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]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Shareholders'Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [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]
Balance at May. 30, 2013	$ 316,696	$ 51,979	$ 278,536	$ (3,828)	$ (51,175)	$ 306,702	$ 9,994	$ 22,433			$ 8,757
Common Stock, Dividend								(6,421)	$ (6,421)	$ (6,421)	(2,782)	$ (2,782)	$ (2,782)
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 (loss)	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	22,458			8,732
Common Stock, Dividend								(7,298)	(7,298)	(7,298)	(3,092)	(3,092)	(3,092)
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 (loss)	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	22,479			8,711
Common Stock, Dividend								(3,969)	(3,969)	(3,969)	(1,663)	(1,663)	(1,663)
Exercise of stock options	860	(2)	0	0	862	860	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(75)	0	0	0	(75)	(75)	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	251	99	0	0	152	251	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(192)	0	0	192	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	975	975	0	0	0	975	0	0			0
Other	55	55	(517)	0	0	(462)	517	0			0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(505)	0	0	0	0	0	(505)	0			0
Comprehensive income (loss)	23,534	0	23,565	91	0	23,656	(122)	0			0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	365,698	56,474	325,355	(5,221)	(44,446)	363,352	2,346	22,479			8,711
Common Stock, Dividend								(8,477)	$ (8,477)	$ (8,477)	(3,560)	$ (3,560)	$ (3,560)
Exercise of stock options	3,986	116	0	0	3,870	3,986	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(6,389)	0	0	0	(6,389)	(6,389)	0	0			0
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	905	304	0	0	601	905	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	300	120	0	0	180	300	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(368)	0	0	368	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	1,899	1,899	0	0	0	1,899	0	0			0
Other	39	39	0	0	0	39	0	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11			(11)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(448)	0	0	0	0	0	(448)	0			0
Comprehensive income (loss)	37,694	0	37,902	155	0	38,057	(363)	0			0
Balance at Dec. 29, 2016	$ 391,647	$ 58,584	$ 351,220	$ (5,066)	$ (45,816)	$ 390,112	$ 1,535	$ 22,490			$ 8,700