Wingstop (WING) 10-Q 8 May 19 2019 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	May 08, 2019
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	Wingstop Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0001636222
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-28
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Mar. 30, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		29,399,276
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019	Dec. 29, 2018
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 13,625	$ 12,493
Restricted cash	4,824	4,462
Accounts receivable, net	4,918	5,764
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,641	2,056
Advertising fund assets, restricted	9,407	5,131
Total current assets	34,415	29,906
Property and equipment, net	8,299	8,338
Goodwill	49,655	49,655
Trademarks	32,700	32,700
Other non-current assets	12,479	4,917
Total assets	151,450	139,749
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	2,190	2,750
Other current liabilities	14,222	16,201
Current portion of debt	3,200	2,400
Advertising fund liabilities	9,407	5,131
Total current liabilities	29,019	26,482
Long-term debt, net	308,931	309,374
Deferred revenues, net of current	21,188	21,885
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	4,652	4,866
Other non-current liabilities	8,138	1,972
Total liabilities	371,928	364,579
Commitments and contingencies (see Note 8)
Stockholders' deficit
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 29,399,276 and 29,296,939 shares issued and outstanding as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018, respectively	294	293
Additional paid-in-capital	206	1,036
Accumulated deficit	(220,978)	(226,159)
Total stockholders' deficit	(220,478)	(224,830)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	151,450	139,749
Customer Relationships [Member]
Customer relationships, net	$ 13,902	$ 14,233

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	Mar. 30, 2019	Dec. 29, 2018
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Common stock, par value (in usd per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000,000	100,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	29,399,276	29,296,939
Common stock, shares outstanding	29,399,276	29,296,939

Consolidated Statements of Oper

Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue:
Advertising fees and related income		$ 13,210	$ 8,605
Total revenue		48,053	37,389
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales (1)	[1]	9,730	7,397
Advertising expenses		12,734	8,643
Selling, general and administrative		12,542	10,833
Depreciation and amortization		1,276	950
Total costs and expenses		36,282	27,823
Operating income		11,771	9,566
Interest expense, net		4,410	1,736
Income before income tax expense		7,361	7,830
Income tax expense		755	1,662
Net income		$ 6,606	$ 6,168
Earnings per share
Basic		$ 0.23	$ 0.21
Diluted		$ 0.22	$ 0.21
Weighted average shares outstanding
Basic		29,337	29,116
Diluted		29,637	29,503
Dividends per share		$ 0.09	$ 3.24
Franchise
Revenue:
Royalty revenue, franchise fees and other		$ 21,328	$ 17,781
Franchisor Owned Outlet
Revenue:
Total revenue		$ 13,515	$ 11,003
[1]	Cost of sales includes all operating expenses of company-owned restaurants, including advertising expenses, and excludes depreciation and amortization, which are presented separately.

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Operating activities
Net income	$ 6,606,000	$ 6,168,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	1,276,000	950,000
Deferred income taxes	(258,000)	38,000
Stock-based compensation expense	838,000	514,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs	376,000	85,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	846,000	707,000
Prepaid expenses and other assets	1,107,000	327,000
Advertising fund assets and liabilities, net	4,217,000	1,398,000
Accounts payable and other current liabilities	(4,480,000)	(703,000)
Deferred revenue	(507,000)	14,000
Other non-current liabilities	(423,000)	(42,000)
Cash provided by operating activities	9,598,000	9,456,000
Investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment	(641,000)	(426,000)
Acquisition of restaurant from franchisee	0	(1,900,000)
Cash used in investing activities	(641,000)	(2,326,000)
Financing activities
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	158,000	165,000
Borrowings of long-term debt	0	229,108,000
Repayments of long-term debt	0	(139,500,000)
Payment of deferred financing costs	0	(782,000)
Tax payments for restricted stock upon vesting	(833,000)	(142,000)
Dividends paid	(2,571,000)	(94,796,000)
Cash used in financing activities	(3,246,000)	(5,947,000)
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	5,711,000	1,183,000
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period	20,940,000	6,392,000
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period	$ 26,651,000	$ 7,575,000

