Behind almost every stack of pressed napkins is a commercial linen service — a route-based rental laundry that delivers clean textiles and hauls away soiled ones on a fixed weekly schedule. Here’s how that industry actually works.

The route model

Providers run trucks on fixed weekly routes. Your “route day” is the day your driver swaps soiled for clean — same day, every week. Between visits, your linen sits in exchange bags; you never wash anything.

Who the providers are

Three tiers serve U.S. restaurants: national companies (Cintas, Vestis, UniFirst, Alsco), regional commercial laundries running plants across a few states, and independent local operators — often decades-old family businesses with the densest routes in their home metro. Our provider directory lists over a thousand of them by state.

What it costs

Weekly per-item rates — pennies for napkins, a dollar-plus for tablecloths, per-wearer rates for uniforms. The cost guide has current ranges.

How to get service

You can call providers one by one — or describe your needs once and let matched providers come to you with quotes.

Ready to compare? Request free quotes from vetted providers in your area, or start with the cost guides.