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Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
Document and Entity Information - shares	Mar. 29, 2015	May 01, 2015
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 29, 2015
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Trading Symbol	PBPB
Entity Registrant Name	Potbelly Corporation
Entity Central Index Key	0001195734
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-27
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		30,003,391

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 61,726	$ 63,005
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $23 and $19 as of March 29, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively	5,211	4,016
Inventories	2,598	2,768
Deferred income taxes, current	473	507
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9,851	9,922
Total current assets	79,859	80,218
Property and equipment, net	89,804	85,704
Indefinite-lived intangible assets	3,404	3,404
Goodwill	1,428	1,428
Deferred income taxes, non-current	17,860	17,860
Deferred expenses, net and other assets	3,479	3,333
Total assets	195,834	191,947
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	3,096	3,301
Accrued expenses	21,939	16,349
Accrued income taxes	343	226
Current portion of long-term debt	986	1,008
Total current liabilities	26,364	20,884
Deferred rent and landlord allowances	14,615	14,012
Other long-term liabilities	704	726
Total liabilities	41,683	35,622
Equity
Common stock, $0.01 par value-authorized, 200,000,000 shares; outstanding 28,710,056 and 28,934,700 shares as of March 29, 2015, and December 28, 2014, respectively	299	298
Warrants	909	909
Additional paid-in-capital	393,579	391,972
Treasury stock, held at cost, 1,161,776 and 827,090 shares as of March 29, 2015, and December 28, 2014, respectively	(14,652)	(10,246)
Accumulated deficit	(226,343)	(226,874)
Total stockholders' equity	153,792	156,059
Non-controlling interest	359	266
Total equity	154,151	156,325
Total liabilities and equity	$ 195,834	$ 191,947

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Allowances on accounts receivable	$ 23	$ 19
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, authorized	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common stock, outstanding	28,710,056	28,934,700
Treasury stock, shares	1,161,776	827,090

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Mar. 30, 2014
Revenues
Sandwich shop sales, net	$ 85,397	$ 73,523
Franchise royalties and fees	371	358
Total revenues	85,768	73,881
Sandwich shop operating expenses
Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation	24,345	21,086
Labor and related expenses	24,600	21,460
Occupancy expenses	11,347	9,979
Other operating expenses	9,657	8,158
General and administrative expenses	8,831	7,822
Depreciation expense	5,151	4,717
Pre-opening costs	541	252
Impairment and loss on disposal of property and equipment	348	848
Total expenses	84,820	74,322
Income (loss) from operations	948	(441)
Interest expense	61	42
Income (loss) before income taxes	887	(483)
Income tax expense (benefit)	351	(191)
Net income (loss)	536	(292)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	5	9
Net income (loss) attributable to Potbelly Corporation	$ 531	$ (301)
Net income (loss) per share:
Basic	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)
Diluted	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic	28,905,084	29,150,824
Diluted	29,675,032	29,150,824

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity (Deficit) (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Warrants [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Non Controlling Interest [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 29, 2013	$ 153,273	$ 291		$ 909	$ 383,077	$ (231,232)	$ 228
Beginning Balance, Common Shares at Dec. 29, 2013		29,148,029
Net (loss) income	(292)					(301)	9
Exercise of stock options	8				8
Exercise of stock options, Shares		3,399
Amortization of stock-based compensation	488				488
Ending Balance at Mar. 30, 2014	153,477	$ 291		909	383,573	(231,533)	237
Ending Balance, Common Shares at Mar. 30, 2014		29,151,428
Beginning Balance at Dec. 28, 2014	$ 156,325	$ 298	$ (10,246)	909	391,972	(226,874)	266
Beginning Balance, Common Shares at Dec. 28, 2014	28,934,700	28,934,700
Net (loss) income	$ 536					531	5
Exercise of stock options	$ 1,070	$ 1			1,069
Exercise of stock options, Shares	110,000	110,042
Repurchases of common stock	$ (4,406)		(4,406)
Repurchases of common stock, Shares	(334,686)	(334,686)
Contributions from non-controlling interest	$ 88						88
Amortization of stock-based compensation	538				538
Ending Balance at Mar. 29, 2015	$ 154,151	$ 299	$ (14,652)	$ 909	$ 393,579	$ (226,343)	$ 359
Ending Balance, Common Shares at Mar. 29, 2015	28,710,056	28,710,056

