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Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 28, 2015	Mar. 29, 2014	Mar. 28, 2015 Segment	Mar. 29, 2014	Sep. 27, 2014
Segment Information [Abstract]
Number of operating segments			5us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Number of reportable segments			3us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenues	$ 599,389us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 873,772us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 1,022,333us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 1,399,828us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Operating income [Abstract]
Total operating income	171,591us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	171,044us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	247,559us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	251,099us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Reconciliation to net income [Abstract]
Loss on debt extinguishment	15,072	0	15,072	0
Interest expense, net	19,711us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	21,226us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	39,710us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	42,433us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Provision for income taxes	174us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	271us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	336us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	448us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income	136,634us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	149,547us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	192,441us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	208,218us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Depreciation and amortization [Abstract]
Total depreciation and amortization	33,229	33,282	65,858	68,109
Assets [Abstract]
Total assets	2,651,484us-gaap_Assets		2,651,484us-gaap_Assets		2,609,363us-gaap_Assets
All Other [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenues	12,066	12,463	25,463	27,341
Operating income [Abstract]
Total operating income	(5,289)	(6,538)	(10,967)	(12,388)
Depreciation and amortization [Abstract]
Total depreciation and amortization	69	192	149	397
Assets [Abstract]
Total assets	3,381		3,381		3,342
Corporate [Member]
Operating income [Abstract]
Total operating income	(29,276)	(26,228)	(54,910)	(49,836)
Depreciation and amortization [Abstract]
Total depreciation and amortization	4,868	5,381	9,503	11,934
Assets [Abstract]
Total assets	175,497		175,497		157,349
Operating/Reportable Segments [Member] \| Propane [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenues	498,616	728,504	853,266	1,167,098
Operating income [Abstract]
Total operating income	189,265	189,517	292,341	295,899
Depreciation and amortization [Abstract]
Total depreciation and amortization	27,562	26,808	54,641	52,541
Assets [Abstract]
Total assets	2,378,783		2,378,783		2,365,320
Operating/Reportable Segments [Member] \| Fuel Oil and Refined Fuels [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenues	60,426	93,722	99,356	147,990
Operating income [Abstract]
Total operating income	9,434	9,271	10,880	9,750
Depreciation and amortization [Abstract]
Total depreciation and amortization	728	899	1,561	3,195
Assets [Abstract]
Total assets	73,599		73,599		69,360
Operating/Reportable Segments [Member] \| Natural Gas and Electricity [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenues	28,281	39,083	44,248	57,399
Operating income [Abstract]
Total operating income	7,457	5,022	10,215	7,674
Depreciation and amortization [Abstract]
Total depreciation and amortization	2	2	4	42
Assets [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 20,224		$ 20,224		$ 13,992