Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Apr. 11, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		$ 26,129	$ 41,404
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(10,626)	(6,248)
Theatre acquisition		(702)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		700	444
Other investing activities		314	279
Net cash used in investing activities		(10,314)	(5,525)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000
Repayment of short-term borrowings		(5,000)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(26,161)
Debt issuance costs		(8,599)	(588)
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(900)	(962)
Issuance of common stock	56,300	56,633
Purchase of treasury stock		(57)
Intercompany receivable/payable
Other financing activities		(588)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		56,348	(27,711)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		72,163	8,168
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		13,616	13,066
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		85,779	21,234
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		(2,151)	24,870
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(4,855)	(2,293)
Theatre acquisition
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		33	6
Other investing activities		314	279
Net cash used in investing activities		(4,508)	(2,008)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000
Repayment of short-term borrowings		(5,000)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(26,279)
Debt issuance costs		(8,599)
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(162)
Issuance of common stock		56,633
Purchase of treasury stock		(57)
Intercompany receivable/payable		18,916	13,711
Other financing activities		(588)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		76,002	(13,156)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		69,343	9,706
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		3,623	3,418
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		72,966	13,124
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		28,280	16,534
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(5,771)	(3,955)
Theatre acquisition		(702)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		667	438
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities		(5,806)	(3,517)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings
Repayment of short-term borrowings
Issuance of long-term debt
Repayments of long-term debt			(844)
Debt issuance costs
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(738)
Issuance of common stock
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany receivable/payable		(18,916)	(13,711)
Other financing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(19,654)	(14,555)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		2,820	(1,538)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		9,993	9,648
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		12,813	8,110
Eliminations [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment
Theatre acquisition
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings
Repayment of short-term borrowings
Issuance of long-term debt
Repayments of long-term debt
Debt issuance costs
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations
Issuance of common stock
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany receivable/payable
Other financing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period