Consolidated Statements of Stoc

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Deficit Statement - USD ($)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit
Balance (shares) at Dec. 30, 2017		29,092,669
Balance at Dec. 30, 2017	$ (58,418,000)	$ 291,000	$ 262,000	$ (58,971,000)
Net income	6,168,000			6,168,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Share-based Compensation, Net of Forfeitures		41,159
Issuance of common stock, net		$ 1,000	(1,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period		25,182
Exercise of stock options	165,000	$ 0	165,000
Shares Paid for Tax Withholding for Share Based Compensation		(3,187)
Tax payments for restricted stock upon vesting	(142,000)			(142,000)
Stock-based compensation expense	514,000		514,000
Dividends paid	(94,797,000)		(895,000)	(93,902,000)
Balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2018		29,155,823
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ (146,510,000)	$ 292,000	45,000	(146,847,000)
Balance (shares) at Dec. 29, 2018	29,296,939	29,296,939
Balance at Dec. 29, 2018	$ (224,830,000)	$ 293,000	1,036,000	(226,159,000)
Net income	$ 6,606,000			6,606,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Share-based Compensation, Net of Forfeitures		60,553
Issuance of common stock, net		$ 1,000	(1,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period	54,000	54,253
Exercise of stock options	$ 158,000	$ 0	158,000
Shares Paid for Tax Withholding for Share Based Compensation		(12,469)
Tax payments for restricted stock upon vesting	(833,000)			(833,000)
Stock-based compensation expense	838,000		838,000
Dividends paid	$ (2,571,000)		(1,825,000)	(746,000)
Balance (shares) at Mar. 30, 2019	29,399,276	29,399,276
Balance at Mar. 30, 2019	$ (220,478,000)	$ 294,000	$ 206,000	$ (220,978,000)

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation Wingstop Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries (collectively, “Wingstop” or the “Company”), is in the business of franchising and operating Wingstop restaurants. As of March 30, 2019 , 1,112 franchised restaurants were in operation domestically, and 132 franchised restaurants were in operation internationally. As of March 30, 2019 , the Company owned and operated 29 restaurants. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial information. Consequently, financial information and disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared annually in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted. Balance sheet amounts are as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018 and operating results are for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 and March 31, 2018 . In the Company’s opinion, all necessary adjustments have been made for the fair presentation of the results of the interim periods presented. The results of operations for such interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The accompanying interim unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2018 . The Company uses a 52/53-week fiscal year that ends on the last Saturday of the calendar year. Fiscal years 2019 and 2018 have 52 weeks. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash within the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018 were as follows (in thousands): March 30, 2019 December 29, 2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 13,625 $ 12,493 Restricted cash 4,824 4,462 Restricted cash, included in Advertising fund assets, restricted 8,202 3,985 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 26,651 $ 20,940 Advertising Fund The Company administers the Wingstop Restaurants Advertising Fund (“Ad Fund”), for which a percentage of gross sales is collected from Wingstop restaurant franchisees and company-owned restaurants to be used for various forms of advertising for the Wingstop brand. Beginning in fiscal year 2019 the Ad Fund contribution collected from domestic Wingstop restaurant franchisees and company-owned restaurants increased from 3% to 4% of gross sales. The Company consolidates and reports all assets and liabilities of the Ad Fund as restricted assets and restricted liabilities of the Ad Fund within current assets and current liabilities, respectively, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Ad Fund contributions and expenditures are reported on a gross basis in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, which are largely offsetting and therefore do not impact our reported net income. Company-operated restaurants’ Ad Fund contributions, which were equal to 4% of gross sales for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 and 3% of gross sales for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2018 , are included in cost of sales in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 amends the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets and making targeted changes to lessor accounting. The new guidance also requires additional disclosures about leases. The Company adopted the requirements of the new standard as of the first day of fiscal year 2019 using the modified retrospective approach without restating comparative periods. As part of our adoption, we elected the package of practical expedients, as well as the hindsight practical expedient, permitted under the new guidance, which, among other things, allowed the Company to continue utilizing historical classification of leases. In addition, we elected not to separate non-lease components for our real estate leases. The adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of a right-of-use asset of approximately $8.5 million and lease liabilities of approximately $10.3 million , and had an immaterial impact to retained earnings as of the beginning of fiscal year 2019. The standard did not materially impact our Consolidated Statements of Operations and had no impact on cash flows.

Earnings per Share (Notes)

Earnings per Share (Notes)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share [Text Block]	Earnings per Share Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the reporting period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities convertible into or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock. For the calculation of diluted earnings per share, the basic weighted average number of shares is increased by the dilutive effect of the exercise and vesting of stock options and restricted stock units, respectively, determined using the treasury stock method. Basic weighted average shares outstanding is reconciled to diluted weighted average shares outstanding as follows (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, March 31, Basic weighted average shares outstanding 29,337 29,116 Dilutive shares 300 387 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 29,637 29,503 For the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 and March 31, 2018 , equity awards representing approximately 40,000 and 57,000 shares, respectively, were excluded from the dilutive earnings per share calculation because the effect would have been anti-dilutive.

Dividends (Notes)

Dividends (Notes)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Dividends [Abstract]
Dividends Disclosure [Text Block]	Dividends On February 26, 2019 , the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.09 per share of common stock for stockholders of record as of March 13, 2019 , which was paid on March 27, 2019 , totaling $2.6 million . Subsequent to the first quarter, on May 6, 2019 , the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.09 per share of common stock for stockholders of record as of June 7, 2019 , to be paid on June 21, 2019 , totaling approximately $2.7 million .

