Represents the accounts receivable from the Medicare prescription drug plan.

No definition available.

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the accounts receivable from the Medicare prescription drug plan related to the plan year 2018.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanAccountsReceivablePlanYear2017
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the accounts receivable from the Medicare prescription drug plan related to plan year 2018.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanAccountsReceivablePlanYear2018
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

N/A.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the liabilities payable under certain reinsurance contracts in the Medicare prescription drug plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanLiabilitiesUnderReinsuranceContracts
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the liabilities payable under certain reinsurance contracts in the Medicare prescription drug plan related to the 2017 plan year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanLiabilitiesUnderReinsuranceContractsPlanYear2017
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the liabilities payable under certain reinsurance contracts in the Medicare prescription drug plan related to the 2018 plan year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rad_MedicarePrescriptionDrugPlanLiabilitiesUnderReinsuranceContractsPlanYear2018
Namespace Prefix:	rad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of statutory capital required to be maintained as of the balance sheet date under prescribed or permitted statutory accounting practices.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 505
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486098&loc=d3e24708-158529

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusRequired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=rad_AccruedSalariesWagesAndOtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=rad_EnvisionInsuranceCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Medicare Part D (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 01, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Mar. 03, 2018
Medicare Part D
Accounts receivable, net			$ 350,563
Accounts receivable, net - 2018 plan year	$ 304,100
Accounts receivable, net - 2017 plan year	0
Accrued salaries, wages and other current liabilities
Medicare Part D
Liabilities under reinsurance contracts			$ 183,318
Liabilities under reinsurance contracts - 2018 plan year	0
Liabilities under reinsurance contracts - 2017 plan year	$ 182,400
EIC
Medicare Part D
Minimum amount of capital and surplus required by regulatory requirements		$ 35,794