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]	Non- controlling Interests [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Shareholders'Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]	Common Class B [Member]	Common Class B [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Common Class B [Member] Shareholders'Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 365,698	$ 56,474	$ 325,355	$ (5,221)	$ (44,446)	$ 363,352	$ 2,346	$ 22,479			$ 8,711
Cash dividends:								(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
Cash dividends:								(9,575)	(9,575)	(9,575)	(3,929)	(3,929)	(3,929)
Exercise of stock options	2,271	105	0	0	2,166	2,271	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(850)	0	0	0	(850)	(850)	0	0			0
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	1,024	600	0	0	424	1,024	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	429	253	0	0	176	429	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(501)	0	0	501	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	2,411	2,411	0	0	0	2,411	0	0			0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(410)	0	494	0	0	494	(904)	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	166			(166)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(20)	0	0	0	0	0	(20)	0			0
Comprehensive income (loss)	62,126	0	64,996	(2,359)	0	62,637	(511)	0			0
Balance at Dec. 28, 2017	445,124	61,452	403,206	(7,425)	(43,399)	445,024	100	22,656			8,534
Reclassification to Unappropriated Retained Earnings (Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]) at Dec. 29, 2017	0	0	(11)	11	0	0	0	0			0
Reclassification to Unappropriated Retained Earnings (Accounting Standards Update 2018-02 [Member]) at Dec. 29, 2017	0	0	1,574	(1,574)	0	0	0	0			0
Reclassification to Unappropriated Retained Earnings (Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]) at Dec. 29, 2017	(2,568)	0	(2,568)	0	0	(2,568)	0	0			0
Balance at Dec. 29, 2017	442,556	61,452	402,201	(8,988)	(43,399)	442,456	100	22,656			8,534
Cash dividends:								(11,811)	$ (11,811)	$ (11,811)	(4,603)	$ (4,603)	$ (4,603)
Exercise of stock options	7,048	(736)	0	0	7,784	7,048	0	0			0
Purchase of treasury stock	(2,898)	0	0	0	(2,898)	(2,898)	0	0			0
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	1,130	651	0	0	479	1,130	0	0			0
Reissuance of treasury stock	375	231	0	0	144	375	0	0			0
Issuance of non-vested stock	0	(459)	0	0	459	0	0	0			0
Share-based compensation	2,691	2,691	0	0	0	2,691	0	0			0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	187			(187)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(64)	0	0	0	0	0	(64)	0			0
Comprehensive income (loss)	55,695	0	53,391	2,230	0	55,621	74	0			0
Balance at Dec. 27, 2018	$ 490,119	$ 63,830	$ 439,178	$ (6,758)	$ (37,431)	$ 490,009	$ 110	$ 22,843			$ 8,347

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