Supplemental Guarantor Information (Condensed Consolidating Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	$ 792,866	$ 754,843
Other services	327,477	296,482
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	1,120,343	1,051,325
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	454,731	428,148
Cost of other services	199,632	177,302
Selling and administrative expenses	325,910	306,581
Operating income	140,070	139,294
Interest income	(68)	(77)
Interest expense (income)	16,523	16,598
Income before income taxes	123,615	122,773
Income taxes	45,861	46,040
Net income	77,754	76,733
Cintas Corporation [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0
Other services	0	0
Equity in net income of affiliates	77,754	76,733
Total revenue	77,754	76,733
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0
Cost of other services	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0
Operating income	77,754	76,733
Interest income	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0
Income before income taxes	77,754	76,733
Income taxes	0	0
Net income	77,754	76,733
Corp. 2 [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	605,758	576,285
Other services	404,574	369,406
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	1,010,332	945,691
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	383,719	364,197
Cost of other services	260,595	236,331
Selling and administrative expenses	308,761	290,644
Operating income	57,257	54,519
Interest income	(8)	(18)
Interest expense (income)	16,480	16,566
Income before income taxes	40,785	37,971
Income taxes	15,104	14,379
Net income	25,681	23,592
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	162,565	152,817
Other services	8,548	10,879
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	171,113	163,696
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	98,167	89,342
Cost of other services	(3,111)	(2,417)
Selling and administrative expenses	(4,859)	(4,139)
Operating income	80,916	80,910
Interest income	(53)	(35)
Interest expense (income)	44	31
Income before income taxes	80,925	80,914
Income taxes	29,968	30,642
Net income	50,957	50,272
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	54,965	53,784
Other services	31,386	29,378
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0
Total revenue	86,351	83,162
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	38,556	36,620
Cost of other services	19,064	17,708
Selling and administrative expenses	26,213	24,301
Operating income	2,518	4,533
Interest income	(14,694)	(24)
Interest expense (income)	(1)	1
Income before income taxes	17,213	4,556
Income taxes	819	1,024
Net income	16,394	3,532
Eliminations [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	(30,422)	(28,043)
Other services	(117,031)	(113,181)
Equity in net income of affiliates	(77,754)	(76,733)
Total revenue	(225,207)	(217,957)
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	(65,711)	(62,011)
Cost of other services	(76,916)	(74,320)
Selling and administrative expenses	(4,205)	(4,225)
Operating income	(78,375)	(77,401)
Interest income	14,687	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0
Income before income taxes	(93,062)	(77,401)
Income taxes	(30)	(5)
Net income	$ (93,032)	$ (77,396)