Page 30
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(5)

                       NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
              FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND OPERATING UNIT PRESIDENTS




         THIS AGREEMENT, made as of the 1st day of June, 1999(the "Grant Date"),
between  National  Service  Industries,   Inc.,  a  Delaware   corporation  (the
"Company"), and George H. Gilmore, Jr. (the "Optionee").

         WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the National Service Industries,  Inc.
Long-Term Achievement Incentive Plan (the "Plan") in order to provide additional
incentive  to  certain  officers  and  key  employees  of the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries; and

         WHEREAS, the Optionee performs services for the  Company and/or one  of
 its Subsidiaries; and

         WHEREAS,  the Committee  responsible for administration of the Plan has
determined to grant the Option to the Optionee as provided herein.

         NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         1.       Grant of Option.

                  1.1 The Company  hereby  grants to the  Optionee the right and
option (the  "Option")  to purchase  all or any part of an  aggregate  of 39,156
whole Shares  subject to, and in accordance  with,  the terms and conditions set
forth in this Agreement.

                  1.2      The Option is not intended to qualify as an Incentive
Stock Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

                  1.3  This  Agreement  shall be  construed  in  accordance  and
consistent  with, and subject to, the provisions of the Plan (the  provisions of
which are incorporated  herein by reference) and, except as otherwise  expressly
set forth herein,  the  capitalized  terms used in this Agreement shall have the
same definitions as set forth in the Plan.

         2.       Purchase Price.

                  The price at which the Optionee shall  be entitled to purchase
Shares upon the exercise of the Option shall be $36.875 per Share.

         3.       Duration of Option.

                  The  Option  shall be  exercisable  to the  extent  and in the
manner  provided  herein for a period of ten (10) years from the Grant Date (the
"Exercise Term");  provided,  however, that the Option may be earlier terminated
as provided in Section 6 hereof.

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                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(5)


         4.       Exercisability of Option.

                  Unless  otherwise  provided in this Agreement or the Plan, the
Option shall  entitle the Optionee to purchase,  in whole at any time or in part
from time to time, 25% of the total number of Shares covered by the Option after
the  expiration of one (1) year from the Grant Date and an additional 25% of the
total number of Shares covered by the Option on each of the second,  third,  and
fourth anniversaries of the Grant Date, and each such right of purchase shall be
cumulative and shall continue,  unless sooner  exercised or terminated as herein
provided during the remaining period of the Exercise Term.

         5.       Manner of Exercise and Payment.

                  5.1 Subject to the terms and  conditions of this Agreement and
the Plan,  the Option may be  exercised  by  delivery  of written  notice to the
Company,  at its principal  executive  office.  Such notice shall state that the
Optionee is electing to exercise  the Option and the number of Shares in respect
of which the  Option  is being  exercised  and shall be signed by the  person or
persons  exercising the Option.  If requested by the  Committee,  such person or
persons  shall (i) deliver this  Agreement  to the  Secretary of the Company who
shall endorse thereon a notation of such exercise and (ii) provide  satisfactory
proof as to the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option.

                  5.2 The notice of exercise  described  in Section 5.1 shall be
accompanied  by the full  purchase  price for the Shares in respect of which the
Option is being exercised,  in cash, by check, or by transferring  Shares to the
Company  having a Fair Market  Value on the day  preceding  the date of exercise
equal to the cash amount for which such Shares are substituted.

                  5.3 Upon  receipt of notice of exercise  and full  payment for
the Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised, the Company shall,
subject to  Section  17 of the Plan,  take such  action as may be  necessary  to
effect the  transfer  to the  Optionee  of the number of Shares as to which such
exercise was effective.

                  5.4 The  Optionee  shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or
to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to any Shares  subject to the
Option until (i) the Option shall have been  exercised  pursuant to the terms of
this  Agreement and the Optionee shall have paid the full purchase price for the
number of Shares in respect of which the Option was exercised,  (ii) the Company
shall  have  issued and  delivered  the  Shares to the  Optionee,  and (iii) the
Optionee's  name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record on the books
of the  Company,  whereupon  the  Optionee  shall  have  full  voting  and other
ownership rights with respect to such Shares.

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                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(5)

         6.       Termination of Employment.

                  6.1      In General.

                           If the  employment of the Optionee  with the  Company
and its Subsidiaries shall terminate for any reason,  other than for the reasons
set forth in  Sections  6.2 and 7.2  below,  the  Option  shall  continue  to be
exercisable  (to the extent the Option was vested and exercisable on the date of
the  Optionee's  termination  of employment) at any time within three (3) months
after the date of such  termination  of  employment,  but in no event  after the
expiration of the Exercise Term.

