Guarantor Subsidiaries - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Admissions	$ 102,792	$ 79,889	$ 291,927	$ 248,776
Concessions and other	62,221	46,783	173,283	143,008
Total operating revenues	165,013	126,672	465,210	391,784
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	56,482	43,858	160,769	135,225
Concession costs	8,328	5,741	22,009	16,767
Other theatre operating costs	66,341	52,904	185,783	157,037
General and administrative expenses	6,621	5,650	18,668	15,939
Lease termination charges			3,063
Severance agreement charges	102	95	102	473
Depreciation and amortization	10,627	8,468	31,105	23,966
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment	11	700	70	948
Impairment of long-lived assets	2,974	1,835	3,385	3,358
Total operating costs and expenses	151,486	119,251	424,954	353,713
Operating income	13,527	7,421	40,256	38,071
Interest expense	12,353	8,605	36,998	25,478
Loss on extinguishment of debt				4,961
Income (loss) before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	1,174	(1,184)	3,258	7,632
Income tax (benefit) expense	1,253	466	1,733	3,813
Income from unconsolidated affiliates	1,145	1,950	482	958
Income (loss) from continuing operations	1,066	300	2,007	4,777
(Loss) income from discontinued operations	(57)	(67)	(105)	(114)
Net income (loss)	1,009	233	1,902	4,663
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	13,286	12,834	39,051	40,513
Concessions and other	17,034	13,986	48,404	43,588
Total operating revenues	30,320	26,820	87,455	84,101
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	7,570	7,101	21,667	22,150
Concession costs	1,159	969	3,175	2,955
Other theatre operating costs	10,726	10,271	29,846	31,345
General and administrative expenses	6,049	5,094	16,904	14,225
Severance agreement charges	102	95	102	473
Depreciation and amortization	1,942	1,923	5,687	5,340
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment	(2)	719	3	739
Impairment of long-lived assets		579	23	579
Total operating costs and expenses	27,546	26,751	77,407	77,806
Operating income	2,774	69	10,048	6,295
Interest expense	2,073	2,117	6,145	6,998
Loss on extinguishment of debt				4,961
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries	141	(285)	550	(7,569)
Income (loss) before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	560	(1,763)	3,353	1,905
Income tax (benefit) expense	508	(152)	1,517	(2,209)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates	1,025	1,870	191	698
Income (loss) from continuing operations	1,077	259	2,027	4,812
(Loss) income from discontinued operations	(68)	(26)	(125)	(149)
Net income (loss)	1,009	233	1,902	4,663
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	89,506	67,055	252,876	208,263
Concessions and other	53,478	38,960	148,192	118,503
Total operating revenues	142,984	106,015	401,068	326,766
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	48,912	36,757	139,102	113,075
Concession costs	7,169	4,772	18,834	13,812
Other theatre operating costs	63,906	48,796	179,250	144,775
General and administrative expenses	572	556	1,764	1,714
Lease termination charges			3,063
Depreciation and amortization	8,685	6,545	25,418	18,626
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment	13	(19)	67	209
Impairment of long-lived assets	2,974	1,256	3,362	2,779
Total operating costs and expenses	132,231	98,663	370,860	294,990
Operating income	10,753	7,352	30,208	31,776
Interest expense	10,280	6,488	30,853	18,480
Income (loss) before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	473	864	(645)	13,296
Income tax (benefit) expense	745	618	216	6,022
Income from unconsolidated affiliates	120	80	291	260
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(152)	326	(570)	7,534
(Loss) income from discontinued operations	11	(41)	20	35
Net income (loss)	(141)	285	(550)	7,569
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Concessions and other	(8,291)	(6,163)	(23,313)	(19,083)
Total operating revenues	(8,291)	(6,163)	(23,313)	(19,083)
Operating costs and expenses:
Other theatre operating costs	(8,291)	(6,163)	(23,313)	(19,083)
Total operating costs and expenses	(8,291)	(6,163)	(23,313)	(19,083)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries	(141)	285	(550)	7,569
Income (loss) before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	141	(285)	550	(7,569)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	141	(285)	550	(7,569)
Net income (loss)	$ 141	$ (285)	$ 550	$ (7,569)