Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 18, 2009	Aug. 26, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 28, 2013 USD ($)
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Provision for Asset Impairment (in Dollars)		$ 600,000	$ 2,500,000	$ 600,000
Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation, Assets of Disposal Group, Number		4	1	1
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net (in Dollars)		$ 199,859,000	$ 213,492,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Property, Plant and Equipment, Current (in Dollars)		$ 4,500,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 400,000
Fuddruckers [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		3	2	1
Lubys Cafetria [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants			1
Previously Closed [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants			9
Held-for-sale [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants				1
Koo Koo Roo Chicken Bistro [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants				1
Company Owned Restaurants [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		177	174	180
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		6
Impairment of Leasehold (in Dollars)		$ 0
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Closure of Leased Locations [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		5,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Lubys Cafetria [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation, Assets of Disposal Group, Number	24
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Lubys Cafetria [Member] | Closure of Leased Locations [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		2
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Lubys Cafetria [Member] | Under Lease [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		1
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Lubys Cafetria [Member] | Held-for-sale [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Restaurants		1
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Company Owned Restaurants [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net (in Dollars)		$ 1,900,000
Minimum [Member] | Newer Properties [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Time Span for Future Cash Flow		20 years
Minimum [Member] | Older Properties [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Time Span for Future Cash Flow		5 years
Minimum [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Expected Disposal Period		1 year
Maximum [Member] | Newer Properties [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Time Span for Future Cash Flow		25 years
Maximum [Member] | Older Properties [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Time Span for Future Cash Flow		10 years
Maximum [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Note 11 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Store Closings, Discontinued Operations and Property Held for Sale (Details) [Line Items]
Expected Disposal Period		2 years