CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member] Shareholders' Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member]	Capital in Excess of Par [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Shareholders' Equity Attributable to The Marcus Corporation [Member]	Non- controlling Interests [Member]	Total
Beginning balance at Dec. 28, 2017	$ 22,656			$ 8,534	$ 61,452	$ 403,206	$ (7,425)	$ (43,399)	$ 445,024	$ 100	$ 445,124
Comprehensive income (loss)											55,695
Ending balance at Dec. 27, 2018	22,843			8,347	63,830	439,178	(6,758)	(37,431)	490,009	110	490,119
Cumulative Effect Of New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoptions | Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]	0			0	0	(11)	11	0	0	0	0
Cumulative Effect Of New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoptions | Accounting Standards Update 2018-02 [Member]					0	1,574	(1,574)	0	0	0	0
Cumulative Effect Of New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoptions | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]					0	(2,568)	0	0	(2,568)	0	(2,568)
Beginning balance at Dec. 29, 2017	22,656			8,534	61,452	402,201	(8,988)	(43,399)	442,456	100	442,556
Cash dividends:		$ (4,603)	$ (4,603)	(4,603)		(11,811)			(11,811)		(11,811)
Exercise of stock options	0			0	(736)	0	0	7,784	7,048	0	7,048
Purchase of treasury stock	0			0	0	0	0	(2,898)	(2,898)	0	(2,898)
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	0			0	651	0	0	479	1,130	0	1,130
Reissuance of treasury stock	0			0	231	0	0	144	375	0	375
Issuance of non-vested stock	0			0	(459)	0	0	459	0	0	0
Share-based compensation	0			0	2,691	0	0	0	2,691	0	2,691
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	187			(187)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0			0	0	0	0	0	0	(64)	(64)
Comprehensive income (loss)	0			0	0	53,391	2,230	0	55,621	74	55,695
Ending balance at Dec. 27, 2018	22,843			8,347	63,830	439,178	(6,758)	(37,431)	490,009	110	490,119
Cash dividends:		(4,648)	(4,648)	(4,648)		(14,663)			(14,663)		(14,663)
Exercise of stock options				0	(205)	0	0	1,725	1,520	0	1,520
Purchase of treasury stock	0			0	0	0	0	(1,119)	(1,119)	0	(1,119)
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	0			0	810	0	0	371	1,181	0	1,181
Reissuance of treasury stock	0			0	267	0	0	150	417	0	417
Issuance of non-vested stock	0			0	(527)	0	0	527	0	0	0
Reissuance of treasury stock - acquisition	0			0	77,960	0	0	31,237	109,197	0	109,197
Share-based compensation	0			0	3,523	0	0	0	3,523	0	3,523
Other	0			0	(109)	0	0	0	(109)	0	(109)
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	411			(411)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0			0	0	0	0	0	0	(185)	(185)
Comprehensive income (loss)	0			0	0	42,017	(5,890)	0	36,127	98	36,225
Ending balance at Dec. 26, 2019	23,254			7,936	145,549	461,884	(12,648)	(4,540)	621,435	23	621,458
Cash dividends:		$ (1,224)	$ (1,224)	(1,224)		(3,921)			(3,921)		(3,921)
Exercise of stock options	0			0	(67)	0	0	446	379	0	379
Purchase of treasury stock	0			0	0	0	0	(696)	(696)	0	(696)
Savings and profit-sharing contribution	0			0	299	0	0	1,016	1,315	0	1,315
Reissuance of treasury stock	0			0	(21)	0	0	183	162	0	162
Issuance of non-vested stock	0			0	(631)	0	0	631	0	0	0
Share-based compensation	0			0	4,385	0	0	0	4,385	0	4,385
Equity component of issuance of convertible notes, net of tax and issuance costs	0			0	16,511	0	0	0	16,511	0	16,511
Capped call transactions, net of tax	0			0	(12,495)	0	0	0	(12,495)	0	(12,495)
Other	0			0	(1)	1	0	0	0	0	0
Conversions of Class B Common Stock	10			(10)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	0			0	0	(124,843)	(2,285)	0	(127,128)	(23)	(127,151)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 23,264			$ 7,926	$ 153,529	$ 331,897	$ (14,933)	$ (2,960)	$ 498,723	$ 0	$ 498,723