Nature of Operations and Summary of Accounting Policies Nature of Operations and Summary of Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) store	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) store	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)
Nature of Operations [Abstract]
Number of company-owned stores nationwide and in Puerto Rico | store	2,158								2,158
Number of retail installment sales stores | store	44								44
Number of Acceptance Now Staffed locations | store	1,106								1,106
Number of Acceptance Now Direct locations | store	96								96
Number of stores in Mexico | store	122								122
Number of Franchised stores | store	281								281
Number of states with Franchised stores	32								32
Rental merchandise, net [Abstract]
Minimum Period in Held for Rent status needed for depreciation of merchandise									180 days
Maximum Period used for depreciation of Merchandise Held for Rent									18 months
Maximum Period used for depreciation of smartphones Held for Rent									18 months
Minimum Period in Held for Rent status needed for depreciation of smartphones									90 days
Maximum period of past due required to charge off remaining book value of rental merchandise for Core U.S. segment									90 days
Maximum period of past due required to charge off remaining book value of rental merchandise for Acceptance Now segment									150 days
Maximum period of past due required to charge off remaining book value of rental merchandise for Mexico segment									90 days
Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Abstract]
Minimum Period of Past Due Required to Charge Off installment Notes									120 days
Maximum period in current status allowed to Franchisees for payment of receivables									30 days
Minimum period of past due required to write off receivables from Franchisees									90 days
Goodwill and Other Intangibles [Abstract]
Amortization period for acquired customer relationships									21 months
Amortization period for vendor relationships minimum									7 years
Amortization period for vendor relationships maximum									15 years
Advertising Costs [Abstract]
Advertising Costs									$ 74,600	$ 86,100	$ 90,600
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Accrued liabilities	$ (337,459)				$ (298,018)				(337,459)	(298,018)		$ (299,683)
Deferred tax liability	119,061				87,081				119,061	87,081		86,727
Total liabilities	1,110,400				1,148,338				1,110,400	1,148,338		1,149,649
Retained earnings	805,924				798,743				805,924	798,743		797,432
Total stockholders' equity	286,517				272,443				286,517	272,443		271,132
Royalty income and fees									13,491	8,969	8,428
Total revenues	661,750	$ 644,942	$ 655,730	$ 698,043	638,954	$ 643,965	$ 677,635	$ 741,986	2,660,465	2,702,540	2,963,252
Gross profit	419,564	407,740	423,886	436,978	410,881	412,465	432,533	462,663	1,688,168	1,718,542	1,935,049
Other store expenses									656,894	744,187	791,614
Total operating expenses									1,632,031	1,781,601	2,001,645
Operating profit (loss)	13,624	25,632	27,151	(10,270)	(54,893)	(8,445)	(873)	1,152	56,137	(63,059)	(66,596)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									13,841	(110,200)	(113,274)
Income tax expense (benefit)									5,349	(116,853)	(8,079)
Net earnings (loss)	1,664	$ 12,918	$ 13,753	$ (19,843)	$ 34,824	$ (12,599)	$ (8,893)	$ (6,679)	8,492	$ 6,653	$ (105,195)
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Accrued liabilities	(3,786)								(3,786)			(1,665)
Deferred tax liability	1,011								1,011			354
Total liabilities	2,775								2,775			1,311
Retained earnings	2,775								2,775			1,311
Total stockholders' equity	2,775								2,775			$ 1,311
Royalty income and fees									(1,844)
Total revenues									(1,844)
Gross profit									(1,844)
Other store expenses									(3,965)
Total operating expenses									(3,965)
Operating profit (loss)									2,121
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									2,121
Income tax expense (benefit)									657
Net earnings (loss)									1,464
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Accrued liabilities	(333,673)								(333,673)
Deferred tax liability	120,072								120,072
Total liabilities	1,107,625								1,107,625
Retained earnings	808,699								808,699
Total stockholders' equity	$ 289,292								289,292
Royalty income and fees									11,647
Total revenues									2,658,621
Gross profit									1,686,324
Other store expenses									652,929
Total operating expenses									1,628,066
Operating profit (loss)									58,258
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									15,962
Income tax expense (benefit)									6,006
Net earnings (loss)									$ 9,956
Furniture, equipment and vehicle [Member]
Major Property Class Useful Life [Line Items]
Depreciation period									5 years
Building [Member]
Major Property Class Useful Life [Line Items]
Depreciation period									40 years
Internally Developed Software [Member]
Major Property Class Useful Life [Line Items]
Depreciation period									10 years