Guarantor Subsidiaries - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 70,789	$ 52,385	$ 69,887
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(37,812)	(35,059)	(19,282)
Theatre acquisition	(42,928)	(22,237)	(11,800)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(20)	(55)	(718)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	1,804	4,741	2,186
Other investing activities	(59)	38	4
Net cash used in investing activities	(79,015)	(52,572)	(29,610)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000	5,000
Repayments of short term borrowings		(5,000)	(5,000)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(37,234)
Debt issuance costs		(8,621)	(588)
Repayments of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	(4,432)	(2,057)	(1,879)
Issuance of common stock	88,043	56,566
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	125	305
Purchase of treasury stock	(174)	(57)	(26)
Other financing activities			(614)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	83,562	55,102	(39,727)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	75,336	54,915	550
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	68,531	13,616	13,066
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	143,867	68,531	13,616
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
Intercompany receivable/payable	36,828	(47,690)	(20,461)
Net cash used in investing activities	36,828	(47,690)	(20,461)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany receivable/payable	(36,828)	47,690	20,461
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(36,828)	47,690	20,461
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	15,865	(46,795)	22,307
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(7,718)	(14,340)	(5,497)
Theatre acquisition	(8,760)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates			(718)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	6	2,066	1,748
Other investing activities	(59)	38	4
Intercompany receivable/payable	(36,828)	47,690	20,461
Net cash used in investing activities	(53,359)	35,454	15,998
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term borrowings		5,000	5,000
Repayments of short term borrowings		(5,000)	(5,000)
Issuance of long-term debt		209,500
Repayments of long-term debt		(200,229)	(37,486)
Debt issuance costs		(8,621)
Repayments of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	(440)	(348)
Issuance of common stock	88,043	56,566
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	125
Purchase of treasury stock	(174)	(57)
Intercompany receivable/payable	36,828	(47,690)	(20,461)
Other financing activities			(614)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	87,554	56,811	(38,100)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	50,060	45,470	205
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	49,093	3,623	3,418
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	99,153	49,093	3,623
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	54,924	99,180	47,580
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(30,094)	(20,719)	(13,785)
Theatre acquisition	(34,168)	(22,237)	(11,800)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(20)	(55)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	1,798	2,675	438
Intercompany receivable/payable	(36,828)	47,690	20,461
Net cash used in investing activities	(62,484)	(40,336)	(25,147)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt			(1,627)
Repayments of capital leases and long-term financing obligations	(3,992)	(1,709)
Intercompany receivable/payable	36,828	(47,690)	(20,461)
Other financing activities			0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	32,836	(49,399)	(22,088)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	25,276	9,445	345
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	19,438	9,993	9,648
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 44,714	$ 19,438	$ 9,993