Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Aug. 25, 2012		May 26, 2012		Feb. 25, 2012	Nov. 26, 2011	Aug. 27, 2011		May 28, 2011	Feb. 26, 2011	Nov. 27, 2010	Aug. 25, 2012		Aug. 27, 2011		Aug. 28, 2010
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of operating segments	6											6
Number of reporting segments	5											5
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 312,374		$ 320,931		$ 309,959	$ 313,025	$ 290,874		$ 291,567	$ 278,595	$ 273,090	$ 1,256,289		$ 1,134,126		$ 1,025,939
Income (loss) from operations												151,108		123,973		130,272
Interest (income) expense, net												(606)		4,186		6,674
Income (loss) before taxes	35,503		42,360	[1]	31,086	41,785	28,053		28,454	26,344	37,721	150,734		120,572		122,852
Depreciation and amortization												66,439		64,733		61,477
Capital expenditures												74,549		63,847		50,015
Total assets	1,240,534						1,141,520					1,240,534		1,141,520		1,092,295
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	752,854						746,330					752,854		746,330
Revenues	312,374		320,931		309,959	313,025	290,874		291,567	278,595	273,090	1,256,289		1,134,126		1,025,939
Income before income taxes	35,503		42,360	[1]	31,086	41,785	28,053		28,454	26,344	37,721	150,734		120,572		122,852
Minimum threshold for a country to be deemed significant (in hundredths)												10.00%		10.00%		10.00%
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												1,144,753		1,029,003		932,477
Income (loss) before taxes												134,651		105,257		107,344
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	706,379						697,784					706,379		697,784
Revenues												1,144,753		1,029,003		932,477
Income before income taxes												134,651		105,257		107,344
Europe, Canada, and Mexico [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes												16,083		15,315		15,508
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	46,475	[2]					48,546	[2]				46,475	[2]	48,546	[2]
Income before income taxes												16,083		15,315		15,508
Europe and Canada [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												111,536	[2]	105,123	[2]	93,462	[2]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												111,536	[2]	105,123	[2]	93,462	[2]
US and Canadian Rental and Cleaning [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												1,099,421		986,028		899,791
Income (loss) from operations												164,793		144,431		149,464
Interest (income) expense, net												(2,535)		(2,307)		(1,860)
Income (loss) before taxes												167,284		146,745		151,337
Depreciation and amortization												43,501		41,322		39,754
Capital expenditures												66,526		55,799		43,652
Total assets	1,108,362						1,015,977					1,108,362		1,015,977		978,738
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												1,099,421		986,028		899,791
Income before income taxes												167,284		146,745		151,337
MFG [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												160,421		160,042		99,256
Income (loss) from operations												50,036		48,839		35,970
Interest (income) expense, net												0		0		0
Income (loss) before taxes												50,101		48,748		35,922
Depreciation and amortization												1,133		1,194		1,360
Capital expenditures												1,306		2,653		3,288
Total assets	28,099						28,879					28,099		28,879		22,777
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												160,421		160,042		99,256
Income before income taxes												50,101		48,748		35,922
Net Interco MFG Elim [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												(160,421)		(160,042)		(99,256)
Income (loss) from operations												(5,168)		(8,807)		(5,982)
Interest (income) expense, net												0		0		0
Income (loss) before taxes												(5,168)		(8,807)		(5,982)
Depreciation and amortization												0		0		0
Capital expenditures												0		0		0
Total assets	0						0					0		0		0
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												(160,421)		(160,042)		(99,256)
Income before income taxes												(5,168)		(8,807)		(5,982)
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												12,902		10,929		8,074
Income (loss) from operations												(76,376)		(78,738)		(65,106)
Interest (income) expense, net												1,929		6,493		8,534
Income (loss) before taxes												(78,345)		(85,146)		(73,623)
Depreciation and amortization												15,599		16,252		14,547
Capital expenditures												0		0		0
Total assets	0						0					0		0		0
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												12,902		10,929		8,074
Income before income taxes												(78,345)		(85,146)		(73,623)
Subtotal Core Laundry Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												1,112,323		996,957		907,865
Income (loss) from operations												133,285		105,725		114,346
Interest (income) expense, net												(606)		4,186		6,674
Income (loss) before taxes												133,872		101,540		107,654
Depreciation and amortization												60,233		58,768		55,661
Capital expenditures												67,832		58,452		46,940
Total assets	1,136,461						1,044,856					1,136,461		1,044,856		1,001,515
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												1,112,323		996,957		907,865
Income before income taxes												133,872		101,540		107,654
Specialty Garments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												102,758		103,322		88,001
Income (loss) from operations												13,460		15,292		13,891
Interest (income) expense, net												0		0		0
Income (loss) before taxes												12,499		16,076		13,162
Depreciation and amortization												4,788		4,500		4,314
Capital expenditures												6,044		5,028		2,981
Total assets	83,137						76,351					83,137		76,351		70,222
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												102,758		103,322		88,001
Income before income taxes												12,499		16,076		13,162
First Aid [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues												41,208		33,847		30,073
Income (loss) from operations												4,363		2,956		2,035
Interest (income) expense, net												0		0		0
Income (loss) before taxes												4,363		2,956		2,036
Depreciation and amortization												1,418		1,465		1,502
Capital expenditures												673		367		94
Total assets	20,936						20,313					20,936		20,313		20,558
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues												41,208		33,847		30,073
Income before income taxes												$ 4,363		$ 2,956		$ 2,036

[1] In the third fiscal quarter of 2012, operating results benefited from a settlement of environmental litigation that resulted in the Company recording a $6.7 million pre-tax gain. This gain translated into a $0.21 benefit to the Company's diluted earnings per share.

[2] No country accounts for greater than 10% of long-lived assets or revenues.