v3.8.0.1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Other Policies) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2017	Sep. 25, 2016	Sep. 27, 2015
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method		$ 944	$ 513
Restricted Cash [Abstract]
Restricted Cash, Description	the Company holds restricted cash as a rent guarantee on certain operating leases through fiscal year 2020
Insurance and Self-Insurance Reserves [Abstract]
Insurance Liabilities	$ 198	$ 180
Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Costs [Abstract]
Percentage of Purchases from Largest Supplier	33.20%	32.50%	32.00%
Direct Store Expenses [Abstract]
Advertising Expense	$ 113	$ 96	$ 89
Pre-opening Expenses [Abstract]
Average period for pre-opening rent expense (in months)	9 months
Average period for pre-opening costs other than rent (in days)	60 days
Minimum [Member]
Reserves for Closed Properties [Abstract]
Remaining Lease Terms, Closed Properties	4 months
Maximum [Member]
Reserves for Closed Properties [Abstract]
Remaining Lease Terms, Closed Properties	19 years
Contract-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill and Intangible Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Life (in years)	16 years
Common stock in treasury
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method		$ 944	$ 513
Common stock in treasury \| Merger Agreement [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method	$ 1,950

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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- Definition

The total expense recognized in the period for promotion, public relations, and brand or product advertising.

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Description of nature and provision of restriction as to withdrawal or usage on cash and cash equivalents.

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Carrying amount (including both current and noncurrent portions) of accrued known and estimated losses incurred as of the balance sheet date for which no insurance coverage exists, and for which a claim has been made or is probable of being asserted, typically arising from workmen's compensation-type of incidents and personal injury to nonemployees from accidents on the entity's property.

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- Definition

Equity impact of the cost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method.

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[Line Items] for Accounting Policies

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Average period of time prior to new store openings during which pre-opening costs other than rent are expensed as incurred, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Average period of time prior to new store openings during which rent expense is incurred and expensed as a pre-opening cost, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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This element represents the remaining lease term of closed properties for which lease liabilities have to be paid, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Costs [Abstract]

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Direct Store Expenses [Abstract]

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- Definition

This element represents the percentage of total purchases attributable to the entity's largest supplier.

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Pre-opening Expenses [Abstract]

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Reserves for Closed Properties [Abstract]

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WHOLE FOODS MARKET INC 10-K