CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Capital in Excess of par [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Shareholders'Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member] Shareholders'Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Shareholders'Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]
Balance at May. 31, 2012	$ 343,789	$ 50,836	$ 296,644	$ (4,139)	$ (30,742)	$ 343,789	$ 0	$ 8,818			$ 23,372
Common Stock, Dividend								(10,688)	$ (10,688)	$ (10,688)	(24,926)	$ (24,926)	$ (24,926)
Exercise of stock options	2,182	(417)	0	0	2,599	2,182	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(24,638)	0	0	0	(24,638)	(24,638)	0	0			0
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	834	(4)	0	0	838	834	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	507	(13)	0	0	520	507	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(248)	0	0	248	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	1,772	1,772	0	0	0	1,772	0	0			0
Other	222	53	0	0	0	53	169	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(61)			61
Equity contributions	4,000	0	0	0	0	0	4,000	0			0
Comprehensive income	23,642	0	17,506	311	0	17,817	5,825	0			0
Balance at May. 30, 2013	316,696	51,979	278,536	(3,828)	(51,175)	306,702	9,994	8,757			22,433
Common Stock, Dividend								(2,782)	(2,782)	(2,782)	(6,421)	(6,421)	(6,421)
Exercise of stock options	5,605	98	0	0	5,507	5,605	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(4,180)	0	0	0	(4,180)	(4,180)	0	0			0
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	782	99	0	0	683	782	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	295	40	0	0	255	295	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(311)	0	0	311	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	1,781	1,781	0	0	0	1,781	0	0			0
Other	158	158	0	0	0	158	0	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(25)			25
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(2,124)	0	0	0	0	0	(2,124)	0			0
Comprehensive income	20,169	0	25,001	(730)	0	24,271	(4,102)	0			0
Balance at May. 29, 2014	329,979	53,844	294,334	(4,558)	(48,599)	326,211	3,768	8,732			22,458
Common Stock, Dividend								(3,092)	$ (3,092)	$ (3,092)	(7,298)	$ (7,298)	$ (7,298)
Exercise of stock options	2,964	(66)	0	0	3,030	2,964	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(1,092)	0	0	0	(1,092)	(1,092)	0	0			0
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	888	320	0	0	568	888	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	318	91	0	0	227	318	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(289)	0	0	289	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	1,499	1,499	0	0	0	1,499	0	0			0
Other	140	140	0	0	0	140	0	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(21)			21
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(959)	0	0	0	0	0	(959)	0			0
Comprehensive income	22,888	0	23,995	(754)	0	23,241	(353)	0			0
Balance at May. 28, 2015	$ 346,235	$ 55,539	$ 307,939	$ (5,312)	$ (45,577)	$ 343,779	$ 2,456	$ 8,711			$ 22,479