Common Stock Equity Components [Axis] Additional Paid-In Capital Retained Earnings Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Treasury Stock Right to Operate Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Axis] Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member] Asset Class [Axis] Franchise Agreement Other Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Member] Trade names [Member] Financial Obligations Major Property Class [Axis] Capital Leases Operating Property Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Axis] Non-Operating Property Building Land Land and leasehold improvements Equipment Restaurant Retail Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment [Axis] Level 1 Fair Value, Hierarchy [Axis] Restaurant Retail Level 2 Level 3 Insurance Other Non Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan Investments Steak n Shake Western InvestmentManagement Corporate And Other Eliminations Consolidated results Reconciliation Of Segments Restaurant Products and Services [Axis] Steak n Shake Income Statement Location [Axis] Western Total Restaurant Operations IncentiveFee Total Investment Management Operations Consolidated affiliated partnerships Corporate Investment partnership gains (losses) TotalCorporateAndOtherMember InterestExpenseMember Business Segments [Axis] Management fees Total Revenue Investments Held By Consolidated Affiliated Partnerships Lion Fund Related Party [Axis] Lion Fund II Investment losses Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments Other Comprehensive Income Location [Axis] Investment Gain Fair Value Securities Financing Transaction [Axis] Fair Value of Company common Stock Carrying Value Steak n Shake Agreement 2013 [Member] Derivative Instrument [Axis] Steak n Shake Agreement 2011 [Member] Gain On Contribution To Investment Partnerships [Member] Reclassification of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Axis] Income Tax Expense On Operating Earnings [Member] Term Loan Debt Instrument [Axis] Revolver Realized investment gains Other First Guard Maxim Operating Business 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 Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Investments Receivables Inventories Deferred taxes Other current assets Total current assets Property and equipment Goodwill Other intangible assets Investment partnerships Other assets Total assets Current liabilities: Accounts payable Accrued expenses Current portion of obligations under leases Current portion of notes payable and other borrowings Total current liabilities Obligations under leases Long-term notes payable and other borrowings Deferred income taxes Other liabilities Total liabilities Shareholders' equity Common stock - 2,065,606 and 2,065,586 and shares outstanding Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Accumulated other comprehensive income Treasury stock - at cost Biglari Holdings Inc. shareholders' equity Total liabilities and shareholders' equity Common stock, shares outstanding Income Statement [Abstract] Revenues Restaurant operations Insurance premiums and other Media advertising and other Total Costs and expenses Restaurant cost of sales Insurance losses Media cost of sales Selling general and administrative Depreciation and amortization Total costs and expenses, net Other income (expenses) Interest and dividends Interest expense Interest on obligations under leases Realized investment gains Gain on contribution to investment partnerships Investment partnership gains (losses) Total other income (expense) Earnings before income taxes Total income tax expense Net earnings Earnings per share Basic earnings per common share Diluted earnings per common share Weighted average shares and equivalents Basic Diluted Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income Net earnings Other comprehensive income: Reclassification of investment appreciation in net earnings Applicable income taxes Net change in unrealized gains and losses on investments Applicable income taxes Foreign currency translation Other comprehensive (loss) income, net Total comprehensive income Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Operating activities Net earnings Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows: Provision for deferred income taxes Asset impairment and other non-cash expenses Loss on disposal of assets Gain on sale of Biglari Capital Corp. Gain on contribution to investment partnerships Investment partnership gains (losses) Distributions from investment partnerships Changes in receivables and inventories Changes in other assets Changes in accounts payable and accrued expenses Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities Investing activities Additions of property and equipment Proceeds from property and equipment disposals Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired Proceeds from sale of Biglari Capital Corp, net of cash on hand Purchases of investments and contributions to investment partnerships Sales of investments and redemptions of fixed maturity securities Changes in restricted cash Net cash used in 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 Deferred financing charges Principal payments on direct financing lease obligations Proceeds from exercise of stock options Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 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] Beginning Balance Deconsolidation of affiliated partnerships Increase in fair value of Treasury stock at deconsolidation Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interest to reflect maximum redemption value Adjustment to Treasury stock for holdings in investment partnerships Exercise of stock options Ending Balance Accounting Policies [Abstract] Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Note 2. New Accounting Standards Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Note 3. Earnings Per Share Note 4. Investments Note 4. Investments Notes to Financial Statements Note 5. Investment Partnerships Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract] Note 6. Property and Equipment Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] Note 7. Goodwill and Other Intangibles Note 8. Restaurant Operations Revenues Debt Disclosure [Abstract] Note 9. Borrowings Equity [Abstract] Note 10. