Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 85,779	$ 13,616	$ 21,234	$ 13,066
Restricted cash	17	331
Accounts receivable	5,659	4,985
Inventories	2,945	2,955
Prepaid expenses and other assets	9,969	9,410
Total current assets	104,369	31,297
Property and equipment:
Land	53,695	53,909
Buildings and building improvements	273,148	276,221
Leasehold improvements	121,607	123,547
Assets under capital leases	44,970	44,970
Equipment	214,664	212,457
Construction in progress	3,535	2,349
Total property and equipment	711,619	713,453
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(364,059)	(357,518)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	347,560	355,935
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Goodwill	8,087	8,087
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	1,115	1,169
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	6,503	8,498
Other assets	21,824	17,870
Total assets	489,458	422,856
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	22,649	29,583
Accrued expenses	34,156	31,136
Current maturities of long-term debt, capital leases and long-term financing obligations	2,122	3,959
Total current liabilities	58,927	64,678
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, less current maturities	209,512	196,880
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	113,720	114,608
Intercompany liabilities
Deferred revenue	33,567	34,009
Other	17,251	18,306
Total long-term liabilities	374,050	363,803
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Preferred Stock
Common Stock	539	401
Treasury stock, 457,230 and 452,930 shares at cost at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	(11,740)	(11,683)
Paid-in capital	348,593	290,997
Accumulated deficit	(280,911)	(285,340)
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	56,481	(5,625)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	489,458	422,856
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	72,966	3,623	13,124	3,418
Restricted cash	17	331
Accounts receivable	4,855	4,654
Inventories	719	722
Prepaid expenses and other assets	5,350	4,953
Total current assets	83,907	14,283
Property and equipment:
Land	12,716	12,716
Buildings and building improvements	46,923	46,676
Leasehold improvements	19,625	19,307
Assets under capital leases	8,675	8,675
Equipment	58,972	58,128
Construction in progress	1,535	159
Total property and equipment	148,446	145,661
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(79,054)	(75,760)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	69,392	69,901
Intercompany receivables	104,155	123,071
Investment in subsidiaries	90,268	82,985
Goodwill
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	5,546	8,498
Other assets	15,639	10,536
Total assets	368,907	309,274
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	19,784	27,598
Accrued expenses	15,812	19,752
Current maturities of long-term debt, capital leases and long-term financing obligations	398	2,391
Total current liabilities	35,994	49,741
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, less current maturities	209,512	196,880
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	28,058	28,223
Intercompany liabilities
Deferred revenue	33,567	34,009
Other	5,295	6,045
Total long-term liabilities	276,432	265,157
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Common Stock	539	401
Treasury stock, 457,230 and 452,930 shares at cost at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	(11,740)	(11,683)
Paid-in capital	348,593	290,997
Accumulated deficit	(280,911)	(285,340)
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	56,481	(5,625)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	368,907	309,274
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	12,813	9,993	8,110	9,648
Restricted cash
Accounts receivable	804	331
Inventories	2,226	2,233
Prepaid expenses and other assets	4,619	4,457
Total current assets	20,462	17,014
Property and equipment:
Land	40,979	41,193
Buildings and building improvements	226,225	229,545
Leasehold improvements	101,982	104,240
Assets under capital leases	36,295	36,295
Equipment	155,692	154,329
Construction in progress	2,000	2,190
Total property and equipment	563,173	567,792
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(285,005)	(281,758)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	278,168	286,034
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Goodwill	8,087	8,087
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	1,115	1,169
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	957
Other assets	6,185	7,334
Total assets	314,974	319,638
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,865	1,985
Accrued expenses	18,344	11,384
Current maturities of long-term debt, capital leases and long-term financing obligations	1,724	1,568
Total current liabilities	22,933	14,937
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	85,662	86,385
Intercompany liabilities	104,155	123,071
Deferred revenue
Other	11,956	12,261
Total long-term liabilities	201,773	221,717
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Common Stock	1	1
Treasury stock, 457,230 and 452,930 shares at cost at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively
Paid-in capital	237,800	237,800
Accumulated deficit	(147,533)	(154,816)
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	90,268	82,985
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	314,974	319,638
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Accounts receivable
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Total current assets
Property and equipment:
Land
Buildings and building improvements
Leasehold improvements
Assets under capital leases
Equipment
Construction in progress
Total property and equipment
Accumulated depreciation and amortization
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation
Intercompany receivables	(104,155)	(123,071)
Investment in subsidiaries	(90,268)	(82,985)
Goodwill
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates
Other assets
Total assets	(194,423)	(206,056)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
Accrued expenses
Current maturities of long-term debt, capital leases and long-term financing obligations
Total current liabilities
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities
Intercompany liabilities	(104,155)	(123,071)
Deferred revenue
Other
Total long-term liabilities	(104,155)	(123,071)
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Common Stock	(1)	(1)
Treasury stock, 457,230 and 452,930 shares at cost at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively
Paid-in capital	(237,800)	(237,800)
Accumulated deficit	147,533	154,816
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	(90,268)	(82,985)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	$ (194,423)	$ (206,056)