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurements Fair value is the price that would be received upon sale of an asset or paid upon transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability. Assets and liabilities are classified using a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value as follows: Level 1 — Unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments traded in active markets. Level 2 — Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs corroborated by market data. Level 3 — Unobservable inputs reflecting management’s estimates and assumptions. The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximate fair value due to their short-term nature. Fair value of debt is determined on a non-recurring basis, which results are summarized as follows (in thousands): Fair Value Hierarchy March 30, 2019 December 29, 2018 Carrying Value Fair Value Carrying Value Fair Value Securitized Financing Facility: 2018-1 Class A-2 Senior Secured Notes (1) Level 2 $ 320,000 $ 328,474 $ 320,000 $ 320,000 (1) The fair value of long-term debt was estimated using available market information. The Company also measures certain non-financial assets (primarily long-lived assets, intangible assets, and goodwill) at fair value on a non-recurring basis in connection with its periodic evaluations of such assets for potential impairment.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes Income tax expense and the effective tax rate were $0.8 million and 10.3% , respectively, for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 , and $1.7 million and 21.2% , respectively, for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2018 . Income tax expense for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 includes $1.2 million in tax benefits resulting from the recognition of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation, compared to $0.4 million of tax benefits recognized in the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2018 .

Debt Obligations

Debt Obligations	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt Obligations	Debt Obligations On November 14, 2018, Wingstop Funding LLC (the “Issuer”), a limited-purpose, bankruptcy-remote, wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Wingstop Inc., issued $320 million of its Series 2018-1 4.970% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2 (the “Class A-2 Notes”). Interest and principal are payable on a quarterly basis and the Class A-2 Notes have an anticipated repayment date of December 2023. In addition, the Issuer issued Series 2018-1 Variable Funding Senior Notes, Class A-1 (the “Variable Funding Notes”), which permit borrowings of up to a maximum principal amount of $20 million , which may be used to issue letters of credit. As of March 30, 2019 , $5.0 million of letters of credit were outstanding against the Variable Funding Notes, which relate primarily to interest reserves required under the base indenture and related supplemental indenture. There were no amounts drawn down on the letter of credit as of March 30, 2019 or December 29, 2018 . The Class A-2 Notes and the Variable Funding Notes are referred to collectively as the “Notes” and were issued in a securitization transaction pursuant to which certain of the Company’s domestic and foreign revenue-generating assets, consisting principally of franchise-related agreements and intellectual property, were contributed or otherwise transferred to the Issuer and certain other limited-purpose, bankruptcy-remote, wholly owned indirect subsidiaries of the Company that act as guarantors of the Notes and that have pledged substantially all of their assets as collateral securing the Notes. The Notes are subject to a series of financial and non-financial covenants and restrictions. As of March 30, 2019 , the Company was in compliance with all such financial covenants. As of March 30, 2019 , the scheduled principal payments on debt were as follows (in thousands): Remainder of fiscal year 2019 $ 2,400 Fiscal year 2020 3,200 Fiscal year 2021 3,200 Fiscal year 2022 3,200 Fiscal year 2023 308,000 Total $ 320,000

Leases (Notes)

Leases (Notes)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Leases of Lessee Disclosure	Leases The Company determines whether an arrangement is a lease at inception. The Company has operating leases for office and retail space, as well as equipment. Our leases have remaining terms of one year to eight years, some of which include options to extend the lease term for up to ten years. Lease terms may include options to renew when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. We have lease agreements that contain both lease and non-lease components. For real estate leases, we account for lease components together with non-lease components (e.g., common-area maintenance). Components of lease expense are as follows (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, Operating lease cost (a) $ 502 Variable lease cost (b) 125 Total lease cost $ 627 (a) Includes short-term leases, which are immaterial. (b) Primarily related to adjustments for inflation, common area maintenance, and property tax. Supplemental cash flow information related to leases is as follows (dollar amounts in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, Operating cash flow information: Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities $ 545 Supplemental balance sheet information related to our operating leases is as follows: Thirteen Weeks Ended Balance Sheet Classification March 30, Right-of-use assets Other non-current assets $ 8,170 Current lease liabilities Other current liabilities 1,751 Non-current lease liabilities Other non-current liabilities 8,138 Weighted average lease term and discount rate information related to leases is as follows: Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, Weighted average remaining lease term of operating leases 5.6 years Weighted average discount rate of operating leases 4.97 % Maturities of lease liabilities by fiscal year are as follows (in thousands): Fiscal year 2019 $ 1,636 Fiscal year 2020 2,213 Fiscal year 2021 2,003 Fiscal year 2022 1,798 Fiscal year 2023 1,520 Thereafter 2,140 Total lease payments 11,310 Less: imputed interest (1,421 ) Present value of lease liabilities $ 9,889 As of December 29, 2018 , minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases by period were expected to be as follows (in thousands): Fiscal year 2019 $ 2,181 Fiscal year 2020 2,214 Fiscal year 2021 2,005 Fiscal year 2022 1,800 Fiscal year 2023 1,523 Thereafter 2,145 Total $ 11,868

