Note 15. Business Segment Reporting (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	$ (104,258)	$ 9,050	$ 33,562	$ 24,046
Restaurant | Steak n Shake
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	10,443	10,826	30,949	30,876
Restaurant | Western
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	542	708	1,965	1,806
Restaurant | Total Restaurant Operations
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	10,985	11,534	32,914	32,682
Operating Business
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	9,491	8,733	28,274	21,768
Operating Business | First Guard
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	1,177	1,302	4,602	3,101
Operating Business | Maxim
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	(2,810)	(4,211)	(9,646)	(14,270)
Operating Business | Other
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	139	108	404	255
Corporate | Corporate
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	(2,304)	(2,019)	(7,688)	(11,463)
Corporate | Investment Partnership Gains (Losses) [Member]
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	(108,614)	5,302	21,602	22,710
Corporate | Total Corporate And Investments [Member]
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	(110,918)	3,283	13,914	11,247
Reconciliation Of Segments | Interest Expense [Member]
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	$ (2,831)	$ (2,966)	$ (8,626)	$ (8,969)