Note 5 - Property, Equipment, Assets Held for Sale, Operating Leases, and Sale-leaseback Transactions - Property and Equipment, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 06, 2017	May 31, 2016
Property, plant and equipment		$ 1,056,521	$ 1,224,475
Less accumulated depreciation		473,424	553,225
Property and equipment, net		583,097	671,250
Land [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		180,520	209,930
Building [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		366,566	398,984
Building Improvements [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		227,056	303,032
Restaurant Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		192,217	222,646
Other Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		71,851	82,204
Other Capitalized Property Plant and Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment	[1]	17,139	4,354
Construction in Progress and Other [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		$ 1,172	$ 3,325

[1] Surplus properties represent assets held for sale that are not classified as such in the 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, closed properties which include a building, and liquor licenses not needed for operations.