Income taxes - (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 28, 2022	Jan. 29, 2021	Jan. 31, 2020
Current:
Federal	$ 472,913	$ 614,207	$ 368,451
Foreign	384	127	102
State	76,261	100,002	65,215
Total current income taxes	549,558	714,336	433,768
Deferred:
Federal	93,114	32,433	45,966
Foreign	(38)	(104)	(15)
State	21,283	2,665	9,456
Total deferred income taxes	114,359	34,994	55,407
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	663,917	749,330	489,175
Reconciliation between actual income taxes and amounts computed by applying federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes	643,262	714,920	462,364
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	77,086	81,117	60,936
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes	(39,936)	(27,479)	(27,768)
Other, net	(16,495)	(19,228)	(6,357)
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	$ 663,917	$ 749,330	$ 489,175
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%
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit (as a percent)	2.50%	2.40%	2.80%
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes (as a percent)	(1.30%)	(0.80%)	(1.30%)
Other, net (as a percent)	(0.50%)	(0.60%)	(0.30%)
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes (as a percent)	21.70%	22.00%	22.20%
Decrease in tax rate	0.30%	0.20%
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred compensation expense	$ 11,563	$ 9,161
Accrued expenses	26,984	52,195
Accrued rent	552	650
Lease liabilities	2,617,954	2,459,976
Accrued insurance	6,971	6,550
Accrued incentive compensation	30,716	46,083
Share based compensation	16,605	19,495
Interest rate hedges	383	730
Tax benefit of income tax and interest reserves related to uncertain tax positions	79	189
State and foreign tax net operating loss carry forward, net of federal tax	903	804
State tax credit carry forwards, net of federal tax	6,973	6,619
Other	16,715	6,823
Total deferred tax assets, gross	2,736,398	2,609,275
Less valuation allowances, net of federal income taxes	(5,235)	(4,077)
Total deferred tax assets	2,731,163	2,605,198
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	(572,286)	(481,279)
Lease assets	(2,588,709)	(2,433,195)
Inventories	(68,780)	(74,985)
Trademarks	(310,011)	(312,258)
Prepaid insurance	(15,278)	(13,532)
Other	(1,353)	(498)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(3,556,417)	(3,315,747)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(825,254)	(710,549)
State tax credit carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2022 through 2026	7,000
Apportioned state net operating loss carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2032 through 2041	18,100
Increase in income tax amount	1,100	0
Reserve for uncertain tax positions that would impact effective tax rate if recognized	6,200	7,500
Interest accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	200	500
Potential penalties accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	0	0
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in noncurrent Other liabilities	6,400	8,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions for which a reduction is reasonably possible in the next twelve months	1,700
Income tax amounts associated with uncertain tax positions
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1,311)	2,411	$ 130
Income tax related interest expense (benefit)	(281)	104	(406)
Income tax related penalty expense (benefit)			(882)
Reconciliation of the uncertain income tax positions
Beginning Balance	7,502	5,090	4,960
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years	2,803	3,857	1,239
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years		(1,445)	(1,109)
Statute expirations	(1,456)
Settlements	(2,658)
Ending Balance	$ 6,191	$ 7,502	$ 5,090