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Mar. 30, 2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ 536	$ (292)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	5,151	4,717
Deferred income tax	34	(364)
Deferred rent and landlord allowances	602	344
Amortization of stock compensation expense	538	488
Asset impairment, store closure and disposal of property and equipment	399	848
Amortization of debt issuance costs	18	18
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	(1,195)	(871)
Inventories	170	81
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(155)	(1,641)
Accounts payable	(52)	1,324
Accrued and other liabilities	4,107	1,864
Net cash provided by operating activities	10,153	6,516
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchases of property and equipment	(8,163)	(6,536)
Net cash (used in) investing activities	(8,163)	(6,536)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Payments on note payable	(21)	(20)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,284	8
Payment of payroll taxes related to stock-based compensation awards	(214)
Treasury stock repurchase	(4,406)
Contributions from non-controlling interest	88
Net cash (used in) financing activities	(3,269)	(12)
NET (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(1,279)	(32)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD	63,005	69,579
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	61,726	69,547
Supplemental cash flow information:
Income taxes paid	17	356
Interest paid	58	42
Supplemental non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unpaid liability for purchases of property and equipment	$ 4,138	$ 1,626

Organization and Other Matters	3 Months Ended
Organization and Other Matters	Mar. 29, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Other Matters	(1) Organization and Other Matters *Business* Potbelly Corporation (the “Company” or “Potbelly”), through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, operates Potbelly Sandwich Works sandwich shops in 27 states and the District of Columbia. As of March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, the Company had 339 and 305 company-operated shops, respectively. During the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015, the Company opened seven new company-operated shops and closed two shops. During the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014, the Company opened nine new company-operated shops and closed no shops. The Company also sells and administers franchises of Potbelly Sandwich Works sandwich shops. The first domestic and international franchise locations administered by the Company opened during February 2011. As of March 29, 2015, 17 franchised shops were in operation domestically and 12 franchised shops were in operation internationally. During the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015, the Company did not open or close any franchised shops. During the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014, the Company opened two franchised shops and closed no franchised shops. *Basis of Presentation* The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes herein should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Potbelly Corporation and its subsidiaries and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2014. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the SEC’s rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which are of a normal and recurring nature (except as otherwise noted), that are necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of December 28, 2014 and March 29, 2015, its statement of operations for the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014 and March 29, 2015 and its statement of cash flows for the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014 and March 29, 2015 have been included. The consolidated statements of operations for the interim periods presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The Company does not have any components of other comprehensive income (loss) recorded within its consolidated financial statements, and, therefore, does not separately present a statement of comprehensive income (loss) in its consolidated financial statements. *Principles of Consolidation* The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Potbelly Corporation; its wholly owned subsidiary, Potbelly Illinois, Inc. (“PII”); PII’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Potbelly Franchising, LLC and Potbelly Sandwich Works LLC (“LLC”) and 18 of LLC’s wholly owned subsidiaries and the LLC’s three joint ventures, collectively, the “Company.” All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. For consolidated joint ventures, non-controlling interest represents a non-controlling partner’s share of the assets, liabilities and operations related to the three joint venture investments. The Company has ownership interests ranging from 65-80% in these consolidated joint ventures. *Fiscal Year* The Company uses a 52/53-week fiscal year that ends on the last Sunday of the calendar period. Approximately every five or six years a 53rd week is added. Fiscal years 2014 and 2015 each consist of 52 weeks. The fiscal quarters ended March 30, 2014 and March 29, 2015 each consisted of 13 weeks. *Use of Estimates* The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions, primarily related to the long-lived assets and income taxes, that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair Value Measurement	3 Months Ended
Fair Value Measurement	Mar. 29, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurement	(2) Fair Value Measurement The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and all other current liabilities approximate fair values due to the short maturities of these balances. The Company assesses potential impairments to its long-lived assets, which includes property and equipment, whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Shop-level assets are grouped at the individual shop-level for the purpose of the impairment assessment. Recoverability of an asset is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to its estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of the asset group exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. After performing a periodic review of our shops during the first fiscal quarter of 2015, it was determined that indicators of impairment were present for certain shops as a result of continued underperformance of shop profitability. We performed an impairment analysis related to these shops and recorded impairment charges of $0.3 million for the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015 related to the excess of the carrying amounts recorded on our balance sheet over the identified shops’ estimated fair values. The fair value of the shop assets was determined using the discounted future cash flow method of anticipated cash flows through the shop’s lease-end date using fair value measurement inputs classified as Level 3. Level 3 inputs are derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. In fiscal 2014, the Company established a non-qualified deferred compensation plan, “Potbelly Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan,” which allows highly compensated employees to defer a portion of their base salary and variable compensation each plan year. The Company maintains a rabbi trust to fund obligations under the deferred compensation plan. Amounts in the rabbi trust are invested in mutual funds. The investments in the rabbi trust are designated as trading securities and carried at fair value. Fair market value of investments in the rabbi trust is measured using Level 1 inputs (quoted prices for identical assets in active markets). As of March 29, 2015, the fair value of the investments in the rabbi trust was $53 thousand, which is included in other assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheet. The associated liability is recorded within other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheet. The Company records trading gains and losses in general and administrative expenses in the condensed consolidated statement of operations, along with the offsetting amount related to the increase or decrease in deferred compensation to reflect its exposure to liabilities for payment under the deferred plan. For the three months ended March 29, 2015, the Company recorded an immaterial amount of unrealized losses on investments held in the rabbi trust.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

