Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jun. 04, 2013 State Restaurant Country	Mar. 05, 2013	Dec. 04, 2012	Sep. 04, 2012	Jun. 05, 2012	Feb. 28, 2012	Nov. 29, 2011	Aug. 30, 2011	Jun. 04, 2013 State Restaurant Country		Jun. 05, 2012	May 31, 2011 Partnership
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Number of Foreign Countries in which Entity Operates under Ruby Tuesday brand	11								11
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of restaurants	724								724
Number of domestic and international franchise Ruby Tuesday restaurants located outside the Company's existing core markets	77								77
Number of states primarily outside the Company's existing core markets in which Entity Operates	14								14
Ownership percentage for franchise partnerships, minimum (in hundredths)	1.00%								1.00%
Ownership percentage for franchise partnerships, maximum (in hundredths)	50.00%								50.00%
Number Of Franchise Partnerships Acquired												11
Additional Restaurant sales and operating revenue from impact of 53rd week											$ 22,900,000
Additional earning per share from impact of 53rd week (in dollars per share)											$ 0.03
Number of years from date of purchase within which substantially all guests utilize gift cards (in years)									2 years
Number Of Months After Date Of Activation Card Breakage For Non- Escheatable Amounts Is Recognized											24 months
Gift card breakage income									1,900,000		1,800,000	1,500,000
Franchise royalties, minimum (in hundredths)	4.00%								4.00%
Franchise royalties, maximum (in hundredths)	5.25%								5.25%
Royalty Fee Allowed Per Franchise Agreements Maximum (in hundredths)	4.00%								4.00%
Support Service Fee Allowed Per Franchise Agreements (in hundredths)	1.50%								1.50%
Marketing and Purchasing Fee Allowed Per Franchise Agreements (in hundredths)	1.50%								1.50%
Advertising Fee Allowed Per Franchise Agreements (in hundredths)	3.00%								3.00%
Past due days for franchise fee revenue not recognized									60 days
Unearned income for franchise fees	200,000				200,000				200,000		200,000
Marketing expenses, net of franchise reimbursements									71,400,000		47,200,000	27,400,000
Calculation of weighted-average common and dilutive potential common shares outstanding [Abstract]
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(27,020,000)	4,716,000	(4,204,000)	3,074,000	(6,734,000)	6,869,000	(590,000)	3,981,000	(23,434,000)		3,526,000	49,555,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,120,000)	(2,520,000)	(10,864,000)	(475,000)	918,000	(2,333,000)	(1,411,000)	(888,000)	(15,979,000)		(3,714,000)	(2,677,000)
Net (loss)/income	(29,140,000)	2,196,000	(15,068,000)	2,599,000	(5,816,000)	4,536,000	(2,001,000)	3,093,000	(39,413,000)		(188,000)	46,878,000
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)									61,040		62,916	64,029
Dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock (in shares)									0		592	919
Weighted average common and dilutive potential common shares outstanding (in shares)									61,040		63,508	64,948
(Loss)/earnings per share - Basic
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.44)	$ 0.08	$ (0.07)	$ 0.05	$ (0.10)	$ 0.11	$ (0.01)	$ 0.06	$ (0.38)		$ 0.06	$ 0.77
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.01	$ (0.04)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.27)		$ (0.06)	$ (0.04)
Net (loss)/earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.49)	$ 0.04	$ (0.24)	$ 0.04	$ (0.09)	$ 0.07	$ (0.03)	$ 0.05	$ (0.65)		$ 0	$ 0.73
(Loss)/earnings per share - Diluted
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.44)	$ 0.08	$ (0.07)	$ 0.05	$ (0.10)	$ 0.11	$ (0.01)	$ 0.06	$ (0.38)		$ 0.06	$ 0.76
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.01	$ (0.04)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.27)		$ (0.06)	$ (0.04)
Net (loss)/earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.49)	$ 0.04	$ (0.24)	$ 0.04	$ (0.09)	$ 0.07	$ (0.03)	$ 0.05	$ (0.65)		$ 0	$ 0.72
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total shares that did not impact the computation of diluted earnings per share (in shares)									3,653	[1]	3,048	2,938
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Goodwill associated with certain acquisitions			1,000,000		7,989,000			1,348,000			7,989,000	15,600,000
Goodwill impairment									9,022,000		16,919,000
Goodwill impairment loss, net of tax									5,400,000		12,000,000
Goodwill [Roll forward)
Balance, beginning of period				7,989,000				15,571,000	7,989,000		15,571,000
Adjustments to purchase price allocations									1,033,000		1,348,000
Acquisitions											7,989,000
Impairment									(9,022,000)		(16,919,000)
Balance, end of period	0				7,989,000				0		7,989,000	15,571,000
Amortization of intangibles									$ 3,287,000		$ 2,314,000	$ 1,477,000
Building [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									3 years
Building [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									35 years
Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									3 years
Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									35 years
Restaurant Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									3 years
Restaurant Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									15 years
Other Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									3 years
Other Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated Useful Lives									15 years
Stock Options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total shares that did not impact the computation of diluted earnings per share (in shares)									2,161	[1]	2,229	2,517
Restricted Shares [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total shares that did not impact the computation of diluted earnings per share (in shares)									1,492	[1]	819	421
Ruby Tuesday [Member]
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of restaurants	706								706
Lime Fresh [Member]
Franchisor Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of restaurants	18								18
Number of domestic franchise restaurants	5								5

[1] Due to a loss from continuing operations for the year ended June 4, 2013, all then outstanding share-based awards were excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share.