Segment Information - Schedule of Information of Reportable Segments (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments \| segment			2
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 470,876	$ 386,556	$ 875,366	$ 771,363
Income before income taxes	33,078	29,683	65,357	59,287
Housekeeping
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	242,919	238,291	486,342	476,570
Dietary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	227,957	148,265	389,024	294,793
Operating Segments \| Housekeeping
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income before income taxes	21,474	22,821	44,676	45,321
Operating Segments \| Dietary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income before income taxes	13,142	9,071	23,367	18,219
Corporate and eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income before income taxes	$ (1,538)	$ (2,209)	$ (2,686)	$ (4,253)

Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations before deduction of income tax expense (benefit) and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, and addition of income (loss) from equity method investments.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue during the period from services rendered in the normal course of business, after deducting allowances and discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hcsg_HousekeepingServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hcsg_DietaryServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=hcsg_CorporateAndEliminationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: