Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Revenues:
Admissions	$ 86,936	$ 84,680	$ 170,126	$ 145,720
Concessions and other	49,355	46,794	96,872	81,467
Total operating revenues	136,291	131,474	266,998	227,187
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	48,533	46,623	92,040	78,699
Concession costs	5,510	5,329	11,102	9,195
Other theatre operating costs	52,707	49,448	105,254	98,461
General and administrative expenses	5,174	4,496	10,174	9,229
Severance agreement charges	493	845	493	845
Depreciation and amortization	7,756	7,874	15,542	15,662
Loss on sale of property and equipment		80	248	60
Write-off of note receivable		750		750
Impairment of long-lived assets	50	1,164	1,536	1,325
Total operating costs and expenses	120,223	116,609	236,389	214,226
Operating income	16,068	14,865	30,609	12,961
Interest expense	8,611	8,631	16,874	17,784
Loss on extinguishment of debt	4,961		4,961
Equity in earnings loss of subsidiaries
Income (loss) before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	2,496	6,234	8,774	(4,823)
Income tax (benefit) expense	918	794	3,332	7,289
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(448)	497	(992)	(304)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	1,130	5,937	4,450	(12,416)
Loss from discontinued operations	68	(54)	(21)	(99)
Net income (loss)	1,198	5,883	4,429	(12,515)
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	14,254	14,131	28,029	25,124
Concessions and other	14,982	14,623	29,804	26,298
Total operating revenues	29,236	28,754	57,833	51,422
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	8,006	7,836	15,238	13,656
Concession costs	999	972	2,014	1,716
Other theatre operating costs	10,337	10,382	21,530	20,408
General and administrative expenses	4,588	3,984	9,016	8,169
Severance agreement charges	493	845	493	845
Depreciation and amortization	1,716	1,691	3,425	3,294
Loss on sale of property and equipment		67	20	67
Write-off of note receivable	750		750
Impairment of long-lived assets	4	786	13	908
Total operating costs and expenses	26,143	27,313	51,749	49,813
Operating income	3,093	1,441	6,084	1,609
Interest expense	(2,363)	2,738	4,882	5,976
Loss on extinguishment of debt	4,961		4,961
Equity in earnings loss of subsidiaries	(3,912)	(7,483)	(7,306)	519
Income (loss) before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(319)	6,186	3,547	(4,919)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(2,034)	784	(2,109)	7,526
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(518)	405	(1,172)	(445)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	1,197	5,807	4,484	(12,620)
Loss from discontinued operations	1	76	(55)	105
Net income (loss)	1,198	5,883	4,429	(12,515)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	72,682	70,549	142,097	120,596
Concessions and other	40,980	38,534	79,988	66,434
Total operating revenues	113,662	109,083	222,085	187,030
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	40,527	38,787	76,802	65,043
Concession costs	4,511	4,357	9,088	7,479
Other theatre operating costs	48,977	45,429	96,644	89,318
General and administrative expenses	586	512	1,158	1,060
Severance agreement charges
Depreciation and amortization	6,040	6,183	12,117	12,368
Loss on sale of property and equipment		13	228	(7)
Write-off of note receivable
Impairment of long-lived assets	46	378	1,523	417
Total operating costs and expenses	100,687	95,659	197,560	175,678
Operating income	12,975	13,424	24,525	11,352
Interest expense	(6,248)	5,893	11,992	11,808
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings loss of subsidiaries
Income (loss) before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	6,727	7,531	12,533	(456)
Income tax (benefit) expense	2,952	10	5,441	33
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	70	92	180	141
Income (loss) from continuing operations	3,845	7,613	7,272	(315)
Loss from discontinued operations	67	(130)	34	(204)
Net income (loss)	3,912	7,483	7,306	(519)
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions
Concessions and other	(6,607)	(6,363)	(12,920)	(11,265)
Total operating revenues	(6,607)	(6,363)	(12,920)	(11,265)
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs
Concession costs
Other theatre operating costs	(6,607)	(6,363)	(12,920)	(11,265)
General and administrative expenses
Severance agreement charges
Depreciation and amortization
Loss on sale of property and equipment
Write-off of note receivable
Impairment of long-lived assets
Total operating costs and expenses	(6,607)	(6,363)	(12,920)	(11,265)
Operating income
Interest expense
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings loss of subsidiaries	3,912	7,483	7,306	(519)
Income (loss) before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(3,912)	(7,483)	(7,306)	519
Income tax (benefit) expense
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(3,912)	(7,483)	(7,306)	519
Loss from discontinued operations
Net income (loss)	$ (3,912)	$ (7,483)	$ (7,306)	$ 519