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies The Company is subject to legal proceedings, claims, and liabilities, such as employment-related claims and premises-liability cases, which arise in the ordinary course of business and are generally covered by insurance. In the opinion of management, the amount of ultimate liability with respect to such actions is not likely to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based Compensation Stock-based compensation is measured at the date of grant, based on the calculated fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the requisite employee service period (generally the vesting period of the grant). The Company recognized $0.8 million in stock-based compensation expense for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 , with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in-capital. Stock-based compensation expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Stock Options The following table summarizes stock option activity (in thousands, except term and per share data): Stock Options Weighted Average Exercise Price Aggregate Intrinsic Value Weighted Average Remaining Term Outstanding - December 29, 2018 236 $ 6.04 $ 13,848 4.8 Options granted — — Options exercised (54 ) 2.92 Options canceled (1 ) 40.98 Outstanding - March 30, 2019 181 $ 6.43 $ 12,526 4.7 The total grant-date fair value of stock options vested during the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 was $0.2 million . The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 was $3.5 million . As of March 30, 2019 , total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $0.1 million , which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.1 years. Restricted Stock Units and Performance Stock Units The following table summarizes activity related to restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”) (in thousands, except per share data): Restricted Stock Units Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Performance Stock Units Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Outstanding - December 29, 2018 103 $ 36.18 130 $ 40.46 Units granted 43 65.86 44 65.86 Units vested (40 ) 34.02 (21 ) 36.10 Units canceled (10 ) 35.68 (8 ) 35.21 Outstanding - March 30, 2019 96 $ 51.05 145 $ 49.46 The fair value of the Company’s RSUs and PSUs is based on the closing market price of the stock on the date of grant. The RSUs granted during the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 vest over a three-year service period. As of March 30, 2019 , total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested RSUs was $4.7 million , which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.2 years. The PSUs vest based on the outcome of certain performance criteria. For the PSUs granted during the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 , the amount of units that can be earned range from 0% to 100% of the number of PSUs granted based on a service condition and a performance vesting condition based on the achievement of certain adjusted EBITDA targets, as defined by the plan, over a performance period of one to three years. The compensation expense related to these PSUs is recognized over the vesting period when the achievement of the performance conditions becomes probable. The total compensation cost for the PSUs is determined based on the most likely outcome of the performance condition and the number of awards expected to vest. As of March 30, 2019 , total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested PSUs was $5.3 million . Restricted Stock Awards The fair value of the unvested restricted stock awards is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. As of March 30, 2019 , total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock awards was $0.3 million , which will be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 1.4 years .

Business Segments

Business Segments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Business Segments	Business Segments The Company’s business operates in two segments: the “Franchise” segment and the “Company” segment. The Franchise segment consists of domestic and international franchise restaurants, which represent the majority of our system-wide restaurants. As of March 30, 2019 , the Franchise segment consisted of 1,244 restaurants operated by Wingstop franchisees in the United States and international markets, compared to 1,133 franchised restaurants in operation as of March 31, 2018 . Franchise segment revenue consists primarily of franchise royalty revenue, advertising fee revenue, franchise and development fees revenue, and international territory fees. As of March 30, 2019 , the Company segment consisted of 29 company-owned restaurants located in the United States, compared to 24 company-owned restaurants as of March 31, 2018 . Company segment revenue is comprised of food and beverage sales at company-owned restaurants. Company segment expenses consist of operating expenses at company-owned restaurants and include food, beverage, labor, benefits, utilities, rent, and other operating costs. The following table reflects revenue and profit information with respect to each segment and reconciles segment profits to income before taxes (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, March 31, Revenue: Franchise segment $ 34,538 $ 26,386 Company segment 13,515 11,003 Total segment revenue $ 48,053 $ 37,389 Segment Profit: Franchise segment $ 9,255 $ 8,387 Company segment 2,516 2,641 Total segment profit 11,771 11,028 Corporate and other (1) — 1,462 Interest expense, net 4,410 1,736 Income before taxes $ 7,361 $ 7,830 (1) Corporate and other includes corporate related items not allocated to reportable segments and consists primarily of transaction costs associated with the refinancings of our credit agreement and payment of a special dividend.

