Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	$ 754,843	$ 719,423
Other services	296,482	297,757
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	1,051,325	1,017,180
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	428,148	403,406
Cost of other services	177,302	174,734
Selling and administrative expenses	306,581	310,466
Operating income	139,294	128,574
Interest income	(77)	(365)
Interest expense (income)	16,598	17,334
Income before income taxes	122,773	111,605
Income taxes	46,040	42,967
Net income	76,733	68,638
Cintas Corporation [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0
Other services	0	0
Equity in net income of affiliates	76,733	68,638
Total revenue	76,733	68,638
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0
Cost of other services	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0
Operating income	76,733	68,638
Interest income	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0
Income before income taxes	76,733	68,638
Income taxes	0	0
Net income	76,733	68,638
Corp. 2 [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	576,285	553,748
Other services	369,406	357,732
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	945,691	911,480
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	364,197	346,775
Cost of other services	236,331	220,833
Selling and administrative expenses	290,644	275,617
Operating income	54,519	68,255
Interest income	(18)	(80)
Interest expense (income)	16,566	17,776
Income before income taxes	37,971	50,559
Income taxes	14,379	18,666
Net income	23,592	31,893
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	152,817	141,915
Other services	10,879	17,161
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	163,696	159,076
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	89,342	84,352
Cost of other services	(2,417)	(2,060)
Selling and administrative expenses	(4,139)	15,995
Operating income	80,910	60,789
Interest income	(35)	(127)
Interest expense (income)	31	(448)
Income before income taxes	80,914	61,364
Income taxes	30,642	22,656
Net income	50,272	38,708
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	53,784	52,583
Other services	29,378	29,802
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	83,162	82,385
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	36,620	35,909
Cost of other services	17,708	17,825
Selling and administrative expenses	24,301	22,284
Operating income	4,533	6,367
Interest income	(24)	(158)
Interest expense (income)	1	6
Income before income taxes	4,556	6,519
Income taxes	1,024	1,647
Net income	3,532	4,872
Eliminations [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	(28,043)	(28,823)
Other services	(113,181)	(106,938)
Equity in net income of affiliates	(76,733)	(68,638)
Total revenue	(217,957)	(204,399)
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	(62,011)	(63,630)
Cost of other services	(74,320)	(61,864)
Selling and administrative expenses	(4,225)	(3,430)
Operating income	(77,401)	(75,475)
Interest income	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0
Income before income taxes	(77,401)	(75,475)
Income taxes	(5)	(2)
Net income	$ (77,396)	$ (75,473)