Note 13 - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2017	Mar. 01, 2016	Feb. 28, 2017	Mar. 01, 2016
Restaurant sales and operating revenue	$ 224,938	$ 269,868	$ 694,517	$ 807,105
Franchise revenue	794	1,602	2,591	4,801
Total revenue	225,732	271,470	697,108	811,906
Cost of goods sold	64,340	75,143	198,672	221,689
Payroll and related costs	80,080	93,357	251,105	280,976
Other restaurant operating costs	45,086	55,311	149,069	173,903
Depreciation and amortization	10,121	12,732	31,838	38,474
General and administrative expenses	13,876	14,148	48,359	44,226
Intercompany general and administrative allocations
Marketing expenses, net	13,807	13,230	43,328	40,396
Closures and Impairments Expenses	13,441	6,123	59,341	20,907
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Interest expense, net	4,870	4,995	14,591	16,100
Intercompany interest expense/(income)
Total operating costs and expenses	245,621	275,039	796,303	836,671
(Loss)/income before income taxes	(19,889)	(3,569)	(99,195)	(24,765)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(84)	(483)	(1,742)	(1,686)
Net loss	(19,805)	(3,086)	(97,453)	(23,079)
Pension liability reclassification	356	885	1,066	1,347
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	(19,449)	(2,201)	(96,387)	(21,732)
Revenue:
Restaurant sales and operating revenue	224,938	269,868	694,517	807,105
Franchise revenue	794	1,602	2,591	4,801
Total revenue	225,732	271,470	697,108	811,906
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	64,340	75,143	198,672	221,689
Payroll and related costs	80,080	93,357	251,105	280,976
Other restaurant operating costs	45,086	55,311	149,069	173,903
Depreciation and amortization	10,121	12,732	31,838	38,474
General and administrative expenses	13,876	14,148	48,359	44,226
Intercompany general and administrative allocations
Marketing expenses, net	13,807	13,230	43,328	40,396
Closures and Impairments Expenses	13,441	6,123	59,341	20,907
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Interest expense, net	4,870	4,995	14,591	16,100
Intercompany interest expense/(income)
Total operating costs and expenses	245,621	275,039	796,303	836,671
(Loss)/income before income taxes	(19,889)	(3,569)	(99,195)	(24,765)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(84)	(483)	(1,742)	(1,686)
Net loss	(19,805)	(3,086)	(97,453)	(23,079)
Total operating costs and expenses		275,039
Other comprehensive income:
Pension liability reclassification	356	885	1,066	1,347
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	(19,449)	(2,201)	(96,387)	(21,732)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Restaurant sales and operating revenue
Franchise revenue
Total revenue
Cost of goods sold
Payroll and related costs
Other restaurant operating costs
Depreciation and amortization
General and administrative expenses
Intercompany general and administrative allocations
Marketing expenses, net
Closures and Impairments Expenses
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	2,017	5,676	(7,791)	18,907
Interest expense, net
Intercompany interest expense/(income)
Total operating costs and expenses	2,017		(7,791)	18,907
(Loss)/income before income taxes	2,017	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
Net loss	(2,017)	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Pension liability reclassification
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	(2,017)	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Revenue:
Restaurant sales and operating revenue
Franchise revenue
Total revenue
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold
Payroll and related costs
Other restaurant operating costs
Depreciation and amortization
General and administrative expenses
Intercompany general and administrative allocations
Marketing expenses, net
Closures and Impairments Expenses
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	2,017	5,676	(7,791)	18,907
Interest expense, net
Intercompany interest expense/(income)
Total operating costs and expenses	2,017		(7,791)	18,907
(Loss)/income before income taxes	2,017	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
Net loss	(2,017)	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Total operating costs and expenses		5,676
Other comprehensive income:
Pension liability reclassification
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	(2,017)	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Parent Company [Member]
Restaurant sales and operating revenue	165,005	194,527	507,414	583,055
Franchise revenue		90	10	220
Total revenue	165,005	194,617	507,424	583,275
Cost of goods sold	47,164	54,209	145,051	160,212
Payroll and related costs	57,485	65,474	179,149	197,732
Other restaurant operating costs	33,356	40,008	108,613	126,234
