PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, ASSETS HELD FOR SALE, OPERATING LEASES, AND SALE-LEASEBACK TRANSACTIONS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2012		Mar. 01, 2011	Feb. 28, 2012		Mar. 01, 2011	May 31, 2011
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	$ 1,530,321,000			$ 1,530,321,000			$ 1,597,447,000
Less accumulated depreciation	574,169,000			574,169,000			566,296,000
Property and equipment, net	956,152,000			956,152,000			1,031,151,000
Assets held for sale, noncurrent	19,100,000			19,100,000			23,300,000
Assets held for sale	39,077,000			39,077,000			1,340,000
Carrying values of assets disposed	1,500,000		3,900,000	2,900,000		4,800,000
Net (loss) gain on sale on disposal of assets	100,000		100,000	200,000		100,000
Proceeds from disposal of assets	1,500,000		3,800,000	3,100,000		4,700,000
Operating Leases [Abstract]
Percentage of restaurants located on leased properties (in hundredths)	51.00%			51.00%
Number of company owned restaurants	740			740
Percentage of restaurants located on leased land (in hundredths)	66.00%			66.00%
Percentage of restaurants located on leased land and building (in hundredths)	34.00%			34.00%
Expiration of operating leases (in years)				25Y
Ruby Tuesday resturant, Jacksonville, Florida [Member]
Sale-Leaseback Transactions [Abstract]
Sale-leaseback transaction, gross proceeds				2,300,000
Sale-leaseback transaction costs				100,000
Sale-leaseback transaction, carrying value	1,500,000			1,500,000
Sale-leaseback transaction, lease terms (in years)				15Y
Sale-leaseback transaction, renewal terms (in years)				20Y
Sale-leaseback transaction, deferred gain	700,000			700,000
Ruby Tuesday Concept Restaurant Group [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Future sale-leaseback transactions, assets held-for-sale, long-lived	35,100,000			35,100,000
Restaurants reclassified as held-for-sale, description				21 Ruby Tuesday concept restaurant properties
Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	241,091,000			241,091,000			256,761,000
Building [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	478,283,000			478,283,000			512,177,000
Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	418,803,000			418,803,000			427,169,000
Restaurant Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	273,853,000			273,853,000			279,319,000
Other Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	94,230,000			94,230,000			93,944,000
Construction in Progress and Other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	$ 24,061,000	[1]		$ 24,061,000	[1]		$ 28,077,000	[1]

[1] Included in Construction in progress and other as of February 28, 2012 and May 31, 2011 are $19.1 million and $23.3 million, respectively, of assets held for sale that are not classified as such in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as we do not expect to sell these assets within the next 12 months. These assets primarily consist of parcels of land upon which we have no intention to build restaurants.