Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Admissions	$ 81,522	$ 82,690
Concessions and other	48,571	47,276
Total operating revenues	130,093	129,966
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	43,264	43,243
Concession costs	5,969	5,566
Other theatre operating costs	57,959	52,132
General and administrative expenses	6,015	5,000
Lease termination charges	3,063
Depreciation and amortization	10,234	7,767
Loss on sale of property and equipment	80	248
Impairment of long-lived assets	204	1,486
Total operating costs and expenses	126,788	115,442
Operating income	3,305	14,524
Interest expense	12,298	8,263
(Loss) income before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(8,993)	6,261
Income tax (benefit) expense	(4,297)	2,407
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(1,015)	(543)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(5,711)	3,311
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(72)	(79)
Net (loss) income	(5,783)	3,232
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	11,244	13,721
Concessions and other	13,977	14,798
Total operating revenues	25,221	28,519
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	6,037	7,204
Concession costs	901	1,010
Other theatre operating costs	9,849	11,106
General and administrative expenses	5,429	4,428
Depreciation and amortization	1,879	1,707
Loss on sale of property and equipment	5	21
Impairment of long-lived assets		9
Total operating costs and expenses	24,100	25,485
Operating income	1,121	3,034
Interest expense	2,025	2,519
Equity in loss of subsidiaries	4,801	(3,372)
(Loss) income before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(5,705)	3,887
Income tax (benefit) expense	(1,008)	(97)
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(1,088)	(654)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(5,785)	3,330
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	2	(98)
Net (loss) income	(5,783)	3,232
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	58,172	68,969
Concessions and other	34,808	38,791
Total operating revenues	93,520	107,760
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	30,901	36,039
Concession costs	4,278	4,556
Other theatre operating costs	46,079	47,339
General and administrative expenses	570	572
Lease termination charges	3,063
Depreciation and amortization	6,262	6,060
Loss on sale of property and equipment	75	227
Impairment of long-lived assets	204	1,477
Total operating costs and expenses	91,432	96,270
Operating income	2,088	11,490
Interest expense	6,157	5,744
(Loss) income before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(4,069)	5,746
Income tax (benefit) expense	(1,654)	2,504
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	73	111
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(2,342)	3,353
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(74)	19
Net (loss) income	(2,416)	3,372
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	11,566
Concessions and other	6,256
Total operating revenues	17,822
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	6,326
Concession costs	790
Other theatre operating costs	8,501
General and administrative expenses	16
Depreciation and amortization	2,093
Total operating costs and expenses	17,726
Operating income	96
Interest expense	4,116
(Loss) income before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	(4,020)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(1,635)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(2,385)
Net (loss) income	(2,385)
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Concessions and other	(6,470)	(6,313)
Total operating revenues	(6,470)	(6,313)
Operating costs and expenses:
Other theatre operating costs	(6,470)	(6,313)
Loss on sale of property and equipment
Total operating costs and expenses	(6,470)	(6,313)
Equity in loss of subsidiaries	(4,801)	3,372
(Loss) income before income tax and (loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates	4,801	(3,372)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	4,801	(3,372)
Net (loss) income	$ 4,801	$ (3,372)