Condensed Consolidating Guarantor Financial Statements Details SCF (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	$ 92,749	$ 97,679	$ 106,718
Cash flow from investing activities:
Loan receivables, net of cash repayments	(3,716)	(2,470)	(411)
Purchases of property and equipment	(21,073)	(23,954)	(26,672)
Acquisitions of pawn stores, net of cash acquired	(46,887)	(58,942)	(113,643)
Investing activity with subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net cash flow used in investing activities	(71,676)	(85,366)	(140,726)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Borrowings from revolving credit facilities	120,000	50,000	152,500
Repayments of revolving credit facilities	(84,400)	(209,600)	(73,000)
Repayments of notes payable	0	(8,352)	(3,211)
Issuance of senior unsecured notes	0	200,000	0
Debt issuance costs paid	(407)	(6,610)	0
Purchases of treasury stock	(39,974)	(43,947)	(38,692)
Proceeds from exercise of share-based compensation awards	9,895	5,270	9,242
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	5,126	4,141	7,805
Payment of minimum withholding taxes on net share settlement of stock options exercised	(1,113)	0	0
Proceeds from intercompany financing related activity	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends paid	0	0	0
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities	9,127	(9,098)	54,644
Effect of exchange rates on cash	(11,238)	(5,866)	(278)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	18,962	(2,651)	20,358
Cash and cash equivalents	86,954	67,992	70,643	$ 50,285
Parent Company
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	32,753	42,632	74,402
Cash flow from investing activities:
Loan receivables, net of cash repayments	0	0	0
Purchases of property and equipment	(329)	(839)	(1,616)
Acquisitions of pawn stores, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Investing activity with subsidiaries	(43,890)	(49,570)	(114,901)
Net cash flow used in investing activities	(44,219)	(50,409)	(116,517)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Borrowings from revolving credit facilities	120,000	50,000	152,500
Repayments of revolving credit facilities	(84,400)	(209,600)	(73,000)
Repayments of notes payable		(8,352)	(3,211)
Issuance of senior unsecured notes		200,000
Debt issuance costs paid	(407)	6,610
Purchases of treasury stock	(39,974)	(43,947)	(38,692)
Proceeds from exercise of share-based compensation awards	9,895	5,270	9,242
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	5,126	4,141	7,805
Payment of minimum withholding taxes on net share settlement of stock options exercised	1,113
Proceeds from intercompany financing related activity	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends paid	0	0	0
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities	9,127	(9,098)	54,644
Effect of exchange rates on cash	0	0	0
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(2,339)	(16,875)	12,529
Cash and cash equivalents	5,460	7,799	24,674	12,145
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	59,675	62,403	62,677
Cash flow from investing activities:
Loan receivables, net of cash repayments	1,803	2,785	4,138
Purchases of property and equipment	(6,919)	(8,097)	(12,767)
Acquisitions of pawn stores, net of cash acquired	(29,617)	(16,417)	(99,792)
Investing activity with subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net cash flow used in investing activities	(34,733)	(21,729)	(108,421)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Borrowings from revolving credit facilities	0	0	0
Repayments of revolving credit facilities	0	0	0
Repayments of notes payable		0	0
Issuance of senior unsecured notes		0
Debt issuance costs paid	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of share-based compensation awards	0	0	0
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Payment of minimum withholding taxes on net share settlement of stock options exercised	0
Proceeds from intercompany financing related activity	36,536	24,514	112,559
Intercompany dividends paid	(60,859)	(66,623)	(66,186)
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities	(24,323)	(42,109)	46,373
Effect of exchange rates on cash	0	0	0
Change in cash and cash equivalents	619	(1,435)	629
Cash and cash equivalents	3,765	3,146	4,581	3,952
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	66,713	63,510	38,207
Cash flow from investing activities:
Loan receivables, net of cash repayments	(5,519)	(5,255)	(4,549)
Purchases of property and equipment	(13,825)	(15,018)	(12,289)
Acquisitions of pawn stores, net of cash acquired	(17,270)	(42,525)	(13,851)
Investing activity with subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net cash flow used in investing activities	(36,614)	(62,798)	(30,689)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Borrowings from revolving credit facilities	0	0	0
Repayments of revolving credit facilities	0	0	0
Repayments of notes payable		0	0
Issuance of senior unsecured notes		0
Debt issuance costs paid	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of share-based compensation awards	0	0	0
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Payment of minimum withholding taxes on net share settlement of stock options exercised	0
Proceeds from intercompany financing related activity	7,354	25,056	2,342
Intercompany dividends paid	(5,533)	(4,243)	(2,382)
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities	1,821	20,813	(40)
Effect of exchange rates on cash	(11,238)	(5,866)	(278)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	20,682	15,659	7,200
Cash and cash equivalents	77,729	57,047	41,388	34,188
Consolidating Eliminations
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	(66,392)	(70,866)	(68,568)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Loan receivables, net of cash repayments	0	0	0
Purchases of property and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisitions of pawn stores, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Investing activity with subsidiaries	43,890	49,570	114,901
Net cash flow used in investing activities	43,890	49,570	114,901
Cash flow from financing activities:
Borrowings from revolving credit facilities	0	0	0
Repayments of revolving credit facilities	0	0	0
Repayments of notes payable		0	0
Issuance of senior unsecured notes		0
Debt issuance costs paid	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of share-based compensation awards	0	0	0
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Payment of minimum withholding taxes on net share settlement of stock options exercised	0
Proceeds from intercompany financing related activity	(43,890)	(49,570)	(114,901)
Intercompany dividends paid	66,392	70,866	68,568
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities	22,502	21,296	(46,333)
Effect of exchange rates on cash	0	0	0
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0