Note 5 - Property, Equipment, and Assets Held for Sale
 3 Months Ended
Aug. 30, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements  
Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block]
5. Property, Equipment, and Assets Held for Sale
 
Property and equipment, net, is comprised of the following (in thousands):
 
 
 
August 30, 2016
 
 
May 31, 2016
 
Land
 
$
182,829
 
 
$
209,930
 
Buildings
 
 
381,496
 
 
 
398,984
 
Improvements
 
 
294,500
 
 
 
303,032
 
Restaurant equipment
 
 
216,542
 
 
 
222,646
 
Other equipment
 
 
80,026
 
 
 
82,204
 
Surplus properties*
 
 
37,302
 
 
 
4,354
 
Construction in progress and other
 
 
2,239
 
 
 
3,325
 
 
 
 
1,194,93
4
 
 
 
1,224,475
 
Less accumulated depreciation
 
 
543,157
 
 
 
553,225
 
Property and equipment, net
 
$
651,777
 
 
$
671,250
 
 
* Surplus properties represent assets held for sale that are not classified as such in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as we
have yet to conclude that we can sell these assets within the next 12 months. These assets primarily consist of parcels of land upon which we have no intention to build restaurants, closed properties which include a building, and liquor licenses not needed for operations.
 
Included within the current assets section of our
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at August 30, 2016 and May 31, 2016 are amounts classified as assets held for sale totaling $11.8 million and $4.6 million, respectively. Assets held for sale primarily consist of parcels of land upon which we have no intention to build restaurants, land and buildings of closed restaurants, and various liquor licenses. During the 13 weeks ended August 30, 2016 and September 1, 2015, we sold surplus properties with carrying values that were negligible and $2.1 million, respectively, at net gains of $0.1 million and $0.6 million, respectively. Cash proceeds, net of broker fees, from these sales totaled $0.1 million and $2.7 million for the 13 weeks ended August 30, 2016 and September 1, 2015, respectively.