Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 11, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		$ 52,385	$ 69,887	$ 27,685
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(35,059)	(19,282)	(16,903)
Release of restricted cash		38	4	68
Theatre acquisitions		(22,237)	(11,800)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		(55)	(718)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		4,741	2,186	3,977
Other investing activities		38
Net cash used in investing activities		(52,572)	(29,610)	(12,858)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000	5,000	12,500
Repayments of short-term borrowings		(5,000)	(5,000)	(12,500)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500		262,350
Debt issuance costs		(8,621)	(588)	(9,154)
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(2,057)	(1,879)	(1,660)
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(37,234)	(278,322)
Intercompany receivable/payable
Issuance of common stock	56,300	56,566		41
Purchase of treasury stock		(57)	(26)	(712)
Other financing activities			(614)	(9,825)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		55,102	(39,727)	(27,457)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		54,915	550	(12,630)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		13,616	13,066	25,696
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		68,531	13,616	13,066
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		(29,334)	32,637	13,717
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(14,340)	(5,497)	(2,061)
Release of restricted cash			4	68
Theatre acquisitions
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates			(718)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		2,066	1,748	4
Other investing activities		38
Net cash used in investing activities		(12,236)	(4,463)	(1,989)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000	5,000	12,500
Repayments of short-term borrowings		(5,000)	(5,000)	(12,500)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500		262,350
Debt issuance costs		(8,621)
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations		(348)
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(37,486)	(278,496)
Intercompany receivable/payable		30,229	10,131	1,429
Issuance of common stock		56,566
Purchase of treasury stock		(57)
Other financing activities			(614)	(9,825)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		87,040	(27,969)	(24,542)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		45,470	205	(12,814)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		3,623	3,418	16,232
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		49,093	3,623	3,418
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		43,793	37,250	13,968
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(19,995)	(13,785)	(14,842)
Release of restricted cash
Theatre acquisitions		(1,373)	(11,800)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		(55)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		2,675	438	3,973
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities		(18,748)	(25,147)	(10,869)
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		(1,568)
Repayments of long-term debt			(1,627)	(1,486)
Intercompany receivable/payable		(18,600)	(10,131)	(1,429)
Issuance of common stock
Purchase of treasury stock
Other financing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(20,168)	(11,758)	(2,915)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		4,877	345	184
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		9,993	9,648	9,464
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		14,870	9,993	9,648
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		37,926
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment		(724)
Theatre acquisitions		(20,864)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities		(21,588)
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		(141)
Repayments of long-term debt
Intercompany receivable/payable		(11,629)
Issuance of common stock
Purchase of treasury stock
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(11,770)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		4,568
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		4,568
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment
Release of restricted cash
Theatre acquisitions
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
Other financing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year