Note 7 - Closures and Impairments Expense, Including Trademark Impairments - Closures and Impairments Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Dec. 01, 2015	Jun. 06, 2017	May 31, 2016	Jun. 02, 2015
Gain on sale of surplus properties			$ (5,937)
Trademark impairment
Closed restaurant lease reserves		18,035	4,090
Closures and Impairments Expenses		69,808	64,680	10,542
Lime Fresh Trademark [Member]
Trademark impairment	$ 2,000
Continuing Operations [Member]
Gain on sale of surplus properties		(4,414)	(822)	(1,707)
Closed restaurant lease reserves		18,035	4,090	1,461
Closures and Impairments Expenses		69,808	64,680	10,542
Continuing Operations [Member] \| Lime Fresh Trademark [Member]
Trademark impairment			1,999
Continuing Operations [Member] \| Other Closing Expense [Member]
Closures and Impairments Expenses		10,213	1,260	966
Property [Member] \| Continuing Operations [Member]
Closures and Impairments Expenses		$ 45,974	$ 58,153	$ 9,822

The charge against earnings for lease reserves on closed restaurants.

No definition available.

Name:	rt_ClosedRestaurantLeaseReserves
Namespace Prefix:	rt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Includes the net gain or loss on sales of real estate on which we formerly operated a Company restaurant that was closed, lease reserves established when we cease using a property under an operating lease and subsequent adjustments to those reserves and other facility-related expenses from previously closed stores; in addition, the charge against earnings resulting from the impairment of restaurants.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rt_ClosuresAndImpairmentsExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	rt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets, including but not limited to property plant and equipment, intangible assets and equity in securities of subsidiaries or equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68055307&loc=d3e2443-110228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of a finite-lived intangible asset to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16373-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=rt_LimeFreshTrademarkMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis=us-gaap_SegmentContinuingOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis=rt_OtherClosingExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedLongLivedAssetsHeldAndUsedByTypeAxis=rt_PropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: