Common Stock Statement, Equity Components [Axis] Additional Paid-In Capital Retained Earnings Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Treasury Stock Document And Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Document Type Document Period End Date Amendment Flag Current Fiscal Year End Date Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer? Is Entity a Voluntary Filer? Is Entity's Reporting Status Current? Entity Filer Category Entity Public Float Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Income Statement [Abstract] Restaurant Operations: Net sales Franchise fees Other revenue Total Investment Management Operations: Management fee income Consolidated Affiliated Partnerships: Investment gains/losses Other income Total Total net revenues Costs and expenses Cost of sales Restaurant operating costs General and administrative Depreciation and amortization Marketing Rent Pre-opening costs Asset impairments and provision for restaurant closings Loss on disposal of assets Other operating (income) expense Total costs and expenses, net Other income (expense) Interest, dividend and other investment income Interest on obligations under leases Interest expense Realized investment gains/losses Derivative and short sale gains/losses Total other income (expense) Earnings before income taxes Income taxes Net earnings Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest Earnings attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests: Income allocation Incentive fee Total earnings/loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests Net earnings attributable to Biglari Holdings Inc. Earnings per share attributable to Biglari Holdings Inc. Basic earnings per common and common equivalent share Diluted earnings per common and common equivalent share Weighted average shares and equivalents Basic Diluted Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Investments Receivables, net of allowance of $559 and $475, respectively Inventories Deferred income taxes Assets held for sale Other current assets Total current assets Property and equipment, net Goodwill Other intangible assets, net Other assets Investments held by consolidated affiliated partnerships Total assets Current Liabilities: Accounts payable Due to broker Accrued expenses Revolving credit Current portion of obligations under leases Current portion of long-term debt Total current liabilities Deferred income taxes Obligations under leases Long-term debt Other long-term liabilities Total liabilities Commitments and contingencies Redeemable noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliated partnerships Shareholders' equity Common stock - $0.50 stated value, 2,500,000 shares authorized - 1,511,174 and 1,511,175 shares issued, respectively, 1,227,276 and 1,227,654 shares outstanding (net of treasury stock), respectively Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Accumulated other comprehensive loss Treasury stock - at cost: 283,898 shares and 283,521 shares (includes 205,743 shares held by consolidated affiliated partnerships) at September 28, 2011 and September 29, 2010, respectively Biglari Holdings Inc. shareholders' equity Total liabilities and shareholders' equity Consolidated Balance Sheets Parenthetical Assets Receivables, allowance for doubtful accounts Common stock, par value Common stock, shares authorized Common stock, shares issued Common stock, shares outstanding Treasury stock - at cost, shares Partnership Member Treasury stock - at cost, shares held by consolidated affiliated partnerships Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Operating activities Net earnings Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows (excluding investment operations of consolidated affiliated partnerships): Provision for deferred income taxes Stock-based compensation and other non-cash expenses Loss on disposal of assets Gain on sale of subsidiary Realized investment gains/losses Derivative and short sale gains/losses Changes in receivables and inventories Changes in other assets Changes in accounts payable and accrued expenses Investment operations of consolidated affiliated partnerships: Purchases of investments Sales of investments Realized investment gains, net Unrealized (gains) losses on marketable securities held by consolidated affiliated partnerships Changes in cash equivalents held by consolidated affiliated partnerships Changes in due to/from broker Net cash provided by operating activities Investing activities Additions of property and equipment Proceeds from property and equipment disposals Proceeds from sale of joint venture Proceeds from sale of subsidiary, net of cash on hand Purchases of investments Sales of investments Changes in due to/from broker Cash from merger activities Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities Financing activities Proceeds from revolving credit facility Payments on revolving credit facility Borrowings on long-term debt Principal payments on long-term debt Proceeds from property sale-leasebacks Principal payments on direct financing lease obligations Proceeds and tax benefits from exercise of stock options and employees stock purchase plan Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards Cash paid in lieu of fractional shares Repurchase of employee shares for tax withholding Proceeds from noncontrolling interest Distributions to noncontrolling interest Financing activities of consolidated affiliated partnerships: Purchase of shares of Company stock by consolidated affiliated partnerships Proceeds from sale of shares of Company stock by consolidated affiliated partnerships Contributions from noncontrolling interests Distributions to noncontrolling interests Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Balance Increase (Decrease) in Stockholder's Equity Net earnings attributable to Biglari Holdings Inc. Reclassification of investment appreciation in net earnings, net of tax Net change in unrealized gains and losses on investments, net of tax Total comprehensive income Exercise of stock options and other stock compensation transactions Compensation expense for share-based payments Retirement of shares