Revenue from Contracts with Cus

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Notes)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block]	Revenue from Contracts with Customers Revenue from contracts with customers consists primarily of royalties, Ad Fund contributions, initial and renewal franchise fees, and upfront fees from development agreements and international territory agreements. The performance obligations under franchise agreements consist of (a) a franchise license, (b) pre-opening services, such as training, and (c) ongoing services, such as management of the Ad Fund, development of training materials and menu items, and restaurant monitoring. These performance obligations are highly interrelated, so they are not considered to be individually distinct and therefore are accounted for as a single performance obligation, which is satisfied by providing a right to use our intellectual property over the term of each franchise agreement. Royalties and franchisee contributions to the Ad Fund, are calculated as a percentage of franchise restaurant sales over the term of the franchise agreement. Initial and renewal franchise fees are payable by the franchisee prior to the restaurant opening or at the time of a renewal of an existing franchise agreement. Franchise agreement royalties and Ad Fund contributions, represent sales-based royalties that are related entirely to the performance obligation under the franchise agreement and are recognized as franchise sales occur. Additionally, initial and renewal franchise fees are recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over the term of the respective agreement. The performance obligation under development agreements and international territory agreements generally consists of an obligation to grant exclusive development rights over a stated term. These development rights are not distinct from franchise agreements, so upfront fees paid by franchisees for development rights are deferred and apportioned to each franchise restaurant opened by the franchisee. The pro rata amount apportioned to each restaurant is accounted for as an initial franchise fee. The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 and March 31, 2018 (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, 2019 March 31, 2018 Royalty revenue $ 17,907 $ 15,386 Advertising fees and related income 13,210 8,605 Franchise fees 1,582 685 Franchise fee, development fee, and international territory fee payments received by the Company are recorded as deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, which represents a contract liability. Deferred revenue is reduced as fees are recognized in revenue over the term of the franchise license for the respective restaurant. As the term of the franchise license is typically ten years, substantially all of the franchise fee revenue recognized in the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 was included in the deferred revenue balance as of December 29, 2018 . Approximately $8.0 million and $9.2 million of deferred revenue as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018 , respectively, relates to restaurants that have not yet opened, so the fees are not yet being amortized. The weighted average remaining amortization period for deferred franchise and renewal fees related to open restaurants is 7.4 years . The Company does not have any material contract assets as of March 30, 2019 .

Basis of Presentation (Policies

Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Fiscal Year End	The Company uses a 52/53-week fiscal year that ends on the last Saturday of the calendar year. Fiscal years 2019 and 2018 have 52 weeks
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash	Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash within the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018 were as follows (in thousands): March 30, 2019 December 29, 2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 13,625 $ 12,493 Restricted cash 4,824 4,462 Restricted cash, included in Advertising fund assets, restricted 8,202 3,985 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 26,651 $ 20,940
Advertising Fund	Advertising Fund The Company administers the Wingstop Restaurants Advertising Fund (“Ad Fund”), for which a percentage of gross sales is collected from Wingstop restaurant franchisees and company-owned restaurants to be used for various forms of advertising for the Wingstop brand. Beginning in fiscal year 2019 the Ad Fund contribution collected from domestic Wingstop restaurant franchisees and company-owned restaurants increased from 3% to 4% of gross sales. The Company consolidates and reports all assets and liabilities of the Ad Fund as restricted assets and restricted liabilities of the Ad Fund within current assets and current liabilities, respectively, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Ad Fund contributions and expenditures are reported on a gross basis in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, which are largely offsetting and therefore do not impact our reported net income. Company-operated restaurants’ Ad Fund contributions, which were equal to 4% of gross sales for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 and 3% of gross sales for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2018 , are included in cost of sales in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 amends the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets and making targeted changes to lessor accounting. The new guidance also requires additional disclosures about leases. The Company adopted the requirements of the new standard as of the first day of fiscal year 2019 using the modified retrospective approach without restating comparative periods. As part of our adoption, we elected the package of practical expedients, as well as the hindsight practical expedient, permitted under the new guidance, which, among other things, allowed the Company to continue utilizing historical classification of leases. In addition, we elected not to separate non-lease components for our real estate leases. The adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of a right-of-use asset of approximately $8.5 million and lease liabilities of approximately $10.3 million , and had an immaterial impact to retained earnings as of the beginning of fiscal year 2019. The standard did not materially impact our Consolidated Statements of Operations and had no impact on cash flows.

