12. Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

3 Months Ended

Mar. 25, 2012

12. PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

12. PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

The Company sponsors programs that provide retirement benefits to most of its employees. These programs include qualified defined benefit pension plans, nonqualified defined benefit retirement plans, a defined benefit postretirement life insurance plan, defined contribution retirement savings plans and deferred compensation plans. Under all of our retirement plans, the Company’s expenses were $2.1 million and $2.3 million in the thirteen weeks ended March 25, 2012 and March 27, 2011, respectively.

The following table provides the components of net periodic benefit cost for the defined benefit plans mentioned above:

	Thirteen Weeks Ended
	March 25, 2012					March 27, 2011
	Pension Benefits			Other Benefits		Pension Benefits			Other Benefits
	(In thousands)
Service cost	$	12		$	—	$	52		$	—
Interest cost	2,029			24		2,465			34
Estimated return on plan assets	(1,435		)	—		(1,856		)	—
Amortization of prior service cost	—			—		1			—
Amortization of net loss	415			—		28			—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,021		$	24	$	690		$	34

During the thirteen weeks ended March 25, 2012, the Company contributed $1.4 million to its defined benefit plans.