Note 5 - Property, Equipment, Assets Held for Sale, Operating Leases, and Sale-leaseback Transactions - Property and Equipment, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Aug. 30, 2016	May 31, 2016
Land [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		$ 182,829	$ 209,930
Building [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		381,496	398,984
Building Improvements [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		294,500	303,032
Restaurant Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		216,542	222,646
Other Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		80,026	82,204
Other Capitalized Property Plant and Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment	[1]	37,302	4,354
Construction in Progress and Other [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		2,239	3,325
Property, plant and equipment		1,194,934	1,224,475
Less accumulated depreciation		543,157	553,225
Property and equipment, net		$ 651,777	$ 671,250

[1] Surplus properties represent assets held for sale that are not classified as such in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as we have yet to conclude that we can 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, closed properties which include a building, and liquor licenses not needed for operations.