Guarantor Subsidiaries - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Admissions	$ 111,356	$ 97,572
Concessions and other	72,978	61,352
Total operating revenues	184,334	158,924
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	61,683	52,889
Concession costs	8,022	7,119
Salaries and benefits	23,713	21,534
Theatre occupancy costs	23,434	20,361
Other theatre operating costs	32,029	29,382
General and administrative expenses	10,027	7,498
Depreciation and amortization	13,087	11,771
Gain on sale of property and equipment	(1,031)	(67)
Impairment of long-lived assets	1,390	358
Total operating costs and expenses	172,354	150,845
Operating income	11,980	8,079
Interest expense	12,669	13,116
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	(689)	(5,037)
Income tax (benefit) expense	268	(2,010)
Income (Loss) from unconsolidated affiliates	1,348	(85)
Loss from continuing operations		(3,112)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		(52)
Net income (loss)	391	(3,164)
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	16,910	17,815
Concessions and other	22,828	20,080
Total operating revenues	39,738	37,895
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	10,043	9,768
Concession costs	1,417	1,519
Salaries and benefits	4,181	4,440
Theatre occupancy costs	4,185	4,183
Other theatre operating costs	6,740	6,877
General and administrative expenses	9,182	6,845
Depreciation and amortization	2,592	2,615
Gain on sale of property and equipment	(1,028)	(7)
Impairment of long-lived assets	677	3
Total operating costs and expenses	37,989	36,243
Operating income	1,749	1,652
Interest expense	5,253	5,313
Equity in earning (loss) of subsidiaries	(1,726)	1,252
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	(1,778)	(4,913)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(889)	(1,924)
Income (Loss) from unconsolidated affiliates	1,280	(180)
Loss from continuing operations		(3,169)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		5
Net income (loss)	391	(3,164)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Admissions	94,446	79,757
Concessions and other	60,526	49,028
Total operating revenues	154,972	128,785
Operating costs and expenses:
Film exhibition costs	51,640	43,121
Concession costs	6,605	5,600
Salaries and benefits	19,532	17,094
Theatre occupancy costs	19,249	16,178
Other theatre operating costs	35,665	30,261
General and administrative expenses	845	653
Depreciation and amortization	10,495	9,156
Gain on sale of property and equipment	(3)	(60)
Impairment of long-lived assets	713	355
Total operating costs and expenses	144,741	122,358
Operating income	10,231	6,427
Interest expense	7,416	7,803
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	2,815	(1,376)
Income tax (benefit) expense	1,157	(86)
Income (Loss) from unconsolidated affiliates	68	95
Loss from continuing operations		(1,195)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		(57)
Net income (loss)	1,726	(1,252)
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Concessions and other	(10,376)	(7,756)
Total operating revenues	(10,376)	(7,756)
Operating costs and expenses:
Other theatre operating costs	(10,376)	(7,756)
Total operating costs and expenses	(10,376)	(7,756)
Equity in earning (loss) of subsidiaries	1,726	(1,252)
(Loss) income before income tax and income from unconsolidated affiliates	(1,726)	1,252
Loss from continuing operations		1,252
Net income (loss)	$ (1,726)	$ 1,252