+ References + Details

Earnings per Share

3 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2015

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Earnings per Share

(3) Earnings per share

Basic and diluted income (loss) per share are calculated using the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period as follows:


	For the 13 Weeks Ended
	March 29, 2015		March 30, 2014
Net income (loss) attributable to Potbelly Corporation	$	531	$	(301	)

Weighted average common shares outstanding-basic		28,905,084		29,150,824
Plus: Effect of potential stock options exercise		710,280		—
Plus: Effect of potential warrant exercise		59,668		—

Weighted average common shares outstanding-diluted		29,675,032		29,150,824


Income (loss) per share available to common stockholders-basic	$	0.02	$	(0.01	)
Income (loss) per share available to common stockholders-diluted	$	0.02	$	(0.01	)
Potentially dilutive shares that are considered anti-dilutive:
Common share options		726,673		5,238,508
Warrants		—		241,704

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Income Taxes	Mar. 29, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	(4) Income Taxes The Company recognized income tax expense of $0.4 million on pre-tax income of $0.9 million, or an effective tax rate of 39.6%, for the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015, compared to an income tax benefit of $0.2 million on pre-tax loss of $0.5 million, or an effective tax rate of 39.5%, for the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014. The difference between the statutory rate and the effective tax rate is primarily attributable to state income taxes offset by certain federal and state tax credits.

Capital Stock	3 Months Ended
Capital Stock	Mar. 29, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Capital Stock	(5) Capital Stock On August 1, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program of up to $35.0 million of the Company’s common stock. Under this program, the Company may, from time to time, purchase shares in the open market (including in pre-arranged stock trading plans in accordance with the guidelines specified in Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) or in privately negotiated transactions. During the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015, the Company repurchased 334,686 shares of its common stock for approximately $4.4 million in open market transactions. As of March 29, 2015, the remaining dollar value of authorization under the share repurchase program was $20.4 million. Repurchased shares are included as treasury stock in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for shareholders' equity comprised of portions attributable to the parent entity and noncontrolling interest, including other comprehensive income. Includes, but is not limited to, balances of common stock, preferred stock, additional paid-in capital, other capital and retained earnings, accumulated balance for each classification of other comprehensive income and amount of comprehensive income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(d),(e))
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-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 4.E)
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29-31)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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-Publisher FASB
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6521494

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 4
-Section E

Reference 15: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 4
-Section C

+ Details

Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2015

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation

(6) Stock-Based Compensation

Throughout the 13 weeks ending March 29, 2015, the Company issued 253,479 stock options under the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan to eligible employees and key executives. The fair value of the options was determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The weighted average fair value of options granted during the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015 was $6.37 per share, as estimated using the following weighted average assumptions: expected life of options – seven years; volatility- 45.65%; risk-free interest rate – 1.90%; and dividend yield – 0.00%. The Company used the simplified method for determining the expected life of the options. Due to the lack of historical data as a newly public company, the Company calculated the specific stock price volatility using a blended volatility rate based on comparable publicly traded companies.

