QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Oct. 29, 2017	Jul. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Jan. 29, 2017	Oct. 30, 2016		Jul. 31, 2016	May 01, 2016		Jan. 31, 2016		Oct. 29, 2017	Oct. 30, 2016		Nov. 01, 2015
Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 120,971	$ 111,579	$ 108,297	$ 109,831	$ 107,368	[1]	$ 123,209	$ 122,923	[2]	$ 129,956	[3]	$ 450,678	$ 483,456	[3],[4]	$ 524,206
Gross profit	26,442	21,717	20,157	22,999	20,533	[1]	31,450	31,287	[2]	35,436	[3]	91,315	118,706	[3],[4]	143,136
Net income	10,496	4,799	1,484	4,510	6,569	[1]	11,453	14,153	[2]	23,501	[3]	21,289	55,676	[3],[4]	56,859
Net income attributable to Photronics, Inc. shareholders	$ 5,386	$ 4,001	$ 1,797	$ 1,946	$ 5,256	[1]	$ 8,088	$ 11,854	[2]	$ 21,002	[3]	$ 13,130	$ 46,200	[3],[4]	$ 44,625
Earnings per share [Abstract]
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.06	$ 0.03	$ 0.03	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.12	$ 0.18	[2]	$ 0.31	[3]	$ 0.19	$ 0.68	[3],[4]	$ 0.67
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.06	$ 0.03	$ 0.03	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.12	$ 0.16	[2]	$ 0.28	[3]	$ 0.19	$ 0.64	[3],[4]	$ 0.63
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sale of investments												$ 0	$ 8,940		$ 0
Tax benefits related to prior year															212
Taiwan [Member]
Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales												$ 187,818	193,216		$ 205,141
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Tax benefits related to prior year					$ 3,000			$ 1,800					4,800
Investment in Foreign Entity [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sale of investments										$ 8,800			$ 8,800

[1] Includes a tax benefit in Taiwan of $3.0 million related to the recognition of prior period tax benefits and other tax positions no longer deemed necessary.

[2] Includes a tax benefit in Taiwan of $1.8 million related to prior years.

[3] Includes $8.8 million gain on sale of investment in a foreign entity.

[4] Includes tax benefits in Taiwan of $4.8 million primarily related to the recognition of prior period tax benefits and other tax positions no longer deemed necessary.