Supplemental Guarantor Information - Consolidating Condensed Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Feb. 28, 2019	Nov. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018	Jun. 01, 2018	May 31, 2018	Feb. 28, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017	Aug. 31, 2017	May 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 80,859				$ 138,724	$ 152,563			$ 169,266
Accounts receivable, net	878,037			$ 818,009	804,583
Inventories, net	339,805			269,082	280,347
Uniforms and other rental items in service	773,534				702,261
Income taxes, current	42,552				19,634
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	108,969			95,846	32,383
Total current assets	2,223,756			2,043,556	1,977,932
Property and equipment, net	1,424,063				1,382,730
Investments	191,818				175,581
Goodwill	2,847,783				2,846,888
Service contracts, net	508,402				545,768
Other assets, net	237,851			216,818	29,315
Total assets	7,433,673			7,211,341	6,958,214	6,928,593
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	214,567				215,074
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	136,814				140,654
Accrued liabilities	425,470				420,129
Debt due within one year	217,500				0
Total current liabilities	994,351				775,857
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	2,536,958				2,535,309
Deferred income taxes	439,011			416,516	352,581
Accrued liabilities	283,861				277,941
Total long-term liabilities	3,259,830			3,229,766	3,165,831
Total shareholders’ equity	3,179,492	$ 3,027,244	$ 3,345,968	3,205,718	3,016,526	2,893,997	$ 2,553,033	$ 2,565,881	2,302,793
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,433,673			$ 7,211,341	6,958,214
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0				0	0			0
Accounts receivable, net	0				0
Inventories, net	4,280				0
Uniforms and other rental items in service	(14,809)				(18,589)
Income taxes, current	0				0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0				0
Total current assets	(10,529)				(18,589)
Property and equipment, net	0				0
Investments	(6,410,229)				(6,407,479)
Goodwill	(112)				(112)
Service contracts, net	0				0
Other assets, net	(7,200,222)				(6,591,606)
Total assets	(13,621,092)				(13,017,786)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	37,586				37,947
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	0				0
Accrued liabilities	0				0
Debt due within one year	0
Total current liabilities	37,586				37,947
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0				0
Deferred income taxes	0				0
Accrued liabilities	0				0
Total long-term liabilities	0				0
Total shareholders’ equity	(13,658,678)				(13,055,733)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(13,621,092)				(13,017,786)
Cintas Corporation | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0				0	0			0
Accounts receivable, net	0				0
Inventories, net	0				0
Uniforms and other rental items in service	0				0
Income taxes, current	0				0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0				0
Total current assets	0				0
Property and equipment, net	0				0
Investments	321,083				321,083
Goodwill	0				0
Service contracts, net	0				0
Other assets, net	2,393,162				2,230,196
Total assets	2,714,245				2,551,279
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(465,247)				(465,247)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	0				0
Accrued liabilities	0				0
Debt due within one year	0
Total current liabilities	(465,247)				(465,247)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0				0
Deferred income taxes	0				0
Accrued liabilities	0				0
Total long-term liabilities	0				0
Total shareholders’ equity	3,179,492				3,016,526
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,714,245				2,551,279
Corp. 2 | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	46,674				44,499	45,105			48,658
Accounts receivable, net	685,663				620,920
Inventories, net	278,360				225,581
Uniforms and other rental items in service	636,813				585,108
Income taxes, current	(1,513)				5,546
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	78,213				9,453
Total current assets	1,724,210				1,491,107
Property and equipment, net	941,551				900,014
Investments	3,597,606				3,595,668
Goodwill	0				0
Service contracts, net	437,683				468,283
Other assets, net	207,340				593
Total assets	6,908,390				6,455,665
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(1,935,479)				(1,724,844)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	106,392				104,560
Accrued liabilities	95,156				88,949
Debt due within one year	217,500
Total current liabilities	(1,516,431)				(1,531,335)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	2,536,568				2,534,919
Deferred income taxes	293,843				215,881
Accrued liabilities	61,126				63,073
Total long-term liabilities	2,891,537				2,813,873
Total shareholders’ equity	5,533,284				5,173,127
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,908,390				6,455,665
Investments, including intercompany investments	19,600				17,600
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	11,474				60,310	15,109			17,302
Accounts receivable, net	122,524				120,767
Inventories, net	36,950				38,844
Uniforms and other rental items in service	90,042				81,494
Income taxes, current	33,432				9,258
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	29,094				21,688
Total current assets	323,516				332,361
Property and equipment, net	366,901				370,186
Investments	964,538				950,239
Goodwill	2,585,134				2,579,769
Service contracts, net	0				0
Other assets, net	4,835,593				4,381,476
Total assets	9,075,682				8,614,031
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,614,162				2,395,434
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	20,735				24,878
Accrued liabilities	309,033				308,485
Debt due within one year	0
Total current liabilities	2,943,930				2,728,797
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0				0
Deferred income taxes	110,221				104,559
Accrued liabilities	206,198				198,181
Total long-term liabilities	316,419				302,740
Total shareholders’ equity	5,815,333				5,582,494
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	9,075,682				8,614,031
Investments, including intercompany investments	172,200				158,000
Non- Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	22,711				33,915	$ 92,349			$ 103,306
Accounts receivable, net	69,850				62,896
Inventories, net	20,215				15,922
Uniforms and other rental items in service	61,488				54,248
Income taxes, current	10,633				4,830
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,662				1,242
Total current assets	186,559				173,053
Property and equipment, net	115,611				112,530
Investments	1,718,820				1,716,070
Goodwill	262,761				267,231
Service contracts, net	70,719				77,485
Other assets, net	1,978				8,656
Total assets	2,356,448				2,355,025
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(36,455)				(28,216)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	9,687				11,216
Accrued liabilities	21,281				22,695
Debt due within one year	0
Total current liabilities	(5,487)				5,695
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	390				390
Deferred income taxes	34,947				32,141
Accrued liabilities	16,537				16,687
Total long-term liabilities	51,874				49,218
Total shareholders’ equity	2,310,061				2,300,112
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 2,356,448				$ 2,355,025