Interim Financial Results (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Mar. 03, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017	Sep. 02, 2017	Jun. 03, 2017	Mar. 04, 2017	Nov. 26, 2016	Aug. 27, 2016	May 28, 2016	Mar. 03, 2018	Mar. 04, 2017	Feb. 27, 2016
Interim Financial Results (Unaudited)
Revenues	$ 5,394,264	$ 5,353,170	$ 5,345,011	$ 5,436,523	$ 5,903,385	$ 5,669,111	$ 5,629,559	$ 5,725,485	$ 21,528,968	$ 22,927,540	$ 20,770,237
Cost of revenues	4,124,498	4,166,447	4,183,338	4,274,580	4,554,328	4,424,260	4,387,845	4,496,400	16,748,863	17,862,833	15,778,258
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,181,964	1,166,514	1,141,844	1,160,940	1,253,144	1,168,646	1,175,430	1,179,775	4,651,262	4,776,995	4,581,171
Lease termination and impairment charges	47,675	3,939	3,113	4,038	25,575	7,199	7,226	5,778	58,765	45,778	40,477
Goodwill impairment	261,727								261,727	0
Interest expense	50,603	50,308	50,857	51,000	53,391	50,303	49,703	46,668	202,768	200,065	186,132
Walgreens Boots Alliance merger termination fee			(325,000)						(325,000)
(Gain) loss on sale of assets, net	(5,249)	205	(14,951)	(5,877)	(6,261)	(225)	(560)	397	(25,872)	(6,649)	(606)
Total costs and expenses	5,661,218	5,387,413	5,039,201	5,484,681	5,880,177	5,650,183	5,619,644	5,729,018	21,572,513	22,879,022	20,618,637
Income (loss) before income taxes	(266,954)	(34,243)	305,810	(48,158)	23,208	18,928	9,915	(3,533)	(43,545)	48,518	151,600
Income tax expense (benefit)	216,719	(16,061)	117,450	(12,121)	48,262	(4,682)	3,879	(3,021)	305,987	44,438	49,512
Net (loss) income from continuing operations	(483,673)	(18,182)	188,360	(36,037)	(25,054)	23,610	6,036	(512)	(349,532)	4,080	102,088
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	1,250,745	99,213	(17,644)	(39,312)	3,912	(8,600)	8,737	(4,076)	1,293,002	(27)	63,377
Net (loss) income	$ 767,072	$ 81,031	$ 170,716	$ (75,349)	$ (21,142)	$ 15,010	$ 14,773	$ (4,588)	$ 943,470	$ 4,053	$ 165,465
Basic (loss) income per share:
Continuing operations	$ (0.46)	$ (0.02)	$ 0.18	$ (0.03)					$ (0.33)	$ 0.00	$ 0.10
Discontinued operations	1.19	0.10	(0.02)	(0.04)					1.23	0.00	0.06
Net basic income per share	0.73	0.08	0.16	(0.07)					0.90	0.00	0.16
Diluted (loss) income per share:
Continuing operations	(0.46)	(0.02)	0.18	(0.03)					(0.33)	0.00	0.10
Discontinued operations	1.19	0.10	(0.02)	(0.04)					1.23	0.00	0.06
Net diluted income per share	$ 0.73	$ 0.08	$ 0.16	$ (0.07)					$ 0.90	0.00	$ 0.16
Basic and diluted (loss) income per share:
Continuing operations					$ (0.02)	$ 0.02	$ 0.01	$ 0.00		0.00
Discontinued operations					0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00		0.00
Net basic and diluted income per share					$ (0.02)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.00		$ 0.00
Income tax expense recorded in connection with revaluation of deferred tax assets	$ 324,765								$ 324,765
Good will impairment, net of tax									191,000
Facilities impairment charges	36,927				$ 21,068
LIFO (credit) charge	$ (49,220)				$ 28,987				$ (28,827)	$ (3,721)	$ 7,892