Debt (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 02, 2013	Aug. 03, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of debt instrument	5 years
Long-term debt, gross	$ 400,000	$ 525,142
Current maturities	0	(106)
Long-term debt	400,000	525,036
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2014	0
2015	25,000
2016	375,000
Total	400,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	500,000
Long-term debt, gross	212,500	312,500
Line of credit facility, expiration date	Jul. 08, 2016
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Amount of standby letters of credit	28,971
Current borrowing capacity	258,529
Term Loans Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	250,000
Long-term debt, gross	187,500	212,500
Maturity date	Jul. 08, 2016
Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	0	142
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	750,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Weighted average interest rates of the Company's swapped term loans (in hundredths)	3.73%	7.57%
Restrictions on dividends payable	The Credit Facility also imposes restrictions on the amount of dividends the Company is permitted to pay. Prior to the June 3, 2013 amendment described below, if there was no default existing and the total of the Company's availability under the Revolving Credit Facility plus the Company's cash and cash equivalents on hand is at least $100,000 (the "liquidity requirements"), the Company could declare and pay cash dividends on its common stock if the aggregate amount of dividends paid in any fiscal year is less than 20% of Consolidated EBITDA from continuing operations (as defined in the Credit Facility) (the "20% limitation") during the immediately preceding fiscal year. In any event, as long as the liquidity requirements were met, dividends could be declared and paid in any fiscal year up to the amount of dividends permitted and paid in the preceding fiscal year without regard to the 20% limitation.
Dividend limitation (in hundredths)	20.00%
Liquidity requirements	$ 100,000
Leverage ratio	3.25