Supplemental Guarantor Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Nov. 30, 2019	Aug. 31, 2019	May 31, 2019	Nov. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018	May 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 226,535		$ 96,645
Accounts receivable, net	949,122		910,120
Inventories, net	348,304		334,589
Uniforms and other rental items in service	817,859		784,133
Income taxes, current	24,878		7,475
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	123,589		103,318
Total current assets	2,490,287		2,236,280
Property and equipment, net	1,425,584		1,430,685
Investments	218,873		192,346
Goodwill	2,852,801		2,842,441
Service contracts, net	469,933		494,595
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	169,233
Other assets, net	260,626		240,315
Total assets	7,887,337		7,436,662	$ 7,405,083
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	254,611		226,020
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	124,349		155,509
Accrued liabilities	674,240		433,940
Operating lease liabilities, current	44,263
Debt due within one year	199,788		312,264
Total current liabilities	1,297,251		1,127,733
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	2,538,606		2,537,507
Deferred income taxes	443,857		438,179
Operating lease liabilities	130,580
Accrued liabilities	372,073		330,522
Total long-term liabilities	3,485,116		3,306,208
Total shareholders’ equity	3,104,970	$ 3,050,706	3,002,721	$ 3,027,244	$ 3,345,968	$ 3,016,526
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,887,337		7,436,662
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Inventories, net	0		0
Uniforms and other rental items in service	(15,525)		(12,248)
Income taxes, current	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(15,525)		(12,248)
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments	(6,380,768)		(6,399,643)
Goodwill	(112)		(112)
Service contracts, net	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	0
Other assets, net	(8,139,485)		(7,613,307)
Total assets	(14,535,890)		(14,025,310)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	37,206		37,432
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	0		0
Accrued liabilities	0		0
Operating lease liabilities, current	0
Debt due within one year	0		0
Total current liabilities	37,206		37,432
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Accrued liabilities	0		0
Total long-term liabilities	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	(14,573,096)		(14,062,742)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(14,535,890)		(14,025,310)
Cintas Corporation | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	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
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	0
Other assets, net	2,318,640		2,216,391
Total assets	2,639,723		2,537,474
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(465,247)		(465,247)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	0		0
Accrued liabilities	0		0
Operating lease liabilities, current	0
Debt due within one year	0		0
Total current liabilities	(465,247)		(465,247)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Accrued liabilities	0		0
Total long-term liabilities	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	3,104,970		3,002,721
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,639,723		2,537,474
Corp. 2 | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	50,716		54,963
Accounts receivable, net	744,116		719,914
Inventories, net	297,396		278,666
Uniforms and other rental items in service	677,309		645,862
Income taxes, current	3,831		(9,728)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	85,738		81,117
Total current assets	1,859,106		1,770,794
Property and equipment, net	968,662		948,830
Investments	3,589,691		3,589,234
Goodwill	0		0
Service contracts, net	405,201		427,437
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	141,697
Other assets, net	233,167		211,102
Total assets	7,197,524		6,947,397
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(1,998,351)		(2,090,954)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	77,493		117,404
Accrued liabilities	78,371		84,296
Operating lease liabilities, current	35,402
Debt due within one year	199,788		312,264
Total current liabilities	(1,607,297)		(1,576,990)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	2,538,606		2,537,507
Deferred income taxes	311,326		307,334
Operating lease liabilities	110,833
Accrued liabilities	132,109		116,469
Total long-term liabilities	3,092,874		2,961,310
Total shareholders’ equity	5,711,947		5,563,077
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,197,524		6,947,397
Investments, including intercompany investments	20,300		19,800
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	127,948		13,151
Accounts receivable, net	133,546		121,803
Inventories, net	29,796		35,081
Uniforms and other rental items in service	92,726		90,458
Income taxes, current	15,457		11,722
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,962		20,334
Total current assets	435,435		292,549
Property and equipment, net	357,032		369,006
Investments	990,871		964,802
Goodwill	2,592,194		2,586,406
Service contracts, net	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	12,905
Other assets, net	5,847,006		5,424,413
Total assets	10,235,443		9,637,176
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,753,017		2,793,558
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	36,653		26,870
Accrued liabilities	580,340		328,267
Operating lease liabilities, current	4,533
Debt due within one year	0		0
Total current liabilities	3,374,543		3,148,695
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0		0
Deferred income taxes	101,464		100,162
Operating lease liabilities	9,010
Accrued liabilities	223,232		197,934
Total long-term liabilities	333,706		298,096
Total shareholders’ equity	6,527,194		6,190,385
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,235,443		9,637,176
Investments, including intercompany investments	198,600		172,500
Non- Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	47,871		28,531
Accounts receivable, net	71,460		68,403
Inventories, net	21,112		20,842
Uniforms and other rental items in service	63,349		60,061
Income taxes, current	5,590		5,481
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,889		1,867
Total current assets	211,271		185,185
Property and equipment, net	99,890		112,849
Investments	1,697,996		1,716,870
Goodwill	260,719		256,147
Service contracts, net	64,732		67,158
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	14,631
Other assets, net	1,298		1,716
Total assets	2,350,537		2,339,925
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(72,014)		(48,769)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	10,203		11,235
Accrued liabilities	15,529		21,377
Operating lease liabilities, current	4,328
Debt due within one year	0		0
Total current liabilities	(41,954)		(16,157)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0		0
Deferred income taxes	31,067		30,683
Operating lease liabilities	10,737
Accrued liabilities	16,732		16,119
Total long-term liabilities	58,536		46,802
Total shareholders’ equity	2,333,955		2,309,280
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 2,350,537		$ 2,339,925