Shareholders' Equity (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			31 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2016	Feb. 01, 2015	Feb. 02, 2014	Jan. 31, 2016
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting term		4 years
Options, contractual term		10 years
Total unrecognized compensation cost		$ 7,400			$ 7,400
Remaining service periods, minimum		3 months
Remaining service periods, maximum		4 years
Weighted average remaining service period		1 year 4 months 24 days
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance		6,000,000			6,000,000
Equity Disclosure [Line Items]
Authorization amount for repurchases of common stock		$ 155,000		$ 50,000	$ 155,000
Shares repurchased under share repurchase authorization, average price per share					$ 18.00
Shares repurchased under share repurchase authorizations, shares		2,775,000	2,237,000	1,185,000	6,197,099
Value of shares repurchased under share repurchase authorization		$ 50,000	$ 39,225	$ 22,342
Repurchase of common shares		51,561	43,881	23,057	$ 111,600
Shares surrendered in reimbursement for withholding taxes		1,561	2,811	2,560
Amount remaining under authorization		43,400			$ 43,400
Subsequent Event [Member]
Equity Disclosure [Line Items]
Authorization amount for repurchases of common stock	$ 255,000
Amount remaining under authorization	143,400
Increase in authorized amount for repurchases of common stock	$ 100,000
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Grant date fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards vested		$ 4,500	$ 5,500	$ 4,300
Stock Incentive 2012 Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares provided for issuance under stock plan		5,100,000			5,100,000
Description		Our shareholders have approved the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. 2012 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”), which provides for the grant of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, stock awards, performance unit awards, performance share awards, stock appreciation rights and phantom stock awards. The 2012 Plan provides for the issuance of approximately 5.1 million shares of our common stock (as adjusted to reflect forfeitures and expirations subsequent to January 29, 2012 of awards issued under predecessor plans, pursuant to the 2012 Plan), of which approximately 3.4 million remain available for grant through June 2022. Any shares that are subject to options or stock appreciation rights awarded under the 2012 Plan will be counted against the 2012 Plan limit as one share for every one share granted, and any shares that are subject to 2012 Plan awards other than options or stock appreciation rights will be counted against this limit as one and thirty three-hundredths (1.33) shares for every one share granted. The 2012 Plan provides that options may be granted with exercise prices not less than the closing sale price of our common stock on the date of grant.
Number of shares available for grant		3,400,000			3,400,000