Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Nov. 30, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	$ 755,839	$ 722,789	$ 1,510,682	$ 1,442,212
Other services	304,547	296,337	601,029	594,094
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	1,060,386	1,019,126	2,111,711	2,036,306
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	438,902	410,247	867,050	813,653
Cost of other services	189,448	179,082	366,750	353,816
Selling and administrative expenses	293,013	297,112	599,594	607,578
Operating income	139,023	132,685	278,317	261,259
Interest income	(149)	(403)	(226)	(768)
Interest expense (income)	16,294	17,728	32,892	35,062
Income before income taxes	122,878	115,360	245,651	226,965
Income taxes	44,851	41,010	90,891	83,977
Net income	78,027	74,350	154,760	142,988
Cintas Corporation [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0	0	0
Other services	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income of affiliates	78,027	74,350	154,760	142,988
Total revenue	78,027	74,350	154,760	142,988
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0	0	0
Cost of other services	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	78,027	74,350	154,760	142,988
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	78,027	74,350	154,760	142,988
Income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income	78,027	74,350	154,760	142,988
Corp. 2 [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	575,274	558,143	1,151,559	1,111,891
Other services	387,265	367,926	756,671	725,658
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	962,539	926,069	1,908,230	1,837,549
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	367,645	356,105	731,842	702,881
Cost of other services	256,524	236,673	492,855	457,505
Selling and administrative expenses	280,259	266,206	570,903	541,823
Operating income	58,111	67,085	112,630	135,340
Interest income	(13)	(77)	(31)	(157)
Interest expense (income)	16,277	17,813	32,843	35,589
Income before income taxes	41,847	49,349	79,818	99,908
Income taxes	14,876	18,231	29,255	36,897
Net income	26,971	31,118	50,563	63,011
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	152,771	141,673	305,588	283,588
Other services	10,630	14,511	21,509	31,672
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	163,401	156,184	327,097	315,260
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	95,014	83,939	184,356	168,291
Cost of other services	(6,949)	3,794	(9,366)	1,734
Selling and administrative expenses	(7,023)	7,402	(11,162)	23,397
Operating income	82,359	61,049	163,269	121,838
Interest income	(126)	(111)	(161)	(238)
Interest expense (income)	18	(433)	49	(881)
Income before income taxes	82,467	61,593	163,381	122,957
Income taxes	29,241	22,753	59,883	45,409
Net income	53,226	38,840	103,498	77,548
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	55,370	51,276	109,154	103,859
Other services	28,964	28,838	58,342	58,640
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	84,334	80,114	167,496	162,499
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	38,923	35,270	75,543	71,179
Cost of other services	18,564	18,305	36,272	36,130
Selling and administrative expenses	23,705	26,181	48,006	48,465
Operating income	3,142	358	7,675	6,725
Interest income	(10)	(215)	(34)	(373)
Interest expense (income)	(1)	348	0	354
Income before income taxes	3,153	225	7,709	6,744
Income taxes	746	36	1,770	1,683
Net income	2,407	189	5,939	5,061
Eliminations [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	(27,576)	(28,303)	(55,619)	(57,126)
Other services	(122,312)	(114,938)	(235,493)	(221,876)
Equity in net income of affiliates	(78,027)	(74,350)	(154,760)	(142,988)
Total revenue	(227,915)	(217,591)	(445,872)	(421,990)
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	(62,680)	(65,067)	(124,691)	(128,698)
Cost of other services	(78,691)	(79,690)	(153,011)	(141,553)
Selling and administrative expenses	(3,928)	(2,677)	(8,153)	(6,107)
Operating income	(82,616)	(70,157)	(160,017)	(145,632)
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(82,616)	(70,157)	(160,017)	(145,632)
Income taxes	(12)	(10)	(17)	(12)
Net income	$ (82,604)	$ (70,147)	$ (160,000)	$ (145,620)