Basis of Presentation Disclosur

Basis of Presentation Disclosure - New Accounting Pronouncements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Cash and Cash Equivalents	Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash within the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018 were as follows (in thousands): March 30, 2019 December 29, 2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 13,625 $ 12,493 Restricted cash 4,824 4,462 Restricted cash, included in Advertising fund assets, restricted 8,202 3,985 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 26,651 $ 20,940

Earnings per Share (Tables)

Earnings per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Reconciliation of Basic Shares Outstanding to Diluted Shares Outstanding	Basic weighted average shares outstanding is reconciled to diluted weighted average shares outstanding as follows (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, March 31, Basic weighted average shares outstanding 29,337 29,116 Dilutive shares 300 387 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 29,637 29,503

Fair Value Measurements (Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value Measurements, Nonrecurring	Fair value of debt is determined on a non-recurring basis, which results are summarized as follows (in thousands): Fair Value Hierarchy March 30, 2019 December 29, 2018 Carrying Value Fair Value Carrying Value Fair Value Securitized Financing Facility: 2018-1 Class A-2 Senior Secured Notes (1) Level 2 $ 320,000 $ 328,474 $ 320,000 $ 320,000 (1) The fair value of long-term debt was estimated using available market information.

Debt Obligations Debt Obligatio

Debt Obligations Debt Obligations - Schedule of Maturities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt [Table Text Block]	As of March 30, 2019 , the scheduled principal payments on debt were as follows (in thousands): Remainder of fiscal year 2019 $ 2,400 Fiscal year 2020 3,200 Fiscal year 2021 3,200 Fiscal year 2022 3,200 Fiscal year 2023 308,000 Total $ 320,000

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Lease cost	Components of lease expense are as follows (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, Operating lease cost (a) $ 502 Variable lease cost (b) 125 Total lease cost $ 627 (a) Includes short-term leases, which are immaterial. (b) Primarily related to adjustments for inflation, common area maintenance, and property tax. Supplemental cash flow information related to leases is as follows (dollar amounts in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, Operating cash flow information: Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities $ 545
Schedule of supplemental balance sheet information related to leases	Supplemental balance sheet information related to our operating leases is as follows: Thirteen Weeks Ended Balance Sheet Classification March 30, Right-of-use assets Other non-current assets $ 8,170 Current lease liabilities Other current liabilities 1,751 Non-current lease liabilities Other non-current liabilities 8,138
Operating lease weighted average information	Weighted average lease term and discount rate information related to leases is as follows: Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, Weighted average remaining lease term of operating leases 5.6 years Weighted average discount rate of operating leases 4.97 %
Maturities of lease liabilities	Maturities of lease liabilities by fiscal year are as follows (in thousands): Fiscal year 2019 $ 1,636 Fiscal year 2020 2,213 Fiscal year 2021 2,003 Fiscal year 2022 1,798 Fiscal year 2023 1,520 Thereafter 2,140 Total lease payments 11,310 Less: imputed interest (1,421 ) Present value of lease liabilities $ 9,889
Future minimum rental payments (ASC 840)	As of December 29, 2018 , minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases by period were expected to be as follows (in thousands): Fiscal year 2019 $ 2,181 Fiscal year 2020 2,214 Fiscal year 2021 2,005 Fiscal year 2022 1,800 Fiscal year 2023 1,523 Thereafter 2,145 Total $ 11,868

Stock-Based Compensation (Table

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Schedule of Stock Option Activity	The following table summarizes stock option activity (in thousands, except term and per share data): Stock Options Weighted Average Exercise Price Aggregate Intrinsic Value Weighted Average Remaining Term Outstanding - December 29, 2018 236 $ 6.04 $ 13,848 4.8 Options granted — — Options exercised (54 ) 2.92 Options canceled (1 ) 40.98 Outstanding - March 30, 2019 181 $ 6.43 $ 12,526 4.7
Schedule of Unvested Restricted Stock Units Roll Forward	The following table summarizes activity related to restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”) (in thousands, except per share data): Restricted Stock Units Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Performance Stock Units Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Outstanding - December 29, 2018 103 $ 36.18 130 $ 40.46 Units granted 43 65.86 44 65.86 Units vested (40 ) 34.02 (21 ) 36.10 Units canceled (10 ) 35.68 (8 ) 35.21 Outstanding - March 30, 2019 96 $ 51.05 145 $ 49.46

Business Segments (Tables)

Business Segments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment	The following table reflects revenue and profit information with respect to each segment and reconciles segment profits to income before taxes (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, March 31, Revenue: Franchise segment $ 34,538 $ 26,386 Company segment 13,515 11,003 Total segment revenue $ 48,053 $ 37,389 Segment Profit: Franchise segment $ 9,255 $ 8,387 Company segment 2,516 2,641 Total segment profit 11,771 11,028 Corporate and other (1) — 1,462 Interest expense, net 4,410 1,736 Income before taxes $ 7,361 $ 7,830 (1) Corporate and other includes corporate related items not allocated to reportable segments and consists primarily of transaction costs associated with the refinancings of our credit agreement and payment of a special dividend.

