EARNINGS PER SHARE (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 28, 2019	Jul. 29, 2018	Jul. 28, 2019	Jul. 29, 2018
Calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Photronics, Inc. shareholders	$ 6,347	$ 13,005	$ 20,093	$ 29,568
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Interest expense on convertible notes, net of tax	0	496	845	1,488
Earnings used for diluted earnings per share	$ 6,347	$ 13,501	$ 20,938	$ 31,056
Weighted-average common shares computations [Abstract]
Weighted-average common shares used for basic earnings per share (in shares)	66,313	69,374	66,386	69,141
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Convertible notes (in shares)	0	5,542	3,147	5,542
Share-based payment awards (in shares)	257	342	386	438
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	257	5,884	3,533	5,980
Weighted-average common shares used for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	66,570	75,258	69,919	75,121
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.10	$ 0.19	$ 0.30	$ 0.43
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.10	$ 0.18	$ 0.30	$ 0.41
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Potentially dilutive shares excluded (in shares)	1,979	1,873	1,415	1,826