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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Apr. 05, 2010 | Aug. 27, 2011 | Aug. 28, 2010 | Aug. 29, 2009 | Aug. 27, 2011 Definite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Customer Contracts [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Other Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Stock Options [Member] | Aug. 30, 2003 Stock Options [Member] | Aug. 28, 2010 Stock Options, Non-Employee [Member] | Aug. 29, 2009 Stock Options, Non-Employee [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Restricted Stock Awards, Non-Employee [Member] | Aug. 28, 2010 Restricted Stock Awards, Non-Employee [Member] | Apr. 05, 2010 Performance Restricted Stock Awards [Member] | Apr. 05, 2010 Restricted Stock Awards, CEO [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member]
Business Description [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reporting segments |  | 5 | 5 | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Inventories and Rental Merchandise in Service [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental merchandise, useful life, minimum (in months) |  | 6M |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental merchandise, useful life, maximum (in months) |  | 36M |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average useful life (in years) |  |  |  |  | 13.7 | 14.2 | 5.6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Environmental and Other Contingencies [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate, lower range (in hundredths) |  | 2.20% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate, upper range (in hundredths) |  | 3.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discounted period, lower range (in years) |  | 10Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discounted period, upper range (in years) |  | 30Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Inflation rate (in hundredths) |  | 3.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset Retirement Obligations [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate, lower range (in hundredths) |  | 7.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate, upper range (in hundredths) |  | 7.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Inflation rate (in hundredths) |  | 3.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Range of years discount for estimated future costs to decommission its nuclear laundry facilities, minimum years |  | 1Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Range of years discount for estimated future costs to decommission its nuclear laundry facilities, maximum years (in years) |  | 33Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Advertising Costs [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Advertising expense |  | $ 1.7 | $ 1.5 | $ 1.6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net Income Per Share [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion basis |  | one-for-one basis |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stock-based Compensation [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of shares authorized (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Vesting period (in years) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5Y | 4Y |  |  | 1Y | 1Y | 4Y | 6Y |
Expiration from grant date (in years) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10Y | 8Y | 8Y | 10Y |  |  |  |  | 1Y
Shares granted (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,000 | 12,000 | 350,000 | 50,000 | 15,000
Fair value of the restricted shares granted | $ 51.39 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 51.39 |  |
Common stock excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share (in shares) |  | 116,487 | 118,800 | 213,100 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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