<ARTICLE>               5               
<LEGEND>       
Page 42

                                                                      Exhibit 27

                             Financial Data Schedule
                         Quarter Ended February 28, 1997
                  Pursuant to Section 601(c) of Regulation S-K


This schedule  contains restated summary  financial  information  extracted from
National Service Industries,  Inc. consolidated balance sheet as of February 28,
1997 and the consolidated  statement of income for the six months ended February
28, 1997,  and is  qualified  in its  entirety by  reference  to such  financial
statements.

</LEGEND>                       
                        
                       
                        
       
                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                 SEP-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                   FEB-28-1997
<CASH>                            30,648
<SECURITIES>                         551
<RECEIVABLES>                    246,376
<ALLOWANCES>                       6,587
<INVENTORY>                      164,903
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                 553,629
<PP&E>                           735,407
<DEPRECIATION>                   391,020
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                 1,019,287
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>            184,862
<BONDS>                           26,262
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                  0
<PREFERRED>                            0
<COMMON>                          57,919
<OTHER-SE>                       604,950
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>   1,019,287
<SALES>                          753,147
<TOTAL-REVENUES>               1,011,129
<CGS>                            471,917
<TOTAL-COSTS>                    622,692
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                 313,969
<LOSS-PROVISION>                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                 2,941
<INCOME-PRETAX>                   71,527
<INCOME-TAX>                      26,348
<INCOME-CONTINUING>               45,179
<DISCONTINUED>                         0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                        0
<CHANGES>                              0
<NET-INCOME>                      45,179
<EPS-PRIMARY>                       0.99
<EPS-DILUTED>                       0.99