Revenue from Contracts with C_2

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Table Text Block]	The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2019 and March 31, 2018 (in thousands): Thirteen Weeks Ended March 30, 2019 March 31, 2018 Royalty revenue $ 17,907 $ 15,386 Advertising fees and related income 13,210 8,605 Franchise fees 1,582 685

Revenue from Contracts with C_3

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 29, 2018
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 48,053	$ 37,389
Advertising fees and related income	13,210	8,605
Contract with Customer, Portion of Liability not yet being Amortized	$ 8,000		$ 9,200
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction, Period	7 years 4 months 17 days
Franchise | Transferred over Time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Initial Franchise Fees	$ 1,582	685
Franchise | Transferred at Point in Time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Advertising fees and related income	13,210	8,605
Royalty | Transferred at Point in Time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 17,907	$ 15,386

Basis of Presentation - Overvie

Basis of Presentation - Overview (Details) - restaurant	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Franchised Units
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	1,244	1,133
Franchised Units | United States
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	1,112
Franchised Units | Non-US
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	132
Entity Operated Units
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	29	24

Basis of Presentation Basis of

Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation - Cash, cash equivalent, and restricted cash (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019	Dec. 29, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 30, 2017
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 13,625	$ 12,493
Restricted cash	4,824	4,462
Restricted cash, included in Advertising fund assets, restricted	8,202	3,985
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	$ 26,651	$ 20,940	$ 7,575	$ 6,392

Basis of Presentation Basis o_2

Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation - Advertising Expenses (Details)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 29, 2018
Percentage of Revenue Collected for Advertising Fund	4.00%		3.00%
Cost of Sales
Percentage of Revenue Collected for Advertising Fund	4.00%	3.00%

Basis of Presentation Basis o_3

Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation - New Accounting Pronouncements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	$ 8,170
Operating Lease, Liability	$ 9,889
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset		$ 8,500
Operating Lease, Liability		$ 10,300

Earnings per Share (Details)

Earnings per Share (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	29,337	29,116
Dilutive shares	300	387
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	29,637	29,503
Employee Stock Option
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount	40	57

Dividends (Details)

Dividends (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	May 06, 2019	Feb. 26, 2019	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid		$ 0.09	$ 0.09	$ 3.24
Dividends paid		$ (2,600)	$ (2,571)	$ (94,796)
Subsequent Event
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.09
Dividends Payable, Current	$ (2,700)

Fair Value Measurements (Detail

Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 30, 2019	Dec. 29, 2018	Nov. 14, 2018
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes				$ 320,000
Reported Value Measurement | Nonrecurring | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes		$ 320,000	$ 320,000
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement | Nonrecurring | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans Payable, Fair Value Disclosure	[1]	$ 328,474	$ 320,000
[1]	The fair value of long-term debt was estimated using available market information.

Income Taxes (Details)

Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax expense	$ 755	$ 1,662
Effective income tax rate	10.30%	21.20%
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation	$ 1,200	$ 400

Debt Obligations Debt Obligat_2

Debt Obligations Debt Obligations - Securitized Financing Facility (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019	Nov. 14, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Senior Notes		$ 320,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.97%
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 20,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 5,000

Debt Obligations Debt Obligat_3

Debt Obligations Debt Obligations - Schedule of Maturities (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019USD ($)
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Remainder of fiscal year 2019	$ 2,400
Fiscal year 2020	3,200
Fiscal year 2021	3,200
Fiscal year 2022	3,200
Fiscal year 2023	308,000
Total	$ 320,000

Leases Leases - Lease Cost (Det

Leases Leases - Lease Cost (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019USD ($)
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Operating lease cost (a)	$ 502	[1]
Variable lease cost (b)	125	[2]
Total lease cost	627
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities	$ 545
Minimum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lease term	1 year
Maximum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lease term	8 years
Renewal term	10 years
[1]	Includes short-term leases, which are immaterial.
[2]	Primarily related to adjustments for inflation, common area maintenance, and property tax.

Leases Leases - Supplemental Ba

Leases Leases - Supplemental Balance Sheet Information (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
Right-of-use assets	$ 8,170
Current lease liabilities	1,751
Non-current lease liabilities	$ 8,138

Leases Leases - Weighted Averag

Leases Leases - Weighted Average Information (Details)	Mar. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Weighted average remaining lease term of operating leases	5 years 7 months 17 days
Weighted average discount rate of operating leases	4.97%

Leases Leases - Maturities of L

Leases Leases - Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 30, 2019USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
Fiscal year 2019	$ 1,636
Fiscal year 2020	2,213
Fiscal year 2021	2,003
Fiscal year 2022	1,798
Fiscal year 2023	1,520
Thereafter	2,140
Total lease payments	11,310
Less: imputed interest	(1,421)
Present value of lease liabilities	$ 9,889

