General - Shareholders' Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Jul. 01, 2021	Apr. 01, 2021	Sep. 29, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting standards update [Extensible Enumeration]						Accounting Standards Update 2020-06 [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 452,733	$ 441,778	$ 453,614	$ 437,528	$ 457,855	$ 498,723	$ 453,614	$ 498,723
Cash dividends:	(1,220)
Exercise of stock options	813	53	26	81	82	1,292
Purchase of treasury stock	(809)	(104)	(1,373)	(60)	(73)	(1,181)
Savings and profit-sharing contribution			956			1,012
Reissuance of treasury stock	18	7	9	126	6	12
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	0	0		0	0
Shared-based compensation	2,464	1,655	2,917	2,521	2,668	1,484
Other		0	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock			0		0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	3,549	9,344	(14,371)	2,110	(23,010)	(27,678)	(1,478)	(48,578)
Ending balance	457,228	452,733	441,778	442,306	437,528	457,855	457,228	442,306
Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance						(15,809)		(15,809)
Shareholders’ Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	452,733	441,778	453,614	437,528	457,855	498,723	453,614	498,723
Cash dividends:	(1,220)
Exercise of stock options	813	53	26	81	82	1,292
Purchase of treasury stock	(809)	(104)	(1,373)	(60)	(73)	(1,181)
Savings and profit-sharing contribution			956			1,012
Reissuance of treasury stock	18	7	9	126	6	12
Issuance of non-vested stock		0	0
Shared-based compensation	2,464	1,655	2,917	2,521	2,668	1,484
Other		0	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock			0
Comprehensive income (loss)	3,549	9,344	(14,371)	2,110	(23,010)	(27,678)
Ending balance	457,228	452,733	441,778	442,306	437,528	457,855	457,228	442,306
Shareholders’ Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance						(15,809)		(15,809)
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	24,498	24,498	24,345	24,342	24,049	23,264	24,345	23,264
Savings and profit-sharing contribution			56			44
Forfeitures of non-vested stock				(2)
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	0	78		18	221
Conversions of Class B Common Stock			19		275	520
Ending balance	24,498	24,498	24,498	24,340	24,342	24,049	24,498	24,340
Capital in Excess of Par
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	150,565	149,234	145,656	140,916	138,446	153,529	145,656	153,529
Exercise of stock options	(175)	(16)	(5)	(44)	(40)	(659)
Savings and profit-sharing contribution			900			968
Reissuance of treasury stock	(2)	(2)	1	20	(1)	2
Forfeitures of non-vested stock				(137)
Issuance of non-vested stock	(131)	(305)	(236)		(157)	(367)
Shared-based compensation	2,464	1,655	2,917	2,521	2,668	1,484
Other		(1)	1
Ending balance	152,721	150,565	149,234	143,276	140,916	138,446	152,721	143,276
Capital in Excess of Par | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance						(16,511)		(16,511)
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	283,364	274,403	289,306	281,102	304,468	331,897	289,306	331,897
Cash dividends:	(1,220)
Other		1	(1)			(1)
Comprehensive income (loss)	3,289	8,960	(14,902)	1,759	(23,366)	(28,130)
Ending balance	285,113	283,364	274,403	282,861	281,102	304,468	285,113	282,861
Retained Earnings | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance						702		702
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(10,529)	(10,913)	(11,444)	(14,125)	(14,481)	(14,933)	(11,444)	(14,933)
Comprehensive income (loss)	260	384	531	351	356	452
Ending balance	(10,269)	(10,529)	(10,913)	(13,774)	(14,125)	(14,481)	(10,269)	(13,774)
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(2,276)	(2,555)	(1,379)	(1,838)	(2,033)	(2,960)	(1,379)	(2,960)
Exercise of stock options	988	69	31	125	122	1,951
Purchase of treasury stock	(809)	(104)	(1,373)	(60)	(73)	(1,181)
Reissuance of treasury stock	20	9	8	106	7	10
Forfeitures of non-vested stock				139
Issuance of non-vested stock	131	305	158		139	146
Other						1
Ending balance	(1,946)	(2,276)	(2,555)	(1,528)	(1,838)	(2,033)	(1,946)	(1,528)
Non- controlling Interest
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)					0	0
Ending balance	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock, dividends (in dollars per share)	$ 0.05
Class B Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends:	$ (320)
Common stock, dividends (in dollars per share)	$ 0.045
Class B Common Stock | Shareholders’ Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends:	$ (320)
Class B Common Stock | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	7,111	7,111	7,130	7,131	7,406	7,926	7,130	7,926
Conversions of Class B Common Stock			(19)		(275)	(520)
Ending balance	7,111	$ 7,111	$ 7,111	$ 7,131	$ 7,131	$ 7,406	$ 7,111	$ 7,131
Class B Common Stock | Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends:	$ (320)