Share-Based Payments (Details Textuals) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 27, 2011 Year ReportableSegment Plaintiffs OperatingSegment LegalMatter Manager SecuritiesHold Store Strategy DerivativeInstrument	Aug. 28, 2010	Aug. 29, 2009
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding options	2,630,194	2,874,206
Shares sold to employees under employee stock purchase plan	21,608	26,620	29,147
Share-Based Payments (Textuals) [Abstract]
Term of options from grant date	10 Years or 10 Years and one day
Total share-based expense related to stock options and share purchase plans	$ 26,600,000	$ 19,100,000	$ 19,100,000
Share-based compensation expense for unvested awards not yet recognized in earnings	18,700,000
Weighted average period recognition of share-based compensation expense for unvested awards	2.5
Exercise period of vested options after death	1 year
Percent of Director fees a non-employee director may receive immediately in cash	50.00%
Maximum limit of the fees a Director can elect to receive in stock	100.00%
Accrued Director fees	5,900,000	4,100,000
Accrued Director fees in shares	19,709	19,228
Number of shares for which each new non-employee director receives an option to purchase	3,000
Outstanding options	2,630,194	2,874,206
Weighted average grant date fair value of options granted	$ 58.57	$ 40.75	$ 34.06
Intrinsic value of options exercised	100,000,000	64,800,000	29,300,000
Total fair value of options vested	20,700,000	20,700,000	16,200,000
Restricted stock units granted under Director Compensation Program, description	Under the Program, restricted stock units are granted the first day of each calendar quarter. The number of restricted stock units granted each quarter is determined by dividing one-fourth of the amount of the annual retainer by the fair market value of the shares of common stock as of the grant date.
Expense related to the discount on the selling of shares to employees and executives	1,400,000	1,000,000	900,000
Shares sold to employees under employee stock purchase plan	21,608	26,620	29,147
Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percent of market price at which employees permitted to purchase through payroll deductions	85.00%
Maximum permitted annual purchases per employee	$ 15,000
Maximum permitted annual purchases per employee, Percent of Compensation	10.00%
Common stock reserved for future issuance	272,375
Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum exercise period of vested options after service period	90 days
Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Exercise period of vested options after service period	30 days
Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares purchased from employees at fair value	30,864	30,617	37,190
Director [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding options	125,614	137,016
Common stock reserved for future issuance	0
Share-Based Payments (Textuals) [Abstract]
Outstanding options	125,614	137,016
Restated Executive Stock Purchase Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum permitted annual purchases per employee, Percent of Compensation	25.00%
Common stock reserved for future issuance	256,337
Shares sold to employees under employee stock purchase plan	1,719	1,483	1,705
Share-Based Payments (Textuals) [Abstract]
Shares sold to employees under employee stock purchase plan	1,719	1,483	1,705