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 THE SECOND QUARTER AND FIRST HALF OF FISCAL 2006

Wilmington, MA (March 30, 2006) — UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) today announced its revenues and earnings for its fiscal 2006 second quarter and first half of fiscal 2006 which ended February 25, 2006.

Revenues were a record $202.2 million and $401.5 million for the second quarter and first half of fiscal 2006, respectively. These revenues represent an increase of 6.0% and 5.9%, respectively, from the $190.7 million and $379.1 million in the comparable 2005 periods. This revenue growth was achieved despite a decrease in revenues for the Company’s Specialty Garments (nuclear and clean room) segment of 24.0% and 22.4% for the quarter and six month periods, respectively. Revenue from the Company’s core laundry business grew 8.5% in both the quarter and six month periods as compared to fiscal 2005.

Second quarter net income was $6.3 million or $0.33 per diluted common share compared to last year’s second quarter net income of $10.1 million, or $0.52 per diluted common share. Net income for the first six months of fiscal 2006 was $17.7 million or $0.92 per diluted common share compared to $23.4 million, or $1.21 per diluted common share for the comparable period in 2005.

The primary reason for this decrease in net income was the Company’s Specialty Garments segment. This segment’s income from operations decreased approximately $2.8 million and $5.9 million in the comparable quarterly and six month periods. This decrease in profitability of Specialty Garments is directly attributable to a decrease in revenues between comparable periods.

Excluding the Company’s Specialty Garments and First Aid segments, income from operations from the Company’s core laundry business decreased 15.9% and 4.2% in the comparable quarterly and six month periods. The primary reasons for the decline in the core laundry business’ profitability were increased natural gas, fuel and merchandise costs. Selling costs also continue to be high as a percentage of revenues compared to fiscal 2005 due to a conscious effort to increase the size of the Company’s sales force. In addition, the core laundry operations profitability was impacted in the quarter by higher than expected employee related costs, including healthcare claims.

“We are encouraged by the growth within our core laundry operations and remain optimistic that our results for the remainder of the fiscal year will compare favorably to 2005”, said Ronald D. Croatti, UniFirst’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We also continue to be positive about the longer term prospects of the Specialty Garments segment.”

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

(In thousands, except per share data)	Twenty-six weeks ended February 25, 2006			Twenty-six weeks ended February 26, 2005			Thirteen weeks ended February 25, 2006			Thirteen weeks ended February 26, 2005
Revenues	$	401,493		$	379,118		$	202,168		$	190,684
Costs and expenses:
Operating costs (1)		258,498			238,195			132,767			122,730
Selling and administrative expenses (1)		87,225			78,361			45,159			39,192
Depreciation and amortization		22,210			21,730			11,278			11,067
		367,933			338,286			189,204			172,989
Income from operations		33,560			40,832			12,964			17,695
Other expense (income):
Interest expense		4,995			4,255			2,664			2,064
Interest income		(731	)		(970	)		(475	)		(601	)
Interest rate swap income		--			(223	)		--			--
		4,264			3,062			2,189			1,463
Income before income taxes		29,296			37,770			10,775			16,232
Provision for income taxes		11,579			14,353			4,448			6,169
Net income	$	17,717		$	23,417		$	6,327		$	10,063
Income per share - Basic:
Common Stock	$	1.02		$	1.36		$	0.36		$	0.58
Class B Common Stock	$	0.82		$	1.09		$	0.29		$	0.47
Income per share - Diluted:
Common Stock	$	0.92		$	1.21		$	0.33		$	0.52
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Basic:
Common Stock		9,683			9,369			9,747			9,456
Class B Common Stock		9,557			9,843			9,494			9,759
		19,240			19,212			19,241			19,215
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Diluted:
Common Stock		19,321			19,296			19,316			19,315
Dividends per share:
Common Stock	$	0.0750		$	0.0750		$	0.0375		$	0.0375
Class B Common Stock	$	0.0600		$	0.0600		$	0.0300		$	0.0300

    (1)        Exclusive of depreciation and amortization.

UNIFIRST CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)	February 25, 2006		August 27, 2005
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	4,358	$	4,704
Receivables, net		86,415		78,497
Inventories		30,731		31,021
Rental merchandise in service		76,796		69,808
Prepaid and deferred income taxes		10,652		8,983
Prepaid expenses		2,732		1,492
Total current assets		211,684		194,505
Property and equipment:
Land, buildings and leasehold improvements		265,182		260,515
Machinery and equipment		277,500		268,272
Motor vehicles		81,639		76,147
		624,321		604,934
Less - accumulated depreciation		314,678		299,983
		309,643		304,951
Goodwill		195,969		187,793
Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net		57,733		56,481
Other assets		4,732		4,575
	$	779,761	$	748,305
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term obligations	$	612	$	1,084
Accounts payable		36,673		36,720
Accrued liabilities		76,103		76,141
Accrued income taxes		--		3,992
Total current liabilities		113,388		117,937
Long-term obligations, net of current maturities		192,690		175,587
Deferred income taxes		42,610		42,439
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock		978		960
Class B common stock		946		964
Capital surplus		14,161		13,462
Retained earnings		411,326		394,910
Accumulated other comprehensive income		3,662		2,046
Total shareholders' equity		431,073		412,342
	$	779,761	$	748,305