Supplemental Guarantor Information - Condensed Consolidating Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Nov. 30, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015
Revenue:
Uniform rental and facility services	$ 1,005,565	$ 937,704	$ 2,005,161	$ 1,876,112
Other	291,358	281,376	585,892	541,858
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	1,296,923	1,219,080	2,591,053	2,417,970
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of uniform rental and facility services	555,752	526,091	1,096,684	1,044,594
Cost of other	169,744	165,589	339,168	321,832
Selling and administrative expenses	365,222	327,051	739,248	665,688
G&K Services, Inc. transaction expenses	3,347	0	6,134	0
Operating income	202,858	200,349	409,819	385,856
Interest income	(31)	(111)	(96)	(230)
Interest expense (income)	13,267	16,171	27,439	32,583
Income before income taxes	189,622	184,289	382,476	353,503
Income taxes	66,168	68,836	120,931	131,852
Income from continuing operations	123,454	115,453	261,545	221,651
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	16,923	229,647	16,923	223,630
Net income	140,377	345,100	278,468	445,281
Eliminations
Revenue:
Uniform rental and facility services	(43,373)	(39,063)	(87,862)	(78,261)
Other	(138,815)	(131,137)	(274,372)	(259,370)
Equity in net income of affiliates	(140,377)	(115,453)	(278,468)	(221,651)
Total revenue	(322,565)	(285,653)	(640,702)	(559,282)
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of uniform rental and facility services	(63,827)	(58,389)	(129,737)	(117,111)
Cost of other	(111,711)	(106,278)	(221,208)	(205,875)
Selling and administrative expenses	(6,940)	(4,732)	(14,379)	(12,196)
G&K Services, Inc. transaction expenses	0		0
Operating income	(140,087)	(116,254)	(275,378)	(224,100)
Interest income	1	0	1	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(140,088)	(116,254)	(275,379)	(224,100)
Income taxes	(29)	(28)	(55)	(53)
Income from continuing operations	(140,059)	(116,226)	(275,324)	(224,047)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(229,647)	0	(223,630)
Net income	(140,059)	(345,873)	(275,324)	(447,677)
Cintas Corporation
Revenue:
Uniform rental and facility services	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income of affiliates	140,377	115,453	278,468	221,651
Total revenue	140,377	115,453	278,468	221,651
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of uniform rental and facility services	0	0	0	0
Cost of other	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
G&K Services, Inc. transaction expenses	0		0
Operating income	140,377	115,453	278,468	221,651
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	140,377	115,453	278,468	221,651
Income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	140,377	115,453	278,468	221,651
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	229,647	0	223,630
Net income	140,377	345,100	278,468	445,281
Corp. 2
Revenue:
Uniform rental and facility services	841,442	786,386	1,678,716	1,573,555
Other	411,378	394,260	821,626	766,871
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	1,252,820	1,180,646	2,500,342	2,340,426
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of uniform rental and facility services	487,653	461,843	966,709	917,050
Cost of other	287,368	277,841	567,392	536,831
Selling and administrative expenses	401,715	365,125	813,649	734,818
G&K Services, Inc. transaction expenses	0		0
Operating income	76,084	75,837	152,592	151,727
Interest income	0	(12)	0	(12)
Interest expense (income)	14,528	16,427	29,355	32,802
Income before income taxes	61,556	59,422	123,237	118,937
Income taxes	21,534	20,496	39,344	42,878
Income from continuing operations	40,022	38,926	83,893	76,059
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	14,982	234,604	14,982	229,281
Net income	55,004	273,530	98,875	305,340
Subsidiary Guarantors
Revenue:
Uniform rental and facility services	149,886	136,707	299,034	273,132
Other	633	737	1,601	2,030
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	150,519	137,444	300,635	275,162
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of uniform rental and facility services	94,323	86,702	184,995	172,900
Cost of other	(19,549)	(18,291)	(34,480)	(32,547)
Selling and administrative expenses	(48,256)	(49,482)	(98,990)	(90,954)
G&K Services, Inc. transaction expenses	3,347		6,134
Operating income	120,654	118,515	242,976	225,763
Interest income	(7)	(68)	(24)	(116)
Interest expense (income)	(1,176)	(256)	(1,878)	(218)
Income before income taxes	121,837	118,839	244,878	226,097
Income taxes	42,652	42,108	78,178	81,511
Income from continuing operations	79,185	76,731	166,700	144,586
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	79,185	76,731	166,700	144,586
Non- Guarantors
Revenue:
Uniform rental and facility services	57,610	53,674	115,273	107,686
Other	18,162	17,516	37,037	32,327
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	75,772	71,190	152,310	140,013
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of uniform rental and facility services	37,603	35,935	74,717	71,755
Cost of other	13,636	12,317	27,464	23,423
Selling and administrative expenses	18,703	16,140	38,968	34,020
G&K Services, Inc. transaction expenses	0		0
Operating income	5,830	6,798	11,161	10,815
Interest income	(25)	(31)	(73)	(102)
Interest expense (income)	(85)	0	(38)	(1)
Income before income taxes	5,940	6,829	11,272	10,918
Income taxes	2,011	6,260	3,464	7,516
Income from continuing operations	3,929	569	7,808	3,402
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	1,941	(4,957)	1,941	(5,651)
Net income	$ 5,870	$ (4,388)	$ 9,749	$ (2,249)