Note 8 - Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) - Asset Retirement Obligations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Nov. 29, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Aug. 30, 2014
Asset Retirement Obligations [Abstract]
Balance	$ 11,690us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation		$ 11,675us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation
Accretion expense	194	181
Effect of exchange rate changes	$ (179)

Name:	unf_AssetRetirementObligationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	unf_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 410

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Asset Retirement Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505190

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 410

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 410

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of asset retirement obligations for the period associated with foreign currency translation (to the extent that the entity accounts for the foreign currency effects as a separate component of the change in the liability).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationForeignCurrencyTranslation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration