Income taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2018	Jan. 31, 2020	Feb. 01, 2019	Feb. 02, 2018	Feb. 03, 2017
Current:
Federal		$ 368,451	$ 320,361	$ 426,933
Foreign		102	159	105
State		65,215	53,091	79,011
Total current income taxes		433,768	373,611	506,049
Deferred:
Federal		45,966	48,262	(159,728)
Foreign		(15)	(38)	(22)
State		9,456	4,109	22,021
Total deferred income taxes		55,407	52,333	(137,729)
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes		489,175	425,944	368,320
Reconciliation between actual income taxes and amounts computed by applying federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes		462,364	423,237	643,326
Impact of federal tax rate changes			(12,222)	(310,756)
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit		60,936	44,584	61,201
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes		(27,768)	(27,506)	(26,759)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance for state tax credit carryforwards		(356)		4,435
Stock-based compensation programs		(6,177)	(3,682)	(2,227)
Increase (decrease) in income tax reserves		(513)	3,952	(1,837)
Other, net		689	(2,419)	937
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes		$ 489,175	$ 425,944	$ 368,320
Reconciliation between actual income taxes rate and federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes (as a percent)	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%	33.70%	35.00%
Impact of tax rate changes (as a percent)			(0.60%)	(16.30%)
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit (as a percent)		2.80%	2.20%	3.20%
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes (as a percent)		(1.30%)	(1.40%)	(1.40%)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances, net of federal taxes (as a percent)		0.00%		0.20%
Stock-based compensation programs (as a percent)		(0.30%)	(0.20%)	(0.10%)
Increase (decrease) in income tax reserves (as a percent)		(0.00%)	0.20%	(0.10%)
Other, net (as a percent)		0.00%	(0.10%)	0.10%
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes (as a percent)		22.20%	21.10%	19.30%
Provisional tax benefit after the rate reduction				$ 24,200
Increase in tax rate		1.10%	1.80%
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred compensation expense		$ 7,556	$ 6,490
Accrued expenses		16,788	3,278
Accrued rent		401	22,668
Operating lease liabilities		2,167,780
Accrued insurance		5,895	6,869
Accrued incentive compensation		16,721	15,219
Share based compensation		16,321	15,713
Interest rate hedges		1,076	1,421
Tax benefit of income tax and interest reserves related to uncertain tax positions		164	472
Deferred gain on sale- leaseback			11,649
Other		3,702	3,942
State tax net operating loss carryforwards, net of federal tax		555	598
State tax credit carry forwards, net of federal tax		7,534	8,245
Total deferred tax assets, gross		2,244,493	96,564
Less valuation allowances, net of federal income taxes		(4,077)	(4,433)
Total deferred tax assets		2,240,416	92,131
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment		(389,080)	(322,575)
Operating lease assets		(2,143,996)
Inventories		(59,075)	(56,221)
Trademarks		(310,862)	(308,793)
Prepaid insurance		(11,933)	(12,639)
Other		(697)	(1,590)
Total deferred tax liabilities		(2,915,643)	(701,818)
Net deferred tax liabilities		(675,227)	(609,687)
State tax credit carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2022 through 2028		7,500
Apportioned state net operating loss carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2033 through 2039		15,600
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance for state tax credit carryforwards		(356)		4,435
Reserve for uncertain tax positions that would impact effective tax rate if recognized		5,100	5,000
Interest accrued related to uncertain tax benefits		400	800
Potential penalties accrued related to uncertain tax benefits		0	900
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in noncurrent Other liabilities		5,500	6,700
Income tax amounts associated with uncertain tax positions
Income tax expense (benefit)		130	3,919	(2,076)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit)		(406)	133	(123)
Income tax related penalty expense (benefit)		(882)	33	(9)
Reconciliation of the uncertain income tax positions
Beginning Balance		4,960	1,041	3,117
Increases - tax positions taken in the current year			95	66
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years		1,239	3,914	27
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years		(1,109)
Statute expirations				(2,169)
Settlements			(90)
Ending Balance		$ 5,090	$ 4,960	$ 1,041	$ 3,117