The Company and Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended						3 Months Ended
	Sep. 06, 2014	Jun. 14, 2014	Sep. 06, 2014	Sep. 07, 2013	Mar. 06, 2014 Casa Ley [Member]	Mar. 06, 2014 Albertsons [Member] Safeway [Member]	Apr. 14, 2014 Common Class B [Member] Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 24, 2014 Common Class B [Member] Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 06, 2014 Mortgages [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Stockholders' right to receive cash per share of outstanding Safeway stock (in dollars per share)						$ 32.50
Ownership interest					49.00%
Increase per day of stockholders' right to receive cash per share of outstanding Safeway stock (in dollars per share)						$ 0.005342
Subsidiary shares owned							37.8	37.8
Cash restricted by merger agreement for payment of mortgage		$ 40,000,000	$ 40,000,000	$ 0
Release of restricted cash for payment of mortgage	40,000,000		40,000,000	0
Debt extinguished									40,800,000
LIFO expense			0	0
Cash surrender value of life insurance policy	59,500,000		59,500,000
Policy loan balance	42,200,000		42,200,000
Net cash surrender value of life insurance policy	$ 17,300,000		$ 17,300,000