Retirement Plans

6 Months Ended

Apr. 15, 2012

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense [Abstract]

Retirement Plans

RETIREMENT PLANS

Defined benefit pension plans — We sponsor a defined benefit pension plan covering substantially all full-time employees which will no longer accrue benefits effective December 31, 2015, and was closed to new participants effective January 1, 2011. We also sponsor an unfunded supplemental executive retirement plan which provides certain employees additional pension benefits and which was closed to new participants effective January 1, 2007. Benefits under both plans are based on the employees’ years of service and compensation over defined periods of employment.

Postretirement healthcare plans — We sponsor healthcare plans that provide postretirement medical benefits to certain employees who meet minimum age and service requirements. The plans are contributory, with retiree contributions adjusted annually, and contain other cost-sharing features such as deductibles and coinsurance.

Net periodic benefit cost — The components of net periodic benefit cost were as follows in each period (in thousands):

	Quarter						Year-to-Date
	April 15, 2012			April 17, 2011			April 15, 2012			April 17, 2011
Defined benefit pension plans:
Service cost	$	2,175		$	2,490		$	5,075		$	5,809
Interest cost	5,225			4,980			12,191			11,620
Expected return on plan assets	(4,612		)	(4,784		)	(10,761		)	(11,163		)
Actuarial loss	2,864			2,266			6,683			5,289
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost	100			113			233			263
Net periodic benefit cost	$	5,752		$	5,065		$	13,421		$	11,818
Postretirement healthcare plans:
Service cost	$	14		$	18		$	33		$	42
Interest cost	373			366			870			854
Actuarial loss	21			47			48			109
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost	—			7			—			17
Net periodic benefit cost	$	408		$	438		$	951		$	1,022

Future cash flows — Our policy is to fund our plans at or above the minimum required by law. As of the date of our last actuarial funding valuation, there was no minimum requirement. Details regarding 2012 contributions are as follows (in thousands):

	Defined Benefit Pension Plans		Postretirement Healthcare Plans
Net year-to-date contributions	$	6,626	$	801
Remaining estimated net contributions during fiscal 2012	$	6,800	$	600

We will continue to evaluate contributions to our funded defined benefit pension plan based on changes in pension assets as a result of asset performance in the current market and economic environment.