Rental Expense Under Operating Leases (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2019	Apr. 28, 2018	Apr. 29, 2017
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Minimum rentals	$ 309,586	$ 301,057	$ 302,784
Percentage rentals	959	1,076	1,353
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net, Total	$ 310,545	$ 302,133	$ 304,137

The increases or decreases in lease payments that result from changes occurring after the inception of the lease in the factors (other than the passage of time) on which lease payments are based, except that any escalation of minimum lease payments relating to increases in construction or acquisition cost of the leased property or for increases in some measure of cost or value during the construction or preconstruction period, are excluded from contingent rentals. Contingent rentals also may include amounts for which the triggering events have not yet occurred or the specified targets for which have not yet been achieved (such as sales based percentage rent), but which events are considered probable of occurring or which specified targets are considered probable of being achieved.

BARNES & NOBLE INC 10-K