                  6.2      Termination of Employment Due to Death, Disability or
                           Retirement.

                           If the Optionee's termination of  employment  is  due
to Death,  Disability  or  Retirement  (termination  on or after age 65),  or if
Optionee terminates employment after age 55, the following shall apply:

         (a)      Termination Due To Death. In the event the Optionee dies while
                  actively  employed,  all  vested  Options at the date of death
                  shall remain  exercisable  at any time prior to the expiration
                  of the Exercise Term by (A) a Permitted Transferee (as defined
                  in  Section  8 below),  if any,  or such  person(s)  that have
                  acquired the  Optionee's  rights under such Options by will or
                  by the laws of  descent  and  distribution,  or (B) if no such
                  person  described  in (A)  exists,  the  Optionee's  estate or
                  representative of the Optionee's  estate. All Options that are
                  not  vested  as of the  date of  death  shall  be  immediately
                  forfeited.

         (b)      Termination by Disability.  In the event the employment of the
                  Optionee is  terminated  by reason of  Disability,  all vested
                  Options as of the date the Committee  determines  the Optionee
                  terminated for Disability shall remain exercisable at any time
                  prior to the expiration of the Exercise Term. All Options that
                  are not vested as of the date of  termination  for  Disability
                  shall be immediately forfeited.

         (c)      Termination by Retirement.  In the event the employment of the
                  Optionee is terminated by reason of Retirement, the Optionee's
                  Options shall continue to vest in accordance with the original
                  schedule  (just as if the Optionee had remained  employed) and
                  shall remain  exercisable  at any time prior to the expiration
                  of the lesser of five years or the remaining  Exercise Term of
                  the  Options.  In the  event  of the  Optionee's  death  after
                  Retirement,   the  Options  shall  continue  to  vest  and  be
                  exercisable in accordance  with this  subsection (c) as if the
                  Optionee had lived and the Options shall be exercisable by the
                  persons described in (a) above.

          (d)     Termination After Attaining Age 55. If the Optionee terminates
                  employment  (other  than as  a result  of death or Disability)
                  after  attaining  age 55 but  prior  to  age  65,  unless  the
                  Committee  determines   otherwise  at   the   time   of   such
                  termination,  the Optionee's Options shall continue to vest in
                  accordance with the original schedule (just as if the Optionee
                  had remained employed)and shall remain exercisable at any time
                  prior to the  expiration of the lesser of  five years  or  the
                  remaining Exercise Term of the Options.  In  the  event of the
                  Optionee's   death  after   Retirement,  the   Options   shall
                  continue  to  vest  and  be  exercisable  in  accordance  with
                  this  subsection  (d)  as  if  the  Optionee had lived and the
                  Options shall be exercisable by the persons  described  in (a)
                  above.

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                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(5)


         7.       Effect of Change in Control.

                  7.1 Notwithstanding anything contained to the contrary in this
Agreement,  in the event of a Change in  Control,  (i) the Option  shall  become
immediately  and fully  exercisable,  and (ii) the Optionee will be permitted to
surrender for cancellation  within sixty (60) days after such Change in Control,
the Option or any portion of the Option to the extent not yet exercised, and the
Optionee  shall be entitled to receive  immediately  a cash payment in an amount
equal to the excess,  if any, of (A) the greater of (x) the Fair Market Value on
the date preceding the date of surrender, of the shares subject to the Option or
portion of the Option surrendered,  or (y) the Adjusted Fair Market Value of the
Shares  subject  to the  Option or  portion  thereof  surrendered,  over (B) the
aggregate  purchase price for such Shares under the Option;  provided,  however,
that if the Option  was  granted  within  six (6) months  prior to the Change in
Control and the Optionee may be subject to liability  under Section 16(b) of the
Exchange  Act, the Optionee  shall be entitled to surrender  the Option,  or any
portion  of the  Option,  for  cancellation  during  the sixty  (60) day  period
following  the  expiration  of six (6) months from the Grant Date and to receive
the amount described above with respect to such surrender for cancellation.

                  7.2 If the employment of the Optionee is terminated within two
(2) years following a Change in Control, all vested Options shall continue to be
exercisable  at any  time  within  three  (3)  years  after  the  date  of  such
termination  of  employment,  but in no event after  expiration  of the Exercise
Term.

