Business Summary and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Noodles & Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, all adjustments considered necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented have been included and are of a normal, recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements on Form 10-K have been condensed or omitted. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 30, 2025 was derived from audited financial statements. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2025.
Fiscal Year	Fiscal Year The Company operates on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Tuesday closest to December 31. The Company’s fiscal quarters each contain 13 operating weeks, with the exception of the fourth quarter of a 53-week fiscal year, which contains 14 operating weeks. Fiscal year 2026, which ends on December 29, 2026, and fiscal year 2025, which ended on December 30, 2025, each contain 52 weeks. The Company’s fiscal quarter that ended June 30, 2026 is referred to as the second quarter of 2026, and the fiscal quarter ended July 1, 2025 is referred to as the second quarter of 2025.
Reverse Stock Split	Reverse Stock Split On February 4, 2026, the Company's Board of Directors approved a reverse stock split of the Company's issued and outstanding Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share. The reverse stock split was effectuated on February 18, 2026 at a 1-for-8 ratio (the “Reverse Stock Split”). All issued and outstanding common stock and per share amounts contained in this 10-Q related to prior periods have been adjusted retroactively to reflect the change in capital structure as a result of the reverse stock split.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures.” The ASU includes amendments requiring enhanced income tax disclosures, primarily related to standardization and disaggregation of rate reconciliation categories and income taxes paid by jurisdiction. The Company adopted ASU No. 2023-09 prospectively during the year ended December 30, 2025. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncement In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, "Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (Subtopic 220-40)." The ASU requires public entities to disaggregate, in a tabular presentation, certain income statement expenses into different categories, such as purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation, and intangible asset amortization. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, with early adoption permitted, and may be applied retrospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the new ASU on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Business Summary and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2026

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Noodles & Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, all adjustments considered necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented have been included and are of a normal, recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements on Form 10-K have been condensed or omitted. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 30, 2025 was derived from audited financial statements. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2025.

Fiscal Year

The Company operates on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Tuesday closest to December 31. The Company’s fiscal quarters each contain 13 operating weeks, with the exception of the fourth quarter of a 53-week fiscal year, which contains 14 operating weeks. Fiscal year 2026, which ends on December 29, 2026, and fiscal year 2025, which ended on December 30, 2025, each contain 52 weeks. The Company’s fiscal quarter that ended June 30, 2026 is referred to as the second quarter of 2026, and the fiscal quarter ended July 1, 2025 is referred to as the second quarter of 2025.

Reverse Stock Split

On February 4, 2026, the Company's Board of Directors approved a reverse stock split of the Company's issued and outstanding

Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share. The reverse stock split was effectuated on February 18, 2026 at a 1-for-8 ratio (the “Reverse Stock Split”). All issued and outstanding common stock and per share amounts contained in this 10-Q related to prior periods have been adjusted retroactively to reflect the change in capital structure as a result of the reverse stock split.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement

In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures.” The ASU includes amendments requiring enhanced income tax disclosures, primarily related to standardization and disaggregation of rate reconciliation categories and income taxes paid by jurisdiction. The Company adopted ASU No. 2023-09 prospectively during the year ended December 30, 2025.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncement

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, "Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (Subtopic 220-40)." The ASU requires public entities to disaggregate, in a tabular presentation, certain income statement expenses into different categories, such as purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation, and intangible asset amortization. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, with early adoption permitted, and may be applied retrospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the new ASU on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.