Leases Leases - Future Minimum

Leases Leases - Future Minimum Lease Payments (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 29, 2018USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
Fiscal year 2019	$ 2,181
Fiscal year 2020	2,214
Fiscal year 2021	2,005
Fiscal year 2022	1,800
Fiscal year 2023	1,523
Thereafter	2,145
Total	$ 11,868

Stock-Based Compensation - Sche

Stock-Based Compensation - Schedule of Stock Option Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Dec. 29, 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Stock options outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	236
Stock options granted (in shares)	0
Stock options exercised (in shares)	(54)
Stock options forfeited (in shares)	(1)
Stock options outstanding, end of period (in shares)	181	236
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price [Abstract]
Stock options outstanding, weighted average exercise price, beginning of period (in usd per share)	$ 6.04
Stock options granted, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	0
Stock options exercised, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	2.92
Stock options forfeited, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	40.98
Stock options outstanding, weighted average exercise price, end of period (in usd per share)	$ 6.43	$ 6.04
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Stock options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value, beginning of period	$ 13,848
Stock options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value, end of period	$ 12,526	$ 13,848
Stock options outstanding, weighted average remaining term	4 years 8 months 12 days	4 years 9 months 4 days

Stock-Based Compensation - Stoc

Stock-Based Compensation - Stock Option Plan (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019USD ($)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Grant date fair value of stock options, vested	$ 0.2
Intrinsic value of stock options exercised	3.5
Stock-based compensation expense, unrecognized	$ 0.1
Employee Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense, recognition period	1 year 1 month 6 days
Additional Paid-In Capital
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 0.8

Stock-Based Compensation Stock-

Stock-Based Compensation Stock-Based Compentsation - Schedule of Restricted Stock Units Activity (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019USD ($)$ / sharesshares
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number of Shares [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, beginning of period (in shares) | shares	103
Restricted stock units and performance stock units granted (in shares) | shares	43
Restricted stock units and performance stock units released (in shares) | shares	(40)
Restricted stock units and performance stock units canceled (in shares) | shares	(10)
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, end of period (in shares) | shares	96
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value [Abstract]
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, weighted average grant date fair value, beginning of period (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 36.18
Restricted stock units and performance stock units granted, weighted average grant date fair value (in usd per share) | $ / shares	65.86
Restricted stock units and performance stock units released, weighted average grant date fair value (in usd per share) | $ / shares	34.02
Restricted stock units and performance stock units canceled, weighted average grant date fair value (in usd per share) | $ / shares	35.68
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, weighted average grant date fair value, end of period (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 51.05
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options | $	$ 4.7
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	2 years 2 months 12 days
Performance Shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number of Shares [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, beginning of period (in shares) | shares	130
Restricted stock units and performance stock units granted (in shares) | shares	44
Restricted stock units and performance stock units released (in shares) | shares	(21)
Restricted stock units and performance stock units canceled (in shares) | shares	(8)
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, end of period (in shares) | shares	145
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value [Abstract]
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, weighted average grant date fair value, beginning of period (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 40.46
Restricted stock units and performance stock units granted, weighted average grant date fair value (in usd per share) | $ / shares	65.86
Restricted stock units and performance stock units released, weighted average grant date fair value (in usd per share) | $ / shares	36.10
Restricted stock units and performance stock units canceled, weighted average grant date fair value (in usd per share) | $ / shares	35.21
Restricted stock units and performance stock units outstanding, weighted average grant date fair value, end of period (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 49.46
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options | $	$ 5.3
Performance Shares | Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Rights, Percentage	0.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	1 year
Performance Shares | Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Rights, Percentage	100.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years
Restricted Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options | $	$ 0.3
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 4 months 24 days

Business Segments Business Segm

Business Segments Business Segments - Restaurant Counts (Details) - restaurant	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Franchised Units
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	1,244	1,133
Entity Operated Units
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants	29	24

Business Segments (Details)

Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		$ 48,053	$ 37,389
Operating income		11,771	9,566
Interest expense, net		4,410	1,736
Income before taxes		7,361	7,830
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		48,053	37,389
Operating income		11,771	11,028
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Corporate and other	[1]	0	1,462
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense, net		(4,410)	(1,736)
Franchise Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		34,538	26,386
Operating income		9,255	8,387
Company Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		13,515	11,003
Operating income		$ 2,516	$ 2,641
[1]	Corporate and other includes corporate related items not allocated to reportable segments and consists primarily of transaction costs associated with the refinancings of our credit agreement and payment of a special dividend.

Uncategorized Items - wing-2019

Label	Element	Value
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets	us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementOrChangeInAccountingPrincipleCumulativeEffectOfChangeOnEquityOrNetAssets1	$ 154,000
Retained Earnings [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets	us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementOrChangeInAccountingPrincipleCumulativeEffectOfChangeOnEquityOrNetAssets1	$ 154,000