A summary of activity for the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015 is as follows:


Options	Shares (Thousands)			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value (Thousands)		Weighted Average Remaining Term (Years)
Outstanding—December 28, 2014		4,613		$	10.10	$	12,731		5.62


Granted		253			12.98
Exercised		(110	)		9.74
Canceled		(116	)		14.63

Outstanding—March 29, 2015		4,640			10.15	$	18,607		5.61


Exercisable—March 29, 2015		3,570			9.29	$	16,669		4.68

In accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, stock-based compensation is measured at the grant date, based on the calculated fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense over the requisite employee service period, which is generally the vesting period of the grant, with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in-capital. For each of the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, the Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $0.5 million. As of March 29, 2015, the unrecognized stock-based compensation expense was $6.1 million, which will be recognized through fiscal year 2019. The Company records stock-based compensation expense within general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Organization and Other Matters (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Organization and Other Matters (Policies)	Mar. 29, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business	*Business* Potbelly Corporation (the “Company” or “Potbelly”), through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, operates Potbelly Sandwich Works sandwich shops in 27 states and the District of Columbia. As of March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, the Company had 339 and 305 company-operated shops, respectively. During the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015, the Company opened seven new company-operated shops and closed two shops. During the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014, the Company opened nine new company-operated shops and closed no shops. The Company also sells and administers franchises of Potbelly Sandwich Works sandwich shops. The first domestic and international franchise locations administered by the Company opened during February 2011. As of March 29, 2015, 17 franchised shops were in operation domestically and 12 franchised shops were in operation internationally. During the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015, the Company did not open or close any franchised shops. During the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014, the Company opened two franchised shops and closed no franchised shops.
Basis of Presentation	*Basis of Presentation* The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes herein should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Potbelly Corporation and its subsidiaries and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2014. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the SEC’s rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which are of a normal and recurring nature (except as otherwise noted), that are necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of December 28, 2014 and March 29, 2015, its statement of operations for the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014 and March 29, 2015 and its statement of cash flows for the 13 weeks ended March 30, 2014 and March 29, 2015 have been included. The consolidated statements of operations for the interim periods presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The Company does not have any components of other comprehensive income (loss) recorded within its consolidated financial statements, and, therefore, does not separately present a statement of comprehensive income (loss) in its consolidated financial statements.
Principles of Consolidation	*Principles of Consolidation* The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Potbelly Corporation; its wholly owned subsidiary, Potbelly Illinois, Inc. (“PII”); PII’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Potbelly Franchising, LLC and Potbelly Sandwich Works LLC (“LLC”) and 18 of LLC’s wholly owned subsidiaries and the LLC’s three joint ventures, collectively, the “Company.” All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. For consolidated joint ventures, non-controlling interest represents a non-controlling partner’s share of the assets, liabilities and operations related to the three joint venture investments. The Company has ownership interests ranging from 65-80% in these consolidated joint ventures.
Fiscal Year	*Fiscal Year* The Company uses a 52/53-week fiscal year that ends on the last Sunday of the calendar period. Approximately every five or six years a 53rd week is added. Fiscal years 2014 and 2015 each consist of 52 weeks. The fiscal quarters ended March 30, 2014 and March 29, 2015 each consisted of 13 weeks.
Use of Estimates	*Use of Estimates* The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions, primarily related to the long-lived assets and income taxes, that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Earnings per Share (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2015

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Schedule of the Calculation of Weighted Average Shares Outstanding for Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share

Basic and diluted income (loss) per share are calculated using the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period as follows:


	For the 13 Weeks Ended
	March 29, 2015		March 30, 2014
Net income (loss) attributable to Potbelly Corporation	$	531	$	(301	)

Weighted average common shares outstanding-basic		28,905,084		29,150,824
Plus: Effect of potential stock options exercise		710,280		—
Plus: Effect of potential warrant exercise		59,668		—

Weighted average common shares outstanding-diluted		29,675,032		29,150,824


Income (loss) per share available to common stockholders-basic	$	0.02	$	(0.01	)
Income (loss) per share available to common stockholders-diluted	$	0.02	$	(0.01	)
Potentially dilutive shares that are considered anti-dilutive:
Common share options		726,673		5,238,508
Warrants		—		241,704

