Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 4) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues:
Admissions									$ 343,091	$ 307,107	$ 322,493
Concessions and other									196,233	170,709	161,193
Total operating revenues	146,564	126,986	135,689	130,085	118,933	132,786	130,856	95,241	539,324	477,816	483,686
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs									186,016	165,934	178,098
Concession costs									23,239	19,690	17,636
Other theatre operating costs									211,746	200,390	206,848
General and administrative expenses									24,547	19,084	17,570
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)			500				800		473	845
Depreciation and amortization									33,370	32,083	31,672
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment									968	333	(667)
Write-off of note receivable										750
Impairment of long-lived assets									4,253	3,239	7,921
Total operating costs and expenses									484,612	442,348	459,078
Operating income	16,661	7,417	16,087	14,547	8,297	13,804	15,154	(1,787)	54,712	35,468	24,608
Interest expense									36,004	34,113	35,985
Loss on extinguishment of debt									4,961		2,573
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									13,747	1,355	(13,950)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(80,790)								(80,790)	10,479	(490)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates									1,204	1,797	1,181
Income from continuing operations									95,741	(7,327)	(12,279)
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations									567	(383)	(300)
Net income	91,648	233	1,198	3,229	1,715	3,090	5,883	(18,398)	96,308	(7,710)	(12,579)
Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions									56,597	53,647	58,708
Concessions and other									58,816	53,809	53,069
Total operating revenues									115,413	107,456	111,777
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs									30,214	28,429	31,737
Concession costs									4,010	3,564	3,293
Other theatre operating costs									41,162	40,778	41,073
General and administrative expenses									22,259	16,961	15,134
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)									473	845
Depreciation and amortization									7,212	6,939	6,561
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment									777	173	67
Write-off of note receivable										750
Impairment of long-lived assets									619	932	1,949
Total operating costs and expenses									106,726	99,371	99,814
Operating income									8,687	8,085	11,963
Interest expense									3,465	10,714	10,501
Loss on extinguishment of debt									4,961		2,573
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(52,500)	(3,541)	13,050
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									52,761	912	(14,161)
Income tax (benefit) expense									(42,809)	10,444	(590)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates									(860)	(1,478)	(818)
Income from continuing operations									96,430	(8,054)	(12,753)
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations									(122)	344	174
Net income									96,308	(7,710)	(12,579)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions									277,307	253,460	263,785
Concessions and other									158,014	140,251	131,544
Total operating revenues									435,321	393,711	395,329
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs									150,773	137,505	146,361
Concession costs									18,475	16,126	14,343
Other theatre operating costs									191,944	182,963	189,195
General and administrative expenses									2,278	2,123	2,436
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)
Depreciation and amortization									24,769	25,144	25,111
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment									191	160	(734)
Write-off of note receivable
Impairment of long-lived assets									3,634	2,307	5,972
Total operating costs and expenses									392,064	366,328	382,684
Operating income									43,257	27,383	12,645
Interest expense									30,334	23,399	25,484
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(126)
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									13,049	3,984	(12,839)
Income tax (benefit) expense									(38,036)	35	100
Income from unconsolidated affiliates									(344)	(319)	(363)
Income from continuing operations									51,429	4,268	(12,576)
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations									689	(727)	(474)
Net income									52,118	3,541	(13,050)
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions
Concessions and other									(25,391)	(23,351)	(23,420)
Total operating revenues									(25,391)	(23,351)	(23,420)
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs
Concession costs
Other theatre operating costs									(25,391)	(23,351)	(23,420)
General and administrative expenses
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)
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									(25,391)	(23,351)	(23,420)
Operating income
Interest expense
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									52,626	3,541	(13,050)
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									(52,626)	(3,541)	13,050
Income tax (benefit) expense
Income from unconsolidated affiliates
Income from continuing operations									(52,626)	(3,541)	13,050
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations
Net income									(52,626)	(3,541)	13,050
Senior secured notes [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions									343,091
Concessions and other									196,233
Total operating revenues									539,324
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs									186,016
Concession costs									23,239
Other theatre operating costs									211,746
General and administrative expenses									24,547
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)									473
Depreciation and amortization									33,370
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment									968
Impairment of long-lived assets									4,253
Total operating costs and expenses									484,612
Operating income									54,712
Interest expense									36,004
Loss on extinguishment of debt									4,961
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									13,747
Income tax (benefit) expense									(80,790)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates									1,204
Income from continuing operations									95,741
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations									567
Net income									96,308
Senior secured notes [Member] | Carmike Cinemas, Inc [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions									56,597
Concessions and other									58,816
Total operating revenues									115,413
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs									30,214
Concession costs									4,010
Other theatre operating costs									41,162
General and administrative expenses									22,259
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)									473
Depreciation and amortization									7,212
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment									777
Impairment of long-lived assets									619
Total operating costs and expenses									106,726
Operating income									8,687
Interest expense									3,465
Loss on extinguishment of debt									4,961
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(52,500)
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									52,761
Income tax (benefit) expense									(42,809)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates									860
Income from continuing operations									96,430
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations									(122)
Net income									96,308
Senior secured notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions									286,494
Concessions and other									162,808
Total operating revenues									449,302
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs									155,802
Concession costs									19,229
Other theatre operating costs									195,975
General and administrative expenses									2,288
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)
Depreciation and amortization									26,158
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment									191
Impairment of long-lived assets									3,634
Total operating costs and expenses									403,277
Operating income									46,025
Interest expense									32,539
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(126)
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									13,612
Income tax (benefit) expense									(37,981)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates									344
Income from continuing operations									51,937
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations									689
Net income									52,626
Senior secured notes [Member] | Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions
Concessions and other									(25,391)
Total operating revenues									(25,391)
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs
Concession costs
Other theatre operating costs									(25,391)
General and administrative expenses
Severance agreement charges (Note 20)
Depreciation and amortization
Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment
Impairment of long-lived assets
Total operating costs and expenses									(25,391)
Operating income
Interest expense
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									52,626
Income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates									(52,626)
Income tax (benefit) expense
Income from unconsolidated affiliates
Income from continuing operations									(52,626)
(Loss) Income from discontinued operations
Net income									$ (52,626)