Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 5,824	$ 9,953
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(8,508)	(5,990)
Theatre acquisition	(1,349)	(702)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	5	58
Other investing activities	284	301
Net cash used in investing activities	(9,568)	(6,333)	(9,568)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations	(971)	(436)
Purchase of treasury stock	(174)
Short-term borrowings		5,000
Repayment of short-term borrowings		(5,000)
Repayments of long-term debt		(511)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,145)	(947)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(4,889)	2,673
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	68,531	13,616	13,616
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	63,642	16,289	68,531
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	7,831	(4,310)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(2,708)	(2,837)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	5	40
Other investing activities	284	301
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,419)	(2,496)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations	(103)	(79)
Purchase of treasury stock	(174)
Intercompany receivable/payable	(5,613)	7,745
Short-term borrowings		5,000
Repayment of short-term borrowings		(5,000)
Repayments of long-term debt		(511)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(5,890)	7,155
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(478)	349
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	49,093	3,623	3,623
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	48,615	3,972
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	(3,145)	14,263
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(5,403)	(3,153)
Theatre acquisition		(702)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		18
Net cash used in investing activities	(5,403)	(3,837)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations	(438)	(357)
Intercompany receivable/payable	6,741	(7,745)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	6,303	(8,102)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,245)	2,324
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	14,870	9,993	9,993
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	12,625	12,317
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,138
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(397)
Theatre acquisition	(1,349)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,746)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations	(430)
Intercompany receivable/payable	(1,128)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,558)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,166)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,568
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,402
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
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of capital lease and long-term financing obligations
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany receivable/payable
Short-term borrowings
Repayment of short-term borrowings
Repayments of long-term debt
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period