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2015

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Summary of Activity Under Plans and Agreement

A summary of activity for the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2015 is as follows:


Options	Shares (Thousands)			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value (Thousands)		Weighted Average Remaining Term (Years)
Outstanding—December 28, 2014		4,613		$	10.10	$	12,731		5.62


Granted		253			12.98
Exercised		(110	)		9.74
Canceled		(116	)		14.63

Outstanding—March 29, 2015		4,640			10.15	$	18,607		5.61


Exercisable—March 29, 2015		3,570			9.29	$	16,669		4.68

Organization and Other Matters - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015 Store State JointVenture Subsidiaries	Mar. 30, 2014 Store
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of sandwich works and shops operation states \| State	27
Number of wholly owned subsidiaries \| Subsidiaries	18
Number of joint ventures \| JointVenture	3
Minimum [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Ownership interest rate	65.00%
Maximum [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Ownership interest rate	80.00%
Company Operated Shops [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of shops	339	305
Number of closed stores	2	0
Company Operated Shops [Member] \| New Shops [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of shops	7	9
Franchised Shops [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of closed stores	0	0
Franchised Shops [Member] \| New Shops [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of shops	0	2
Franchised Shops [Member] \| Domestic Operations [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of shops	17
Franchised Shops [Member] \| International [Member]
Nature Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of shops	12

Fair Value Measurement - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015 USD ($)
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Impairment charges	$ 300
Fair value of investments in rabbi trust	$ 53

Earnings Per Share - Schedule of the Calculation of Weighted Average Shares Outstanding for Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Mar. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to Potbelly Corporation	$ 531	$ (301)
Weighted average common shares outstanding-basic	28,905,084	29,150,824
Plus: Effect of potential stock options exercise	710,280
Plus: Effect of potential warrant exercise	59,668
Weighted average common shares outstanding-diluted	29,675,032	29,150,824
Income (loss) per share available to common stockholders-basic	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)
Income (loss) per share available to common stockholders-diluted	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)
Common Share Options [Member]
Potentially dilutive shares that are considered anti-dilutive:
Potentially dilutive shares that are considered anti-dilutive	726,673	5,238,508
Warrants [Member]
Potentially dilutive shares that are considered anti-dilutive:
Potentially dilutive shares that are considered anti-dilutive		241,704

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Mar. 30, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax expense (benefit)	$ 351	$ (191)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$ 887	$ (483)
Effective tax rate	39.60%	39.50%

Capital Stock - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Aug. 01, 2014
Equity [Abstract]
Stock repurchase program, authorized amount		$ 35,000,000
Common stock shares repurchased	334,686
Repurchases of common stock	$ 4,406,000
Remaining dollar value of authorization under the share repurchase program	$ 20,400,000

Stock Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Mar. 30, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock options issued	253,000
Weighted average common stock fair value	$ 12.98
Recognized stock-based compensation expense	$ 538	$ 488
Unrecognized stock compensation expense	$ 6,100
Unrecognized stock compensation expense, recognition period	Through 2019
2013 Long Term Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock options issued	253,479
Weighted average common stock fair value	$ 6.37
Expected life of options	7 years
Volatility	45.65%
Risk-free interest rate	1.90%
Dividend yield	0.00%
Method used to determine fair value of the options	Black-Scholes option pricing model

Stock Based Compensation - Summary of Activity Under Plans and Agreement (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Options Outstanding shares, Beginning balance	4,613
Options Outstanding shares, Granted	253
Options Outstanding shares, Exercised	(110)
Options Outstanding shares, Canceled	(116)
Options Outstanding shares, Ending balance	4,640	4,613
Options Outstanding shares, Exercisable	3,570
Options outstanding weighted average exercise price, Granted	$ 12.98
Options outstanding weighted average exercise price, Exercised	9.74
Options outstanding weighted average exercise price, Canceled	14.63
Options outstanding weighted average exercise price, Ending balance	10.15	$ 10.10
Options outstanding weighted average exercise price, Exercisable	$ 9.29
Options Outstanding Aggregate Intrinsic value	$ 18,607	$ 12,731
Options Exercisable Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 16,669
Option Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Term	5 years 7 months 10 days	5 years 7 months 13 days
Options Exercisable Weighted Average Remaining Term	4 years 8 months 5 days