Depreciation and amortization	7,509	9,008	23,265	27,305
General and administrative expenses	7,295	7,315	26,376	23,797
Intercompany general and administrative allocations	9,167	10,726	28,223	32,188
Marketing expenses, net	10,296	9,685	32,119	29,591
Closures and Impairments Expenses	11,253	3,993	38,025	16,080
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(2,017)	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Interest expense, net	4,688	4,556	13,829	13,806
Intercompany interest expense/(income)	3,035	3,058	8,983	9,049
Total operating costs and expenses	189,231		611,424	617,087
(Loss)/income before income taxes	(24,226)	(7,739)	(104,000)	(33,812)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(4,421)	(4,653)	(6,547)	(10,733)
Net loss	(19,805)	(3,086)	(97,453)	(23,079)
Pension liability reclassification	356	885	1,066	1,347
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	(19,449)	(2,201)	(96,387)	(21,732)
Revenue:
Restaurant sales and operating revenue	165,005	194,527	507,414	583,055
Franchise revenue		90	10	220
Total revenue	165,005	194,617	507,424	583,275
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	47,164	54,209	145,051	160,212
Payroll and related costs	57,485	65,474	179,149	197,732
Other restaurant operating costs	33,356	40,008	108,613	126,234
Depreciation and amortization	7,509	9,008	23,265	27,305
General and administrative expenses	7,295	7,315	26,376	23,797
Intercompany general and administrative allocations	9,167	10,726	28,223	32,188
Marketing expenses, net	10,296	9,685	32,119	29,591
Closures and Impairments Expenses	11,253	3,993	38,025	16,080
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(2,017)	(5,676)	7,791	(18,907)
Interest expense, net	4,688	4,556	13,829	13,806
Intercompany interest expense/(income)	3,035	3,058	8,983	9,049
Total operating costs and expenses	189,231		611,424	617,087
(Loss)/income before income taxes	(24,226)	(7,739)	(104,000)	(33,812)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(4,421)	(4,653)	(6,547)	(10,733)
Net loss	(19,805)	(3,086)	(97,453)	(23,079)
Total operating costs and expenses		202,356
Other comprehensive income:
Pension liability reclassification	356	885	1,066	1,347
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	(19,449)	(2,201)	(96,387)	(21,732)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Restaurant sales and operating revenue	59,933	75,341	187,103	224,050
Franchise revenue	794	1,512	2,581	4,581
Total revenue	60,727	76,853	189,684	228,631
Cost of goods sold	17,176	20,934	53,621	61,477
Payroll and related costs	22,595	27,883	71,956	83,244
Other restaurant operating costs	11,730	15,303	40,456	47,669
Depreciation and amortization	2,612	3,724	8,573	11,169
General and administrative expenses	6,581	6,833	21,983	20,429
Intercompany general and administrative allocations	(9,167)	(10,726)	(28,223)	(32,188)
Marketing expenses, net	3,511	3,545	11,209	10,805
Closures and Impairments Expenses	2,188	2,130	21,316	4,827
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Interest expense, net	182	439	762	2,294
Intercompany interest expense/(income)	(3,035)	(3,058)	(8,983)	(9,049)
Total operating costs and expenses	54,373		192,670	200,677
(Loss)/income before income taxes	6,354	9,846	(2,986)	27,954
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,337	4,170	4,805	9,047
Net loss	2,017	5,676	(7,791)	18,907
Pension liability reclassification
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	2,017	5,676	(7,791)	18,907
Revenue:
Restaurant sales and operating revenue	59,933	75,341	187,103	224,050
Franchise revenue	794	1,512	2,581	4,581
Total revenue	60,727	76,853	189,684	228,631
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	17,176	20,934	53,621	61,477
Payroll and related costs	22,595	27,883	71,956	83,244
Other restaurant operating costs	11,730	15,303	40,456	47,669
Depreciation and amortization	2,612	3,724	8,573	11,169
General and administrative expenses	6,581	6,833	21,983	20,429
Intercompany general and administrative allocations	(9,167)	(10,726)	(28,223)	(32,188)
Marketing expenses, net	3,511	3,545	11,209	10,805
Closures and Impairments Expenses	2,188	2,130	21,316	4,827
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Interest expense, net	182	439	762	2,294
Intercompany interest expense/(income)	(3,035)	(3,058)	(8,983)	(9,049)
Total operating costs and expenses	54,373		192,670	200,677
(Loss)/income before income taxes	6,354	9,846	(2,986)	27,954
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,337	4,170	4,805	9,047
Net loss	2,017	5,676	(7,791)	18,907
Total operating costs and expenses		67,007
Other comprehensive income:
Pension liability reclassification
Total comprehensive (loss)/income	$ 2,017	$ 5,676	$ (7,791)	$ 18,907