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] Note 11. Income Taxes Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] Note 12. Commitments and Contingencies Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] Note 13. Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities Related Party Transactions [Abstract] Note 14. Related Party Transactions Segment Reporting [Abstract] Note 15. Business Segment Reporting Description of Business Principles of Consolidation Fiscal Year Business Acquisitions Reconciliation of basic and diluted weighted average common shares Summary of outstanding shares Schedule of Investments [Abstract] Schedule of fair value of Investments Note 5. Investment Partnerships Tables Fair value and carrying value of our partnership interest Carrying value of investment partnerships net of deferred taxes Summarized financial information for Equity in Investment Partnerships Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment Schedule of Goodwill Schedule of Other Intangibles Summary of restaurant operations revenues Note 9. Borrowings Tables Schedule of notes payable and other borrowings Component of accumulated other comprehensive income Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Schedule Of Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Schedule Of Revenue by Segment Schedule of reconciliation of segments earnings to consolidated Basic earnings per share: Weighted average common shares, basic Diluted earnings per share: Weighted average common shares Dilutive effect of stock awards Weighted average common and incremental shares Number of share-based awards excluded from the calculation of earnings per share as the awards' exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the Company's common stock or due to the Company's net loss in 2014 Common stock authorized Common stock issued Treasury stock held by the Company Outstanding shares Proportional ownership of the Company's common stock in The Lion Fund, L.P. Net outstanding shares for financial reporting purposes Cost Gross unrealized gains Gross unrealized losses Fair value Partnership interest, beginning Investment partnership gains (losses) Contributions of cash and securities (net of distributions) to investment partneships Increase in proportionate share of Company stock held Partnership interest, ending Note 5. Carrying Value Of Investment Partnerships Details Carrying value of investment partnerships Deferred tax liability related to investment partnerships Carrying value of investment partnerships net of deferred taxes Current and Total Assets Current and Total Liabilities Revenue for three months period Earnings for three months period Biglari Holding's Ownership Interest Note 5. Investment Partnerships Details Narrative Proportionate share of Company stock held by investment partnerships at cost Land Buildings Land and leasehold improvements Equipment Construction in progress Property and equipment, gross Less accumulated depreciation and amortization Property and equipment, net Legal Entity [Axis] Balance at beginning of year Acquisition of business and lease rights Balance at end of year Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Axis] Gross carrying amount Accumulated amortization Total intangible assets Note 7. Goodwill And Other Intangibles Details Narrative Amortization expense Future amortization expense for each of the next five years Net sales Franchise royalties and fees Other Restaurant operations revenue Note 9. Borrowings Details Notes payable - current portion Unamortized original issue discount - current Obligations under leases - current portion Western revolver Total current portion of notes payable and other borrowings Notes payable - long-term Unamortized original issue discount Obligations under leases - long term Total long-term notes payable and other borrowings Outstanding debt Fair value of the interest rate swap liability Notional amount of the interest rate swap Beginning Balance Other comprehensive income before reclassifications Reclassification to (earnings) loss Ending Balance ReclassificationOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis [Axis] Reclassifications from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Note 11. Income Taxes Details Narrative Income taxes Unrecognized tax benefits Assets Cash equivalents Equity securities Bonds Non-qualified deferred compensation plan investments Total assets at fair value Liabilities Interest rate swaps Total liabilities at fair value Segments [Axis] Revenue Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. The aggregate amount of interest expense incurred on the Company's financing and capital lease obligations. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. 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. Custom Element. The cash outflow for principal payments made on direct financing lease obligations. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. RestaurantRetailMember OthersMember SteaknShakeMember WesternMember OtherSegmentMember Assets, Current Assets [Default Label] Liabilities, Current Liabilities [Default Label] Treasury Stock, Value Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Liabilities and Equity Revenue, Net Costs and Expenses Interest Expense InterestOnObligationsUnderLeases Realized Investment Gains (Losses) Nonoperating Income (Expense) Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI for Sale of Securities, before Tax Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities, Tax Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets GainOnSaleOfBiglariCapitalCorp. Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments IncreaseDecreaseinReceivablesAndInventories Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired Payments to Acquire Investments Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Repayments of Lines of Credit Repayments of Long-term Debt PrincipalPaymentsOnDirectFinancingLeaseObligations Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Investment Holdings [Text Block] Treasury Stock, Shares Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesFairValueDisclosure1 Equity Method Investments, Fair Value Disclosure CarryingValueOfInvestmentPartnershipsNetOfDeferredTaxes Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Liabilities Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage Land [Default Label] LandAndLeaseholdImprovements Fixtures and Equipment, Gross Other Revenue, Net Note5.EquityInInvestmentPartnershipsTablesAbstract