Note 13 - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jun. 06, 2017
Feb. 28, 2017
Nov. 29, 2016
Aug. 30, 2016
May 31, 2016
Mar. 01, 2016
Dec. 01, 2015
Sep. 01, 2015
Jun. 06, 2017
May 31, 2016
Jun. 02, 2015
Other restaurant operating costs                 $ 198,696 $ 229,518 $ 242,109
Depreciation and amortization                 41,779 51,358 52,391
General and administrative expenses                 67,009 58,191 65,907
Marketing Expense                 54,140 51,436 49,420
Intercompany general and administrative allocations                
Closures and Impairments Expenses                 69,808 64,680 10,542
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries                
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries                
Gain on sale of surplus properties                 (5,937)
Interest expense, net                 20,855 21,754 22,735
Intercompany interest expense/(income)                
Total operating costs and expenses                 1,059,827 1,144,090 1,131,671
Total operating costs and expenses                     1,131,671
(Loss)/income before income taxes $ (8,661) $ (19,889) $ (37,920) $ (41,386) $ (28,097) $ (3,569) $ (15,979) $ (5,217) (107,856) (52,862) (5,105)
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes from continuing operations 26 (84) 36 (1,694) (494) (483) (180) (1,023) (1,716) (2,180) (1,911)
Net loss (8,687) (19,805) (37,956) (39,692) (27,603) (3,086) (15,799) (4,194) (106,140) (50,682) (3,194)
Pension liability reclassification                 2,127 831 (40)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 (104,013) (49,851) (3,234)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 (104,013) (49,851) (3,234)
Restaurant sales and operating revenue                 948,403 1,085,034 1,120,142
Franchise revenue                 3,568 6,194 6,424
Total revenue $ 254,863 $ 225,732 $ 214,719 $ 256,657 $ 279,322 $ 271,470 $ 260,956 $ 279,480 951,971 1,091,228 1,126,566
Cost of goods sold                 268,622 298,529 305,306
Payroll and related costs                 338,918 374,561 383,261
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]                      
Other restaurant operating costs                
Depreciation and amortization                
General and administrative expenses                
Marketing Expense                
Intercompany general and administrative allocations                
Closures and Impairments Expenses                
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries                 (628) (15,212) 28,148
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries                 628 15,212 (28,148)
Gain on sale of surplus properties                    
Interest expense, net                
Intercompany interest expense/(income)                
Total operating costs and expenses                 628 15,212  
Total operating costs and expenses                     28,148
(Loss)/income before income taxes                 (628) (15,212) (28,148)
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes from continuing operations                
Net loss                 (628) (15,212) (28,148)
Pension liability reclassification                
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 (628) (15,212) (28,148)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 (628) (15,212) (28,148)
Restaurant sales and operating revenue                
Franchise revenue                
Total revenue                
Cost of goods sold                
Payroll and related costs                
Parent Company [Member]                      
Other restaurant operating costs                 146,391 167,051 175,819
Depreciation and amortization                 30,673 36,387 37,466
General and administrative expenses                 37,929 32,264 39,261
Marketing Expense                 40,264 37,748 36,157
Intercompany general and administrative allocations                 38,558 42,870 44,768
Closures and Impairments Expenses                 47,191 40,683 7,914
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries                 628 15,212 (28,148)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries                 (628) (15,212) 28,148
Gain on sale of surplus properties                   (5,937)  
Interest expense, net                 19,973 18,329 18,489
Intercompany interest expense/(income)                 12,050 12,143 12,009
Total operating costs and expenses                 810,957 845,946  
Total operating costs and expenses                     834,807
(Loss)/income before income taxes                 (116,549) (60,554) (25,398)
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes from continuing operations                 (10,409) (9,872) (22,204)
Net loss                 (106,140) (50,682) (3,194)
Pension liability reclassification                 2,127 831 (40)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 (104,013) (49,851) (3,234)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 (104,013) (49,851) (3,234)
Restaurant sales and operating revenue                 694,398 785,147 809,171
Franchise revenue                 10 245 238
Total revenue                 694,408 785,392 809,409
Cost of goods sold                 196,515 216,121 220,537
Payroll and related costs                 242,041 263,499 270,535
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]                      
Other restaurant operating costs                 52,305 62,467 66,290
Depreciation and amortization                 11,106 14,971 14,925
General and administrative expenses                 29,080 25,927 26,646
Marketing Expense                 13,876 13,688 13,263
Intercompany general and administrative allocations                 (38,558) (42,870) (44,768)
Closures and Impairments Expenses                 22,617 23,997 2,628
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries                
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries                
Gain on sale of surplus properties                    
Interest expense, net                 882 3,425 4,246
Intercompany interest expense/(income)                 (12,050) (12,143) (12,009)
Total operating costs and expenses                 248,242 282,932  
Total operating costs and expenses                     268,716
(Loss)/income before income taxes                 9,321 22,904 48,441
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes from continuing operations                 8,693 7,692 20,293
Net loss                 628 15,212 28,148
Pension liability reclassification                
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 628 15,212 28,148
Total comprehensive (loss)/income                 628 15,212 28,148
Restaurant sales and operating revenue                 254,005 299,887 310,971
Franchise revenue                 3,558 5,949 6,186
Total revenue                 257,563 305,836 317,157
Cost of goods sold                 72,107 82,408 84,769
Payroll and related costs                 $ 96,877 $ 111,062 $ 112,726