Supplemental Guarantor Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Feb. 29, 2020	Nov. 30, 2019	Aug. 31, 2019	May 31, 2019	Feb. 28, 2019	Nov. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018	May 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 234,441			$ 96,645
Accounts receivable, net	942,853			910,120
Inventories, net	352,924			334,589
Uniforms and other rental items in service	818,486			784,133
Income taxes, current	23,485			7,475
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	125,517			103,318
Total current assets	2,497,706			2,236,280
Property and equipment, net	1,434,866			1,430,685
Investments	212,798			192,346
Goodwill	2,873,996			2,842,441
Service contracts, net	464,852			494,595
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	165,169
Other assets, net	252,593			240,315
Total assets	7,901,980			7,436,662	$ 7,433,673
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	243,248			226,020
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	148,912			155,509
Accrued liabilities	430,643			433,940
Operating lease liabilities, current	44,043
Debt due within one year	199,800			312,264
Total current liabilities	1,066,646			1,127,733
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	2,539,156			2,537,507
Deferred income taxes	423,677			438,179
Operating lease liabilities	126,994
Accrued liabilities	421,198			330,522
Total long-term liabilities	3,511,025			3,306,208
Total shareholders’ equity	3,324,309	$ 3,104,970	$ 3,050,706	3,002,721	$ 3,179,492	$ 3,027,244	$ 3,345,968	$ 3,016,526
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,901,980			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	(17,268)			(12,248)
Income taxes, current	0			0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0			0
Total current assets	(17,268)			(12,248)
Property and equipment, net	0			0
Investments	(6,192,098)			(6,399,643)
Goodwill	(112)			(112)
Service contracts, net	0			0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	0
Other assets, net	(8,295,667)			(7,613,307)
Total assets	(14,505,145)			(14,025,310)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	37,067			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	37,067			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	(14,542,212)			(14,062,742)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(14,505,145)			(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	2,537,979			2,216,391
Total assets	2,859,062			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	3,324,309			3,002,721
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,859,062			2,537,474
Corp. 2 | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	56,577			54,963
Accounts receivable, net	744,013			719,914
Inventories, net	304,972			278,666
Uniforms and other rental items in service	678,365			645,862
Income taxes, current	2,135			(9,728)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	85,754			81,117
Total current assets	1,871,816			1,770,794
Property and equipment, net	980,850			948,830
Investments	3,755,219			3,589,234
Goodwill	0			0
Service contracts, net	402,393			427,437
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	136,339
Other assets, net	226,623			211,102
Total assets	7,373,240			6,947,397
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(2,100,124)			(2,090,954)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	97,236			117,404
Accrued liabilities	85,636			84,296
Operating lease liabilities, current	35,108
Debt due within one year	199,800			312,264
Total current liabilities	(1,682,344)			(1,576,990)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	2,539,156			2,537,507
Deferred income taxes	295,861			307,334
Operating lease liabilities	105,948
Accrued liabilities	189,728			116,469
Total long-term liabilities	3,130,693			2,961,310
Total shareholders’ equity	5,924,891			5,563,077
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,373,240			6,947,397
Investments, including intercompany investments	20,600			19,800
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	152,528			13,151
Accounts receivable, net	127,338			121,803
Inventories, net	27,382			35,081
Uniforms and other rental items in service	95,211			90,458
Income taxes, current	17,456			11,722
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	37,876			20,334
Total current assets	457,791			292,549
Property and equipment, net	351,800			369,006
Investments	984,460			964,802
Goodwill	2,615,570			2,586,406
Service contracts, net	0			0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	15,547
Other assets, net	5,782,580			5,424,413
Total assets	10,207,748			9,637,176
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,821,104			2,793,558
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	41,698			26,870
Accrued liabilities	329,595			328,267
Operating lease liabilities, current	4,784
Debt due within one year	0			0
Total current liabilities	3,197,181			3,148,695
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0			0
Deferred income taxes	96,423			100,162
Operating lease liabilities	11,494
Accrued liabilities	214,926			197,934
Total long-term liabilities	322,843			298,096
Total shareholders’ equity	6,687,724			6,190,385
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,207,748			9,637,176
Investments, including intercompany investments	192,200			172,500
Non- Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	25,336			28,531
Accounts receivable, net	71,502			68,403
Inventories, net	20,570			20,842
Uniforms and other rental items in service	62,178			60,061
Income taxes, current	3,894			5,481
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,887			1,867
Total current assets	185,367			185,185
Property and equipment, net	102,216			112,849
Investments	1,344,134			1,716,870
Goodwill	258,538			256,147
Service contracts, net	62,459			67,158
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	13,283
Other assets, net	1,078			1,716
Total assets	1,967,075			2,339,925
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(49,552)			(48,769)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	9,978			11,235
Accrued liabilities	15,412			21,377
Operating lease liabilities, current	4,151
Debt due within one year	0			0
Total current liabilities	(20,011)			(16,157)
Long-term liabilities:
Debt due after one year	0			0
Deferred income taxes	31,393			30,683
Operating lease liabilities	9,552
Accrued liabilities	16,544			16,119
Total long-term liabilities	57,489			46,802
Total shareholders’ equity	1,929,597			2,309,280
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 1,967,075			$ 2,339,925