Employees' Stock Incentive Plans and Management Incentive Plans 3 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Apr. 27, 2011	Apr. 28, 2010	Apr. 29, 2009
Employees Stock Incentive Plans And Management Incentive Plans (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of stock option shares granted	1,733,135	1,768,000	1,551,000
Weighted average fair value per share of the options granted	$ 5.36	$ 4.71	$ 5.75
Weighted average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options
Dividend yield	3.90%	4.30%	3.30%
Expected volatility	20.50%	20.20%	14.90%
Expected term (years)	5.5	5.5	5.5
Risk-free interest rate	1.70%	2.70%	3.10%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, Number of Options	12,921,000	14,100,000	22,134,000
Options granted, Number of Options	1,733,135	1,768,000	1,551,000
Options exercised, Number of Options	(4,813,000)	(2,921,000)	(6,684,000)
Options cancelled/forfeited and returned to the plan, Number of Options	(73,000)	(26,000)	(2,901,000)
Ending Balance, Number of Options	9,768,000	12,921,000	14,100,000
Options vested and exercisable, Number of Options	5,744,000	9,300,000	10,933,000
Beginning of Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 39.36	$ 38.59	$ 40.06
Options granted, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 46.42	$ 39.12	$ 50.91
Options exercised, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 35.73	$ 35.46	$ 42.35
Options cancelled/forfeited and returned to the plan, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 42.81	$ 40.44	$ 47.77
End of Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 42.38	$ 39.36	$ 38.59
Options vested and exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 40.65	$ 37.59	$ 36.18
Beginning of Period, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 508,611	$ 544,071	$ 886,758
Options granted, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	80,460	69,166	78,978
Options exercised, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	(171,980)	(103,558)	(283,064)
Options cancelled/forfeited and returned to the plan, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	(3,417)	(1,068)	(138,601)
Ending of Period, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	413,944	508,611	544,071
Options vested and exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 233,507	$ 349,600	$ 395,558

Employees' Stock Incentive Plans and Management Incentive Plans.

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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures in Period, Intrinsic Value.

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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Aggregate Intrinsic Value.

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- Definition

The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(c)

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The period of time a share-based award is expected to be outstanding. A share-based award's expected term shall be determined based on, among other factors, the instrument's contractual term and the effects of employees' expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. An entity is required to aggregate individual awards into relatively homogeneous groups.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(a)

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 14
-Section D
-Subsection 2

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The estimated measure of the percentage amount by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

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The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(d)

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The total dollar difference between fair values of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise prices of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the option plan as of the balance-sheet date.

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The number of shares into which fully or partially vested stock options outstanding as of the balance-sheet date can be currently converted under the option plan.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
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The weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph b(1)(c)

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The decrease in the number of reserved shares that could potentially be issued attributable to the exercise or conversion during the reporting period of previously issued stock options under the option plan.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
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-Subparagraph b(1)(e)

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The total accumulated difference between fair values of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options which were exercised (or share units converted) into shares during the reporting period under the plan.

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
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The weighted average price at which option holders acquired shares when converting their stock options into shares under the plan during the reporting period.

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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- Definition

For presentations that combine terminations, the number of shares under options that were cancelled during the reporting period as a result of occurrence of a terminating event specified in contractual agreements pertaining to the stock option plan or that expired.

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The weighted average price at which grantees could have acquired the underlying shares with respect to stock options that were terminated during the reporting period due to noncompliance with plan terms during the reporting period.

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The quantity of shares issuable on stock options awarded under the plan during the reporting period.

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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The weighted average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on stock options awarded under the plan during the reporting period.

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The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

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The total dollar difference between fair values of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise prices pertaining to options outstanding under the plan as of the balance-sheet date.

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The number of shares reserved for issuance under stock option agreements awarded under the plan that validly exist and are outstanding as of the balance-sheet date, including vested options.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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The weighted average price as of the beginning of the year at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance under the stock option plan.

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