Indebtedness and Credit Agreement - Indebtedness and lease financing obligations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 27, 2022	Jun. 13, 2022	Feb. 26, 2022
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Lease financing obligations	$ 19,590		$ 20,374
Total Debt	3,242,245		2,753,360
Current maturities of long-term debt and lease financing obligations	(5,581)		(5,544)
Long-term debt and lease financing obligations, less current maturities	3,236,664		2,747,816
Senior Secured Debt [Member]
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	1,717,947		1,038,646
FILO term loan due August 2026 [Member]
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	347,921		347,656
Principal amount of debt	350,000		350,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	2,079		2,344
Senior secured revolving credit facility due August 2026
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	1,370,026		690,990
Principal amount of debt	1,386,000		709,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	15,974		18,010
Second Lien Secured Debt
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	1,317,428		1,428,697
7.5% senior notes due July 2025
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	$ 480,368		$ 593,176
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)	7.50%	7.50%	7.50%
Principal amount of debt	$ 485,058		$ 600,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	4,690		6,824
8.0% senior secured notes due November 2026
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	$ 837,060		$ 835,521
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)	8.00%		8.00%
Principal amount of debt	$ 849,918		$ 849,918
Unamortized debt issuance costs	12,858		14,397
Unguaranteed Unsecured Debt
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	187,280		265,643
7.7% notes due February 2027
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	$ 185,240		$ 236,744
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)	7.70%		7.70%
Principal amount of debt	$ 185,691		$ 237,386
Unamortized debt issuance costs	451		642
6.875% fixed-rate senior notes due December 2028
Indebtedness and credit agreements
Long-term debt	$ 2,040		$ 28,899
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)	6.875%		6.875%
Principal amount of debt	$ 2,046		$ 29,001
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$ 6		$ 102

Amount of short-term and long-term debt and lease obligation.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13,16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495323-112611

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124435984&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124429444&loc=SL124452920-239629

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495737-112612

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495735-112612

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123408670&loc=SL77918701-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123391704&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466204&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495737-112612

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495735-112612

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495340-112611

Reference 7: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and lease obligation, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and lease obligation, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_SeniorSecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_FiloTermLoanDueAugust2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_SeniorSecuredRevolvingCreditFacilityDueAugust2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubordinatedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_SeniorNotes7.5PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_SeniorSecuredNotes8.0PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_UnsecuredUnguaranteedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_Notes7.7PercentDueFeb2027Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=rad_FixedRate6.875PercentSeniorNotesDueDecember2028Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: