Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 63,642	$ 68,531	$ 16,289	$ 13,616
Restricted cash	9	293
Accounts receivable	5,461	6,555
Inventories	3,550	4,186
Deferred income tax asset	3,639	2,896
Prepaid expenses and other assets	15,741	10,936
Total current assets	92,042	93,397
Property and equipment:
Land	51,876	51,876
Buildings and building improvements	335,141	335,738
Leasehold improvements	143,711	141,758
Assets under capital leases	44,970	44,970
Equipment	236,780	235,223
Construction in progress	6,654	5,185
Total property and equipment	819,132	814,750
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(377,882)	(369,823)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	441,250	444,927
Goodwill	44,577	44,577
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	1,035	1,061
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates (Note 10)	6,231	7,682
Deferred income tax asset	100,541	100,012
Other assets	19,872	21,072
Total assets	705,548	712,728
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	29,208	32,141
Accrued expenses	40,228	40,049
Current maturities of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	4,547	4,422
Total current liabilities	73,983	76,612
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, less current maturities	209,565	209,548
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	219,746	220,725
Deferred revenue	32,695	32,984
Other	25,371	23,425
Total long-term liabilities	487,377	486,682
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred Stock
Common Stock	542	540
Treasury stock,468,084 and 457,230 shares at cost at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	(11,914)	(11,740)
Paid-in capital	350,375	349,666
Accumulated deficit	(194,815)	(189,032)
Total stockholders' equity	144,188	149,434
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	705,548	712,728
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	48,615	49,093	3,972	3,623
Restricted cash	9	293
Accounts receivable	4,853	5,058
Inventories	793	926
Deferred income tax asset	3,203	3,203
Prepaid expenses and other assets	10,503	3,426
Total current assets	67,976	61,999
Property and equipment:
Land	12,080	12,080
Buildings and building improvements	45,581	45,571
Leasehold improvements	19,213	19,200
Assets under capital leases	8,675	8,675
Equipment	64,883	64,167
Construction in progress	1,688	1,352
Total property and equipment	152,120	151,045
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(79,184)	(77,302)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	72,936	73,743
Intercompany receivables	98,363	92,801
Investment in subsidiaries	152,897	157,522
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates (Note 10)	5,298	6,740
Deferred income tax asset	56,753	57,247
Other assets	13,520	14,299
Total assets	467,743	464,351
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	24,283	24,071
Accrued expenses	23,410	14,601
Current maturities of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	464	442
Total current liabilities	48,157	39,114
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, less current maturities	209,565	209,548
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	27,777	27,876
Deferred revenue	32,695	32,984
Other	5,361	5,395
Total long-term liabilities	275,398	275,803
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred Stock
Common Stock	542	540
Treasury stock,468,084 and 457,230 shares at cost at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	(11,914)	(11,740)
Paid-in capital	350,375	349,666
Accumulated deficit	(194,815)	(189,032)
Total stockholders' equity	144,188	149,434
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	467,743	464,351
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	12,625	14,870	12,317	9,993
Accounts receivable	336	874
Inventories	2,336	2,823
Deferred income tax asset	436
Prepaid expenses and other assets	1,559	5,173
Total current assets	17,292	23,740
Property and equipment:
Land	39,796	39,796
Buildings and building improvements	222,483	223,090
Leasehold improvements	108,686	107,111
Assets under capital leases	36,295	36,295
Equipment	159,141	158,333
Construction in progress	4,967	3,833
Total property and equipment	571,368	568,458
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(295,216)	(291,132)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	276,152	277,326
Investment in subsidiaries	129	126
Goodwill	8,087	8,087
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	1,035	1,061
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates (Note 10)	933	942
Deferred income tax asset	43,390	42,765
Other assets	5,956	6,026
Total assets	352,974	360,073
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	6,729	9,704
Accrued expenses	10,395	17,250
Current maturities of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	2,209	2,169
Total current liabilities	19,333	29,123
Long-term liabilities:
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	84,168	84,557
Intercompany liabilities	103,204	99,803
Other	13,580	11,487
Total long-term liabilities	200,952	195,847
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred Stock
Common Stock	1	1
Paid-in capital	237,800	237,800
Accumulated deficit	(105,112)	(102,698)
Total stockholders' equity	132,689	135,103
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	352,974	360,073
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2,402	4,568
Accounts receivable	3,562	5,250
Inventories	421	437
Prepaid expenses and other assets	3,679	2,337
Total current assets	10,064	12,592
Property and equipment:
Buildings and building improvements	67,077	67,077
Leasehold improvements	15,812	15,447
Equipment	12,756	12,723
Construction in progress	(1)
Total property and equipment	95,644	95,247
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(3,482)	(1,389)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	92,162	93,858
Intercompany receivables	4,841	7,002
Investment in subsidiaries
Goodwill	36,490	36,490
Deferred income tax asset	398
Other assets	396	747
Total assets	144,351	150,689
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	1,486	2,993
Accrued expenses	6,423	8,505
Current maturities of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	1,874	1,811
Total current liabilities	9,783	13,309
Long-term liabilities:
Capital leases and long-term financing obligations, less current maturities	107,801	108,292
Intercompany liabilities
Other	6,430	6,543
Total long-term liabilities	114,231	114,835
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred Stock
Paid-in capital	22,213	22,037
Accumulated deficit	(1,876)	508
Total stockholders' equity	20,337	22,545
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	144,351	150,689
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable	(3,290)	(4,627)
Deferred income tax asset		(307)
Total current assets	(3,290)	(4,934)
Property and equipment:
Intercompany receivables	(103,204)	(99,803)
Investment in subsidiaries	(153,026)	(157,648)
Total assets	(259,520)	(262,385)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(3,290)	(4,627)
Accrued expenses		(307)
Total current liabilities	(3,290)	(4,934)
Long-term liabilities:
Intercompany liabilities	(103,204)	(99,803)
Total long-term liabilities	(103,204)	(99,803)
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred Stock
Common Stock	(1)	(1)
Paid-in capital	(260,013)	(259,837)
Accumulated deficit	106,988	102,190
Total stockholders' equity	(153,026)	(157,648)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (259,520)	$ (262,385)