Lease Termination and Impairment Charges (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended																					12 Months Ended																				11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 03, 2012 Store	Nov. 26, 2011	Aug. 27, 2011	May 28, 2011	Feb. 26, 2011 Store	Nov. 27, 2010	Aug. 28, 2010	May 29, 2010	Mar. 03, 2012 Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Impairment charges Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Impairment charges Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Impairment charges Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Facility and equipment lease exit charges Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Facility and equipment lease exit charges Store center	Feb. 27, 2010 Facility and equipment lease exit charges center Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Closed stores or stores approved for closure	Feb. 26, 2011 Closed stores or stores approved for closure	Feb. 27, 2010 Closed stores or stores approved for closure	Mar. 03, 2012 Prior period charges Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Prior period charges Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Prior period charges Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Current period charges Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Current period charges Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Current period charges Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Active stores Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Active stores Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Impairment charges Y Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Active stores Impairment charges Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Active stores Impairment charges Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Additional charges for stores previously impaired in prior periods Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Active stores Additional charges for stores previously impaired in prior periods Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Active stores Additional charges for stores previously impaired in prior periods Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Charges for the new and relocated stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Y Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Active stores Charges for the new and relocated stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Active stores Charges for the new and relocated stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Charges for the new and relocated stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Minimum Y	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Charges for the remaining stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Active stores Charges for the remaining stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Active stores Charges for the remaining stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Active stores Charges for the remaining stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period Minimum Y	Mar. 03, 2012 Closed facilities Impairment charges Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Closed facilities Impairment charges Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Closed facilities Impairment charges Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Closed facilities Actual and approved store closings Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Closed facilities Actual and approved store closings Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Closed facilities Actual and approved store closings Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Closed facilities Actual and approved relocations Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Closed facilities Actual and approved relocations Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Closed facilities Actual and approved relocations Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Closed facilities Distribution center closings Store	Feb. 27, 2010 Closed facilities Distribution center closings Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Closed facilities Existing surplus properties Store	Feb. 26, 2011 Closed facilities Existing surplus properties Store	Mar. 27, 2010 Closed facilities Existing surplus properties Store	Mar. 03, 2012 Owned stores which are closed Impairment charges	Feb. 26, 2011 Owned stores which are closed Impairment charges	Feb. 27, 2010 Owned stores which are closed Impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges
Percentage of pharmacy business affected by rate compression									96.00%
Lease termination and impairment charges	$ 56,305	$ 11,540	$ 15,118	$ 17,090	$ 154,073	$ 17,003	$ 26,360	$ 13,457	$ 100,053	$ 210,893	$ 208,017	$ 51,998	$ 115,121	$ 75,475	$ 48,055	$ 95,772	$ 132,542													$ 43,353	$ 108,999	$ 48,884	$ 9,822	$ 17,825	$ 7,710	$ 18,926	$ 36,015	$ 17,260		$ 14,605	$ 55,159	$ 23,914		$ 8,645	$ 6,122	$ 26,591	$ 2,283	$ 3,278	$ 5,479	$ 3,108	$ 499	$ 317	$ 94	$ 5,689	$ 5,863	$ 2,433	$ 12,315	$ 5,863	$ 2,433	$ 12,315
Stores expected to be closed in next fiscal year												50
Number of stores															23	52	108
Number of distribution centers																1	1
Long-lived assets	7,364,291				7,555,850				7,364,291	7,555,850																	1,979,000
Number of stores	4,667				4,714				4,667	4,714	4,780										428	263	321	663	795	573	4,667	4,714	4,780	663	795	573	591	584	437	19	44	32		53	167	104
Number of facilities																																												69	70	98	55	51	67	7	2	1	1	1	12	17	23
Total number of locations												732	865	671
Period considered for recording impairment charges on the basis of operating loss (in years)																														2									2				2
Cumulative active stores with impairment charges												1,091	1,058	894
Number of stores fully impared																																	583	577	431	19	43	30		43	141	92
Period considered for impairment of new stores (in years)																																							3
Period considered for impairment of relocated stores (in years)																																				2
Closed store and distribution center charges
Balance-beginning of period															405,350	412,654	381,411
Provision for present value of noncancellable lease payments of closed stores															11,832	51,369	80,331
Changes in assumptions about future sublease income, terminations and changes in interest rates															11,305	19,585	31,014
Interest accretion															26,084	26,234	26,693
Cash payments, net of sublease income															(86,707)	(104,492)	(106,795)
Balance-end of period															367,864	405,350	412,654
Revenues and operating losses of closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues	7,146,754	6,312,584	6,271,091	6,390,793	6,456,466	6,202,353	6,161,752	6,394,336	26,121,222	25,214,907	25,669,117							179,064	352,260	640,014
Operating expenses																		198,214	393,465	707,699
Gain from sale of assets																		(11,969)	(19,407)	(32,967)
Other expenses																		(7,220)	4,232	9,832
Income (loss) before income taxes	(185,469)	(51,013)	(94,966)	(60,809)	(204,205)	(80,684)	(194,150)	(66,543)	(392,257)	(545,582)	(479,918)							39	(26,030)	(44,550)
Depreciation and amortization									440,582	505,546	534,238							2,183	5,336	11,312
Inventory liquidation charges																		$ 1,112	$ 4,897	$ 5,236