Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 24, 2015 USD ($) restaurant state property segment $ / shares shares	Jul. 25, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares		Apr. 26, 2013 USD ($)	Apr. 24, 2015 USD ($)
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | restaurant	549
Number of states in which entity operates | state	19
Number of reporting segments | segment	2
Deferred gift card revenue	$ 12,529				$ 13,714
Shipping, handling and transportation costs	3,869	$ 4,318
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable	325				542
Accounts receivable reduction related to sales promotions	4,226				3,671
Accretion income	499	445
Raw materials and supplies	14,698				12,898
Finished goods	12,017				11,722
Depreciation	20,114	$ 19,934
Current assets held for sale	21,371				22,243
Rabbi trust assets	32,133				32,302
Goodwill and other intangible assets	19,634				19,634
Other intangible assets	$ 313				352
Dilutive shares not included in computation of dilutive earnings per share | shares	205,144	141,980
Cash dividends (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.31	$ 0.31
Accrued non-income taxes	$ 15,513				14,951
Self-insurance reserves	21,292				$ 18,900
Advertising expense	$ 8,993	$ 9,123
Operating lease initial term	20 years
Reclassification		593
Noncompete Agreements
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Intangible asset, useful life	05 years
Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Operating leases, renewal term	5 years
Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Operating leases, renewal term	30 years
Building and Improvements | Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful lives	5 years
Building and Improvements | Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful lives	50 years
Machinery and Equipment | Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful lives	3 years
Machinery and Equipment | Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful lives	10 years
Capitalized Internal Labor Costs
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation	$ 553	906
Capitalized costs for ERP
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation		574
Restaurant Construction
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation		332
Enterprise Resource Planning System
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful lives	10 years
Mimi's Cafe
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Sale note receivable				$ 30,000
Sale interest rate				1.50%
Sale note receivable term				7 years
Bob Evans Restaurants
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Sales discounts, returns and allowances, goods	$ 8,749	16,535
Assets held and used	$ 0	1,319	[1]
Bob Evans Restaurant
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising expense allocated percentage	85.00%
BEF Foods
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Sales discounts, returns and allowances, goods	$ 14,753	$ 8,680
Nonoperating Restaurant | Bob Evans Restaurants | Long-term assets held for sale
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of locations held-for-sale | property	18

[1] Relates to one nonoperating location