         8.       Nontransferability.

                  The Option shall not be transferable  other than by will or by
the laws of descent and distribution.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Option
may be  transferred,  in whole or in part,  without  consideration,  by  written
instrument signed by the Optionee, to any members of the immediate family of the
Optionee (i.e., spouse, children, and grandchildren), any trusts for the benefit
of such family members or any  partnerships  whose only partners are such family
members (the "Permitted Transferees"). Appropriate evidence of any such transfer
to the Permitted  Transferees shall be delivered to the Company at its principal
executive  office.  If all or part of the Option is  transferred  to a Permitted
Transferee,  the Permitted Transferee's rights hereunder shall be subject to the
same  restrictions  and limitations  with respect to the Option as the Optionee.
During the lifetime of the Optionee, the Option shall be exercisable only by the
Optionee, or if applicable, by the Permitted Transferees.

         9.       No Right to Continued Employment.

                  Nothing in this  Agreement or the Plan shall be interpreted or
construed to confer upon the Optionee any right with respect to  continuance  of
employment by the Company or a Subsidiary,  nor shall this Agreement or the Plan
interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary  to terminate
the Optionee's employment at any time.

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                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(5)


         10.      Adjustments.

                  In the event of a Change in Capitalization,  the Committee may
make appropriate adjustments to the number and class of Shares or other stock or
securities subject to the Option and the purchase price for such Shares or other
stock or securities. The Committee's adjustment shall be made in accordance with
the  provisions  of  Section  11 of the Plan and shall be  effective  and final,
binding, and conclusive for all purposes of the Plan and this Agreement.

         11.      Terminating Events.

                  Subject to Section 7 hereof,  upon the  effective  date of (i)
the liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (ii) a merger or  consolidation
of the  Company  (a  "Transaction"),  the  Option  shall  continue  in effect in
accordance  with its terms and the  Optionee  shall be  entitled  to  receive in
respect of all Shares  subject to the Option,  upon exercise of the Option,  the
same  number  and  kind  of  stock,   securities,   cash,  property,   or  other
consideration  that  each  holder of  Shares  was  entitled  to  receive  in the
Transaction.

         12.      Withholding of Taxes.

                  The   Company   shall  have  the  right  to  deduct  from  any
distribution of cash to the Optionee an amount equal to the federal,  state, and
local  income  taxes and other  amounts as may be required by law to be withheld
(the  "Withholding  Taxes")  with  respect to the  Option.  If the  Optionee  is
entitled to receive  Shares upon exercise of the Option,  the Optionee shall pay
the  Withholding  Taxes to the  Company  in cash prior to the  issuance  of such
Shares.  In  satisfaction  of the  Withholding  Taxes,  the  Optionee may make a
written election (the "Tax Election"),  which may be accepted or rejected in the
discretion of the Committee,  to have withheld a portion of the Shares  issuable
to him or her upon exercise of the Option, having an aggregate Fair Market Value
equal to the withholding Taxes, provided that, if the Optionee may be subject to
liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, the election must comply with
the requirements applicable to Share transactions by such Optionees.

         13.      Employee Bound by the Plan.

                  The Optionee hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan
and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions thereof.

         14.      Modification of Agreement.

                  This  Agreement  may  be  modified,   amended,  suspended,  or
terminated,  and any terms or  conditions  may be waived,  but only by a written
instrument executed by the parties hereto.

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                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(5)

         15.      Severability.

                  Should any  provision of this  Agreement be held by a court of
competent  jurisdiction  to be  unenforceable  or invalid  for any  reason,  the
remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected by such holding and
shall continue in full force in accordance with their terms.

         16.      Governing Law.

                  The validity, interpretation, construction, and performance of
this  Agreement  shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware  without
giving effect to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.

         17.      Successors in Interest.

                  This  Agreement  shall  inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon each successor  corporation.  This Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of
the Optionee's legal representatives.  All obligations imposed upon the Optionee
and all rights  granted to the  Company  under  this  Agreement  shall be final,
binding,  and  conclusive  upon  the  Optionee's  heirs,  executors,   Permitted
Transferees, administrators, and successors.

         18.      Resolution of Disputes.

                  Any dispute or  disagreement  which may arise  under,  or as a
result  of,  or in any way  relate  to,  the  interpretation,  construction,  or
application  of  this  Agreement  shall  be  determined  by the  Committee.  Any
determination  made  hereunder  shall be final,  binding,  and conclusive on the
Optionee and the Company for all purposes.



ATTEST:                                NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.




/s/ Helen D. Haines             By:/s/ James S. Balloun
       Secretary                       James S. Balloun
                                       Chairman, President, and
                                       Chief Executive Officer




                                   /s/ George H. Gilmore, Jr.
                    Name of Optionee:  George H. Gilmore, Jr.