Revenue Recognition (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
		Dec. 27, 2018	Sep. 27, 2018	Jun. 28, 2018	Mar. 29, 2018	Dec. 28, 2017		Sep. 28, 2017		Jun. 29, 2017		Mar. 30, 2017		Dec. 27, 2018		Dec. 28, 2017		Dec. 29, 2016		Dec. 29, 2017	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Total revenues		$ 175,032	$ 170,599	$ 193,298	$ 168,191	$ 165,581	[1],[2]	$ 162,375	[1]	$ 160,140	[1]	$ 165,456	[1]	$ 707,120	[3]	$ 653,552	[3]	$ 574,324	[3]
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Advertising and marketing														23,775		23,960		21,582
Other operating expenses														36,534		31,525		33,360
Total costs and expenses														623,931		576,245		502,851
Operating income		14,653	22,413	29,107	17,016	17,822	[1],[2]	21,863	[1]	19,169	[1]	18,453	[1]	83,189		77,307		71,473
Income taxes														13,127		3,625		22,994
Net earnings attributable to The Marcus Corporation		8,720	$ 16,231	$ 18,619	$ 9,821	34,441	[2]	$ 10,978		$ 10,124		$ 9,453		53,391		64,996		37,902
Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Refundable income taxes		5,983				15,335								5,983		15,335
Total current assets		68,949				76,721								68,949		76,721
Total assets		989,331				1,017,797								989,331		1,017,797		911,266
Other accrued liabilities		59,645				53,291								59,645		53,291
Total current liabilities		149,256				159,683								149,256		159,683
Deferred compensation and other		56,908				56,662								56,908		56,662
Retained earnings		439,178				403,206								439,178		403,206
Shareholders' equity attributable to The Marcus Corporation		490,009				445,024								490,009		445,024
Total equity		490,119				445,124								490,119		445,124		391,647		$ 442,556	$ 365,698
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity		989,331				$ 1,017,797								989,331		1,017,797
Previously Reported [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	[4]													701,383
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Advertising and marketing	[4]													24,851
Other operating expenses	[4]													31,656
Total costs and expenses	[4]													618,826
Operating income	[4]													82,557
Income taxes	[4]													13,002
Net earnings attributable to The Marcus Corporation	[4]													52,884
Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Refundable income taxes	[4]	5,163												5,163
Total current assets	[4]	68,129												68,129
Total assets	[4]	988,511												988,511
Other accrued liabilities	[4]	56,863												56,863
Total current liabilities	[4]	146,474												146,474
Deferred compensation and other	[4]	56,809												56,809
Retained earnings	[4]	441,239												441,239
Shareholders' equity attributable to The Marcus Corporation	[4]	492,070												492,070
Total equity	[4]	492,180												492,180
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	[4]	988,511												988,511
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues														5,737
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Advertising and marketing														(1,076)
Other operating expenses														4,878
Total costs and expenses														5,105
Operating income														632
Income taxes														125
Net earnings attributable to The Marcus Corporation														507
Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Refundable income taxes		820												820						945
Total current assets		820												820
Total assets		820												820
Other accrued liabilities		2,782												2,782						3,296
Total current liabilities		2,782												2,782
Deferred compensation and other		99												99						217
Retained earnings		(2,061)												(2,061)						$ (2,568)
Shareholders' equity attributable to The Marcus Corporation		(2,061)												(2,061)
Total equity		(2,061)												(2,061)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity		$ 820												820
Theatre admissions
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														246,385		227,091		186,768
Theatre admissions | Previously Reported [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	[4]													248,190
Theatre admissions | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														(1,805)
Theatre concessions
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														166,564		148,989		120,975
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold														47,522		43,634		32,407
Theatre concessions | Previously Reported [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	[4]													164,038
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	[4]													46,888
Theatre concessions | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														2,526
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold														634
Food and beverage
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														72,771		70,627		67,551
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold														58,662		59,375		55,526
Food and beverage | Previously Reported [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	[4]													72,752
Food and beverage | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														19
Other revenues
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														78,329	[5]	69,131		63,403
Other revenues | Previously Reported [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	[4]													73,332
Other revenues | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax														4,997
Theatre operations
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold														217,851		$ 197,270		$ 160,729
Theatre operations | Previously Reported [Member]
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	[4]													217,182
Theatre operations | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Cost of Goods and Services Sold														$ 669

[1] Amounts restated due to the adoption of ASC No. 2017-07, Compensation, Retirement Benefits, and the inclusion of cost reimbursements within Revenues.

[2] The Company recorded a one-time income tax adjustment of $21,240 during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 related to the future lower federal tax rate resulting from the December 2017 signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

[3] Revenues include cost reimbursements of $34,285 for fiscal 2018 (Theatres - $1,292, Hotels/Resorts - $32,993); $30,838 for fiscal 2017 (Theatres - $2,140, Hotels/Resorts – $28,698); and $30,460 for fiscal 2016 (Theatres - $2,440, Hotels/Resorts - $28,020)

[4] The amounts reflect each affected financial statement line item as they would have been reported under US GAAP prior to the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09.

[5] Included in other revenues is an immaterial amount related to rental income that is not considered contract revenue from contracts with customers under ASC No. 2014-09.