<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
                                                                         Page 53
                                                                      Exhibit 27


                             Financial Data Schedule
                           Quarter Ended May 31, 2000
                  Pursuant to Section 601(c) of Regulation S-K


This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from National
Service Industries,  Inc.  consolidated balance sheet as of May 31, 2000 and the
consolidated  statement of income for the nine months ended May 31, 2000, and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.

</LEGEND>

                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  9-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                             AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                SEP-1-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                  MAY-31-2000
<CASH>                                           1,489
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  393,006
<ALLOWANCES>                                     7,867
<INVENTORY>                                    264,417
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               729,231
<PP&E>                                         862,585
<DEPRECIATION>                                 450,876
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,762,796
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          468,262
<BONDS>                                        433,778
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                        57,919
<OTHER-SE>                                     589,846
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,762,796
<SALES>                                      1,632,288
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,870,463
<CGS>                                          987,925
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                1,123,934
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               603,603
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                 3,520
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              32,474
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                106,932
<INCOME-TAX>                                    41,490
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             65,442
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    65,442
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.61
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.61