HPT Leases		$ 71,116	$ 69,032	$ 212,036	$ 205,039
Aggregate selling price of improvements				44,162	88,129
HPT | Principal landlord and largest shareholder
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Aggregate selling price of improvements				44,653	62,888
HPT | Principal landlord and largest shareholder | Leasehold improvements
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Improvement assets to be purchased for an increase in rent	$ 17,303	$ 17,303		$ 17,303
HPT | Principal landlord and largest shareholder | HPT Leases
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of sites under HPT Leases | property	199	199		199
Number of leases | lease	5	5		5
Rent expense under the HPT Leases		$ 68,513	66,483	$ 204,224	197,340
Minimum annual rent	$ 286,063
Percentage rent incurred		$ 1,002	$ 434	2,674	1,435
Increase in minimum annual rent				$ 3,795	$ 5,345
HPT | Principal landlord and largest shareholder | TA Leases
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of leases | lease	4	4		4
HPT | Principal landlord and largest shareholder | Petro Lease
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of leases | lease	1	1		1

HPT Leases - Summary of Various

HPT Leases - Summary of Various Amounts Related to the HPT Leases Included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Total current HPT Leases liabilities	$ 42,122	$ 41,389
Total noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities	357,560	368,782
HPT Leases | HPT | Principal landlord and largest shareholder
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accrued rent	24,746	24,170
Sale leaseback financing obligation	1,020	863
Straight line rent accrual	2,458	2,458
Deferred gain	10,128	10,128
Deferred tenant improvements allowance	3,770	3,770
Total current HPT Leases liabilities	42,122	41,389
Deferred rent obligation	150,000	150,000
Sale leaseback financing obligation	22,597	22,987
Straight line rent accrual	46,528	46,937
Deferred gain	103,445	111,041
Deferred tenant improvements allowance	34,990	37,817
Total noncurrent HPT Leases liabilities	$ 357,560	$ 368,782

Business and Property Managem_2

Business and Property Management Agreements with RMR (Details) - RMR - Affiliated entity - Selling, general and administrative expenses - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Business and property management agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Business and property management fees	$ 3,969	$ 3,782	$ 10,929	$ 10,647
Business management agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Expense for internal audit costs per business management agreement	$ 60	$ 67	$ 184	$ 202

Related Party Transactions - Re

Related Party Transactions - Relationship with HPT (Details)	Sep. 30, 2018propertydirectorshares	Dec. 31, 2017shares
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common shares, shares outstanding (in shares)	39,768,000	39,984,000
Principal landlord and largest shareholder | HPT
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common shares, shares outstanding (in shares)	3,420,000
Percentage of outstanding common shares owned by HPT	8.60%
Number of Managing Directors who are also managing trustees of HPT | director	1
Principal landlord and largest shareholder | HPT | HPT Leases
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of sites under HPT Leases | property	199

Related Party Transactions - _2

Related Party Transactions - Relationship with RMR (Details) - RMR - Affiliated entity - director	Oct. 10, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of Managing Directors who are controlling shareholders of RMR		1
Subsequent event
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding common shares owned by RMR	3.80%

Related Party Transactions - _3

Related Party Transactions - Retirement of Our Former President, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (Details) - RMR - Affiliated entity shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018shares	Jul. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)director	Jun. 30, 2018USD ($)	Oct. 10, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018shares
Subsequent event
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding common shares owned by RMR					3.80%
President and CEO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of Managing Directors who are also managing directors of RMR | director			1
President and CEO | Current annual salary paid
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
President and CEO compensation per retirement agreement				$ 300
President and CEO | Cash bonus paid relating to 2017
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
President and CEO compensation per retirement agreement			$ 2,060
President and CEO | Cash payment paid in lieu of share grants
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
President and CEO compensation per retirement agreement			$ 475
President and CEO | Cash payment, additional
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
President and CEO compensation per retirement agreement		$ 1,505
President and CEO | Number of unvested common shares fully accelerated vesting (in shares)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of unvested common shares fully accelerated vesting (in shares) | shares	625
President and CEO | Right to purchase company shares owned
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of shares sold, owned by President and CEO (shares) | shares						1,493

Related Party Transactions - _4

Related Party Transactions - Relationship with AIC (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)company	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Other income (expense), net
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Income from equity investee	$ 573	$ 528	$ (1,620)	$ 1,731
Other noncurrent assets
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Carrying value of investment	39,131		39,131		$ 42,502
AIC | Affiliated entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Annual premium for property insurance			2,502
AIC | Equity method investee | Other income (expense), net
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Income from equity investee	826	$ 31	882	$ 533
AIC | Equity method investee | Other noncurrent assets
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Carrying value of investment	$ 9,157		$ 9,157		$ 8,185
RMR | Affiliated entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of companies managed by RMR | company			5

Contingencies - Environmental C

Contingencies - Environmental Contingencies (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)
Commitments and contingencies
Loss contingency insurance limit for liabilities per incident	$ 20,000,000
Loss contingency insurance limit for liabilities	20,000,000
Environmental Issue
Commitments and contingencies
Total recorded liabilities	2,696,000
Expected recoveries of future expenditures	758,000
Net loss contingency liability	$ 1,938,000

Contingencies - Legal Proceedin

Contingencies - Legal Proceedings (Details) - Litigation with Comdata - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		15 Months Ended	20 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 15, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Nov. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Total excess transaction fees withheld			$ 6,903
Attorneys' fees and costs reimbursed, litigation expense						$ 9,844
Attorneys' fees and costs reimbursed, together with interest	$ 10,650
Transaction fee expense recognized			$ 6,903
Transaction fee receivable recognized		$ 6,903			$ 6,903
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Attorneys' fees and costs reimbursed, litigation expense	10,082
Litigation costs incurred		$ 312		$ 115	$ 9,211		$ 10,633
Interest income
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Attorneys' fees and costs reimbursed, litigation interest	$ 568

Inventory (Details)

Inventory (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Inventory [Line Items]
Total inventory	$ 198,021	$ 186,867
Nonfuel products
Inventory [Line Items]
Total inventory	155,351	152,555
Fuel products
Inventory [Line Items]
Total inventory	$ 42,670	$ 34,312