QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Nov. 03, 2013		Jul. 28, 2013	Apr. 28, 2013	Jan. 27, 2013	Oct. 28, 2012		Jul. 29, 2012	Apr. 29, 2012		Jan. 29, 2012		Nov. 03, 2013		Oct. 28, 2012		Oct. 30, 2011
Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 106,009,000	[1]	$ 109,652,000	$ 106,680,000	$ 99,839,000	$ 104,218,000	[2]	$ 116,616,000	$ 117,451,000	[3]	$ 112,154,000	[4],[5]	$ 422,180,000	[1]	$ 450,439,000	[2],[3],[4],[5]	$ 512,020,000
Gross margin	26,675,000	[1]	27,078,000	24,789,000	21,098,000	24,297,000	[2]	32,304,000	29,861,000	[3]	25,458,000	[4],[5]	99,640,000	[1]	111,920,000	[2],[3],[4],[5]
Net income	4,911,000	[1]	6,364,000	5,442,000	2,859,000	4,217,000	[2]	11,267,000	9,530,000	[3]	4,841,000	[4],[5]	19,576,000	[1]	29,855,000	[2],[3],[4],[5]	20,208,000
Net income attributable to Photronics, Inc. shareholders	4,840,000	[1]	5,940,000	4,863,000	2,323,000	3,832,000	[2]	10,950,000	8,818,000	[3]	4,268,000	[4],[5]	17,966,000	[1]	27,868,000	[2],[3],[4],[5]	16,229,000
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.10	$ 0.08	$ 0.04	$ 0.06	[2]	$ 0.18	$ 0.15	[3]	$ 0.07	[4],[5]	$ 0.30	[1]	$ 0.46	[2],[3],[4],[5]	$ 0.28
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.10	$ 0.08	$ 0.04	$ 0.06	[2]	$ 0.16	$ 0.14	[3]	$ 0.07	[4],[5]	$ 0.29	[1]	$ 0.44	[2],[3],[4],[5]	$ 0.28
Subsequent measurement of common stock warrants at fair value, net of tax											100,000
Transaction expenses, net of tax (joint venture with DNP Photomask Technology Co., Ltd)	800,000												800,000
Consolidation and restructuring charges (credits)						$ 200,000			$ 100,000		$ 1,100,000		$ 0		$ 1,428,000		$ 0

[1] Includes transaction expenses of $0.8 million, net of tax, in connection with the pending joint venture with DNP Photomask Technology Co., Ltd.

[2] Includes consolidation and restructuring charges of $0.2 million, net of tax, in connection with the discontinuance of manufacturing operations at the Company’s Singapore facility.

[3] Includes consolidation and restructuring charges of $0.1 million, net of tax, in connection with the discontinuance of manufacturing operations at the Company’s Singapore facility.

[4] Includes consolidation and restructuring charges of $1.1 million, net of tax, in connection with the discontinuance of manufacturing operations at the Company’s Singapore facility.

[5] Includes non-cash gain of $0.1 million, net of tax, in connection with subsequent measurement at fair value of warrants issued to purchase the Company’s stock.