held by subsidiary Cash paid in lieu of fractional shares Reacquired shares from acquisition Purchase of shares of Company stock by consolidated affiliated partnerships Shares exchanged to exercise stock options and to satisfy minimum statutory tax witholding Sale of Company shares by consolidated affiliated partnerships Shares reissued to exercise stock options Shares granted under Capital Appreciation Plan Shares forfeited under Capital Appreciation Plan Shares reissued for vendor payments Tax effect relating to stock awards Shares issued for Employee Stock Purchase Plan Other Balance Consolidated Statements Of Shareholders Equity Parenthetical Reclassification of investment appreciation in net earnings, tax Net change in unrealized gains and losses on investments, tax Notes to Financial Statements Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Acquisitions Impairment and Restaurant Closings Investments Consolidated Affiliated Partnerships Assets Held for Sale Other Current Assets Property and Equipment Goodwill and Other Intangibles Other Assets Accrued Expenses Other long-term Liabilities Income Taxes Leased Assets and Lease Commitments Borrowings Related Party Transactions Common Stock Plans Commitments and Contingencies Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities Steak n Shake of Tallahassee Business Segment Reporting Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information Revenue, Net ConsolidatedAffiliatedPartnershipsTotal Revenues Other Operating Income (Expense), Net Costs and Expenses InterestOnObligationsUnderLeases Interest Expense Nonoperating Income (Expense) Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest IncomeAllocation IncentiveFeeReallocation Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest Assets, Current Assets [Default Label] Liabilities, Current Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent Liabilities Treasury Stock, Value Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Liabilities and Equity LossOnDisposalOfAssets Gain (Loss) on Sale of Stock in Subsidiary IncreaseDecreaseinReceivablesAndInventories Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets Payments for Purchase of Securities, Operating Activities Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Securities ChangesInCashEquivalentsHeldByConsolidatedAffiliatedPartnerships Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Payments to Acquire Investments Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities Increase (Decrease) in Payables to Broker-Dealers and Clearing Organizations Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Repayments of Lines of Credit Repayments of Long-term Debt PrincipalPaymentsOnDirectFinancingLeaseObligations CashPaidInlieuOfFractionalShares Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation Payments to Noncontrolling Interests Payments of Distributions to Affiliates Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Investment Holdings [Text Block] Reflects all revenue from consolidated affiliated partnerships and investment management operations. The losses (gains) included in results of operations resulting from the sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment which do not qualify for treatment as discontinued operations. The aggregate amount of interest expense incurred on the Company's financing and capital lease obligations. The portion of net income or loss attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interest deducted in order to derive the portion attributable to the parent. The portion of incentive fee allocation charged to nonaffiliated entities in the limited partnerships. Total investments held by our subsidiaries' partnerships required to be consolidated into the Company's financials because the Company is either the general partner or has significant control over the partnerships. Current portion (payable within one year) as of the balance sheet date on all financing and capital leases held by the Company. Noncurrent portion (payable in greater than one year) as of the balance sheet date on all financing and capital leases held by the Company. The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in the aggregate value of all inventory and all receivables held by the reporting entity, associated with underlying transactions that are classified as operating activities. The net amount of changes in cash equivalents held by consolidated affiliated partnerships. The cash outflow for principal payments made on direct financing lease obligations. The cash outflow paid to shareholders in lieu of fractional shares created by a stock split or dividend including reverse splits and dividends. The cash outflow for Purchase of shares of Company stock by consolidated affiliated partnerships. The cash inflow from proceeds from sale of shares of Company stock by consolidated affiliated partnerships. The losses (gains) included in results of operations resulting from the sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment which do not qualify for treatment as discontinued operations. Number of common shares that were previously issued and that were repurchased by consolidated affiliated partnerships of the issuing entity required to be consolidated into the Company's financials because the Company is either the general partner or has significant control over the partnerships. This stock maintains all voting and dividend rights. Represents shares held by subsidiary retired as part of the purchase of that subsidiary at par value. Represents the amount of cash paid in lieu of fractional shares created by stock splits and dividends or reverse stock splits and dividends. Shares exchanged to exercise stock options and to satisfy minimum statutory tax withholding. Restricted shares of stock issued under the Capital Appreciation Plan. Restricted shares of stock forfeited under the Capital Appreciation Plan. Shares issued in lieu of cash for services rendered. The entire disclosure for a consolidated afiliated partnerships. The entire disclosure for other current assets. The entire disclosure for other lont-term liabilities. The entire disclosure for common stock plans.