Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Apr. 11, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash provided by operating activities		$ 36,215	$ 49,523
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(25,923)	(12,306)
Theatre acquisition		(702)	(2,550)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		(54)	(718)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		2,857	444
Other investing activities		273	260
Net cash used in investing activities		(23,549)	(14,870)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000
Repayments of short-term borrowings		(5,000)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500
Debt issuance costs		(8,621)	(588)
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(1,397)	(1,408)
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(26,698)
Intercompany receivable/payable
Issuance of common stock	56,300	56,565
Purchase of treasury stock		(57)	(26)
Other financing activities			(614)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		55,761	(28,720)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		68,427	5,933
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		13,616	13,066
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		82,043	18,999
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash provided by operating activities		1,288	21,830
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(13,768)	(1,527)
Theatre acquisition			(2,550)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates			(718)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		2,059	6
Other investing activities		273	260
Net cash used in investing activities		(11,436)	(4,529)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000
Repayments of short-term borrowings		(5,000)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500
Debt issuance costs		(8,621)
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(252)	(182)
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(26,698)
Intercompany receivable/payable		20,725	19,188
Issuance of common stock		56,565
Purchase of treasury stock		(57)
Other financing activities			(614)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		77,631	(8,306)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		67,483	8,995
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		3,623	3,418
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		71,106	12,413
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash provided by operating activities		34,927	27,693
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(12,155)	(10,779)
Theatre acquisition		(702)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		(54)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		798	438
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities		(12,113)	(10,341)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings
Repayments of short-term borrowings
Issuance of long-term debt
Debt issuance costs
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(1,145)	(1,226)
Repayments of long-term debt
Intercompany receivable/payable		(20,725)	(19,188)
Issuance of common stock
Purchase of treasury stock
Other financing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(21,870)	(20,414)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		944	(3,062)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		9,993	9,648
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		10,937	6,586
Eliminations [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment
Theatre acquisition
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings
Repayments of short-term borrowings
Issuance of long-term debt
Debt issuance costs
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations
Repayments of long-term debt
Intercompany receivable/payable
Issuance of common stock
Purchase of treasury stock
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