Exhibit 99

UniFirst Corporation	News Release
68 Jonspin Road Wilmington, MA 01887-1086 Telephone 978-658-8888 Ext 520 Facsimile 978-988-0659	contact:       John B. Bartlett                      Senior Vice President                      jbartlett@unifirst.com

UNIFIRST ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL RESULTS
FOR FISCAL 2006 FIRST QUARTER

Wilmington, MA (January 5, 2006) — UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) today announced its revenues and earnings for its fiscal 2006 first quarter, the thirteen weeks ended November 26, 2005.

Revenues for the quarter were a record $199.3 million, a 5.8% increase from $188.4 million in the same period a year ago. First quarter net income was $11.4 million. This translated to $0.59 per diluted common share compared to last year’s first quarter net income of $13.4 million, or $0.69 per diluted common share.

The primary reason for this $2.0 million decrease in net income was the Company’s Specialty Garments (nuclear and clean room) segment. This segment’s income from operations decreased approximately $3.1 million from the first quarter of fiscal 2005 to the first quarter of fiscal 2006. This decrease in profitability of Specialty Garments is directly attributable to a decrease in revenues of 21.0% between comparable periods due primarily to the conclusion of a significant contract in fiscal 2005. In addition, income from operations for the Company’s First Aid segment decreased approximately $0.6 million from the first quarter of fiscal 2005 to the first quarter of fiscal 2006. Excluding the Company’s Specialty Garments and First Aid segments, revenues and income from operations from the Company’s core laundry business increased 8.6% and 6.2%, respectively.

As a percentage of overall revenues, operating costs increased 1.8% from 61.3% for the first quarter of fiscal 2005 to 63.1% for the first quarter of fiscal 2006. This increase is due primarily to higher fuel and natural gas costs as well as the decrease in Specialty Garments revenues discussed above. In addition, selling costs have increased as a percentage of revenues from fiscal 2005 to fiscal 2006 as the Company has increased its sales force over the last year.

“We are pleased with the revenue and profitability growth we saw in the quarter from our core laundry business. These positive results were achieved despite higher operating costs. As for our nuclear business, it has always been more volatile than our core laundry business due to the narrower focus of its services. We’re optimistic that this segment will begin to replace the revenues lost from the completion of this contract with new sales volume as the year progresses,” said Ronald D. Croatti, UniFirst’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Company will hold a conference call today at 4:00 PM (EST) to discuss its quarterly financial results, business highlights and outlook. A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available over the Internet and can be accessed at www.unifirst.com.

UniFirst is one of the largest providers of workplace uniforms, protective clothing and facility services products in North America. The Company employs 9,200 team partners who serve approximately 190,000 customer locations in 46 states, Canada and Europe from 179 manufacturing, distribution and customer service facilities.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for certain forward-looking statements. This public announcement may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. The words “anticipate” and “should,” and other expressions that indicate future events and trends identify forward-looking statements. Actual future results may differ materially from those anticipated depending on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, performance of acquisitions; economic and business changes; fluctuations in the cost of materials, fuel and labor; the speed of business recovery from recent hurricanes in the southeast; economic and other developments associated with the on-going war on terrorism; strikes and unemployment levels; demand and price for the Company’s products and services; improvement in under performing rental operations; and the outcome of pending and future litigation and environmental matters.

[Tables follow]

UNIFIRST CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

	Thirteen Weeks Ended
(In thousands, except per share data)	November 26, 2005			November 27, 2004
Revenues	$	199,325		$	188,434
Costs and expenses:
Operating costs (1)		125,731			115,465
Selling and administrative expenses (1)		42,066			39,169
Depreciation and amortization		10,932			10,663
		178,729			165,297
Income from operations		20,596			23,137
Other expense (income):
Interest expense		2,331			2,191
Interest income		(256	)		(369	)
Interest rate swap income		—			(223	)
		2,075			1,599
Income before income taxes		18,521			21,538
Provision for income taxes		7,131			8,184
Net income	$	11,390		$	13,354
Income per share - Basic:
Common Stock	$	0.66		$	0.78
Class B Common Stock	$	0.53		$	0.62
Income per share - Diluted:
Common Stock	$	0.59		$	0.69
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Basic:
Common Stock		9,619			9,281
Class B Common Stock		9,620			9,926
		19,239			19,207
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Diluted:
Common Stock		19,328			19,277
Dividends per share:
Common Stock	$	0.0375		$	0.0375
Class B Common Stock	$	0.0300		$	0.0300

    (1)        Exclusive of depreciation and amortization.

UNIFIRST CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)	November 26, 2005		August 27, 2005
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	3,229	$	4,704
Receivables, net		85,446		78,497
Inventories		30,712		31,021
Rental merchandise in service		73,369		69,808
Deferred income taxes		9,080		8,983
Prepaid expenses		3,777		1,492
Total current assets		205,613		194,505
Property and equipment:
Land, buildings and leasehold improvements		263,058		260,515
Machinery and equipment		272,473		268,272
Motor vehicles		78,647		76,147
		614,178		604,934
Less - accumulated depreciation		307,542		299,983
		306,636		304,951
Goodwill		188,165		187,793
Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net		55,140		56,481
Other assets		8,994		4,575
	$	764,548	$	748,305
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term obligations	$	604	$	1,084
Accounts payable		41,491		36,720
Accrued liabilities		74,190		76,141
Accrued income taxes		10,578		3,992
Total current liabilities		126,863		117,937
Long-term obligations, net of current maturities		170,764		175,587
Deferred income taxes		42,538		42,439
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock		967		960
Class B common stock		957		964
Capital surplus		13,911		13,462
Retained earnings		405,650		394,910
Accumulated other comprehensive income		2,898		2,046
Total shareholders' equity		424,383		412,342
	$	764,548	$	748,305