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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Aug. 25, 2012 | Aug. 27, 2011 | Aug. 28, 2010 | Aug. 25, 2012 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] | Apr. 05, 2010 Performance Restricted Stock Awards [Member] | Apr. 05, 2010 Restricted Stock Awards, CEO [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 2010 Plan [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 Share-Based Awards, Non-Employee [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Share-Based Awards, Non-Employee [Member] | Aug. 28, 2010 Share-Based Awards, Non-Employee [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 Share Based Awards [Member] | Aug. 27, 2011 Share Based Awards [Member] | Aug. 28, 2010 Share Based Awards [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 Definite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 Customer Contracts [Member] | Aug. 25, 2012 Other Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Description [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reporting segments | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Inventories and Rental Merchandise in Service [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental merchandise, useful life, minimum | 6M |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental merchandise, useful life, maximum | 36M |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average useful life (in years) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14.2 | 14.6 | 6.2
Environmental and Other Contingencies [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate, lower range (in hundredths) | 1.70% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingency, Discount rate, upper range | 2.80% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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 (in years) | 1Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Range of years discount for estimated future costs to decommission its nuclear laundry facilities, maximum years (in years) | 32Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Advertising Costs [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Advertising expense | $ 1,500 | $ 1,700 | $ 1,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net Income Per Share [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion basis | one-for-one basis |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Share-based Compensation [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of shares authorized (in shares) |  |  |  | 1,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 600,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Vesting period (in years) |  |  |  | 5Y |  |  | 1Y | 4Y | 6Y |  | 5Y |  |  |  | 5Y |  |  |  |  |
Expiration from grant date (in years) |  |  |  | 10Y | 8Y | 10Y |  |  |  | 8Y | 10Y | 8Y | 8Y | 8Y | 10Y |  |  |  |  |
Shares granted (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,000 | 350,000 | 50,000 | 8,620 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of the share-based awards granted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 51.39 | $ 51.39 |  |  |  |  |  | $ 18.28 | $ 17.59 | $ 18.86 |  |  |
Common stock excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share (in shares) | 0 | 116,487 | 118,800 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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