Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Revenues:
Admissions	$ 80,409	$ 86,081	$ 250,423	$ 231,677
Concessions and other	47,067	47,253	143,888	128,665
Total operating revenues	127,476	133,334	394,311	360,342
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	44,146	46,996	136,126	125,627
Concession costs	5,768	5,671	16,863	14,858
Other theatre operating costs	53,380	54,093	158,465	152,385
General and administrative expenses	5,650	4,458	15,826	13,687
Severance agreement charges	95		588	845
Depreciation and amortization	8,488	8,246	24,028	23,905
Loss (gain) on sale of Property and equipment	699	47	948	108
Write-off of note receivable				750
Impairment of long-lived assets	1,835	18	3,371	1,342
Total operating costs and expenses	120,061	119,529	356,215	333,507
Operating income	7,415	13,805	38,096	26,835
Interest expense	8,605	8,050	25,478	25,833
Loss on extinguishment of debt			4,961
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	(1,190)	5,755	7,657	1,002
Income tax (benefit) expense	464	3,936	3,822	11,251
Loss (Income) from unconsolidated affiliates	1,950	1,291	958	987
Income from continuing operations	296	3,110	4,793	(9,262)
Loss from discontinued operations	(63)	(20)	(130)	(163)
Net income (loss)	233	3,090	4,663	(9,425)
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	12,946	14,045	40,863	39,046
Concessions and other	14,062	14,247	43,815	40,490
Total operating revenues	27,008	28,292	84,678	79,536
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	7,163	7,764	22,341	21,352
Concession costs	975	980	2,983	2,688
Other theatre operating costs	10,402	10,905	31,763	31,146
General and administrative expenses	5,094	3,922	14,112	12,091
Severance agreement charges	95		588	845
Depreciation and amortization	1,925	1,686	5,348	4,975
Loss (gain) on sale of Property and equipment	718	51	739	118
Write-off of note receivable				750
Impairment of long-lived assets	579		593	907
Total operating costs and expenses	26,951	25,308	78,467	74,872
Operating income	57	2,984	6,211	4,664
Interest expense	2,117	2,267	6,998	8,242
Loss on extinguishment of debt			4,961
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(284)	(5,173)	(7,570)	(4,621)
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	(1,776)	5,890	1,822	1,043
Income tax (benefit) expense	(157)	3,999	(2,240)	11,255
Loss (Income) from unconsolidated affiliates	1,870	1,189	698	744
Income from continuing operations	251	3,080	4,760	(9,468)
Loss from discontinued operations	(18)	10	(97)	43
Net income (loss)	233	3,090	4,663	(9,425)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	67,463	72,036	209,560	192,631
Concessions and other	39,168	39,450	119,156	105,885
Total operating revenues	106,631	111,486	328,716	298,516
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	36,983	39,232	113,785	104,275
Concession costs	4,793	4,691	13,880	12,170
Other theatre operating costs	49,141	49,632	145,785	138,949
General and administrative expenses	556	536	1,714	1,596
Severance agreement charges
Depreciation and amortization	6,563	6,560	18,680	18,930
Loss (gain) on sale of Property and equipment	(19)	(4)	209	(10)
Write-off of note receivable
Impairment of long-lived assets	1,256	18	2,778	435
Total operating costs and expenses	99,273	100,665	296,831	276,345
Operating income	7,358	10,821	31,885	22,171
Interest expense	6,488	5,783	18,480	17,591
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	870	5,038	13,405	4,580
Income tax (benefit) expense	621	(63)	6,062	(4)
Loss (Income) from unconsolidated affiliates	80	102	260	243
Income from continuing operations	329	5,203	7,603	4,827
Loss from discontinued operations	(45)	(30)	(33)	(206)
Net income (loss)	284	5,173	7,570	4,621
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions
Concessions and other	(6,163)	(6,444)	(19,083)	(17,710)
Total operating revenues	(6,163)	(6,444)	(19,083)	(17,710)
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs
Concession costs
Other theatre operating costs	(6,163)	(6,444)	(19,083)	(17,710)
General and administrative expenses
Severance agreement charges
Depreciation and amortization
Loss (gain) on sale of Property and equipment
Write-off of note receivable
Impairment of long-lived assets
Total operating costs and expenses	(6,163)	(6,444)	(19,083)	(17,710)
Operating income
Interest expense
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	284	5,173	7,570	4,621
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	(284)	(5,173)	(7,570)	(4,621)
Income tax (benefit) expense
Loss (Income) from unconsolidated affiliates
Income from continuing operations	(284)	(5,173)	(7,570)	(4,621)
Loss from discontinued operations
Net income (loss)	$ (284)	$ (5,173)	$ (7,570)	$ (4,621)