Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details)		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Apr. 24, 2015 USD ($) property	Oct. 23, 2015 USD ($) restaurant state property $ / shares shares	Oct. 24, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Apr. 26, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 23, 2015 USD ($) restaurant state property segment $ / shares shares	Oct. 24, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | restaurant		547			547
Number of states in which entity operates | state		18			18
Number of reporting segments | segment					2
Deferred gift card revenue	$ 13,714,000	$ 11,920,000			$ 11,920,000
Shipping and handling costs		3,322,000	$ 3,973,000		7,191,000	$ 8,291,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable	542,000	392,000			392,000
Accounts receivable reduction related to sales promotions	3,671,000	5,211,000			5,211,000
Accretion income		(513,000)	(458,000)		1,011,000	903,000
Raw materials and supplies	12,898,000	14,980,000			14,980,000
Finished goods	11,722,000	14,198,000			14,198,000
Depreciation		20,067,000	$ 19,436,000		40,181,000	$ 39,370,000
Long-term assets held for sale	1,611,000	0			0
Current assets held for sale	22,243,000	17,327,000			17,327,000
Rabbi trust assets	32,302,000	29,849,000			29,849,000
Goodwill and other intangible assets	19,634,000	19,634,000			19,634,000
Other intangible assets	352,000	$ 274,000			$ 274,000
Dilutive shares not included in computation of dilutive earnings per share | shares		251,799	42,354		241,445	43,953
Cash dividends (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.31	$ 0.31		$ 0.62	$ 0.62
Accrued non-income taxes	14,951,000	$ 17,023,000			$ 17,023,000
Self-insurance reserves	18,900,000	20,804,000			20,804,000
Advertising expense		$ 10,033,000	$ 8,079,000		$ 19,026,000	$ 17,201,000
Number of rental properties | property		2
Operating lease initial term					20 years
Reclassification			661,000			1,254,000
Noncompete Agreements
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Intangible asset, useful life					5 years
Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Renewal term					5 years
Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
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		$ 548,000	1,490,000		$ 1,052,000	2,396,000
Capitalized costs for ERP
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation						1,757,000
Restaurant Construction
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation						640,000
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				$ 30,000,000
Sale interest rate				1.50%
Sale note receivable term				7 years
Long Term Assets Held-For-Sale
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Long-term assets held for sale	$ 1,611,000
Bob Evans Restaurants
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Promotional spending		9,504,000	13,256,000		$ 18,253,000	29,791,000
Reclassification adjustment		$ 147,000	0		147,000	1,319,000
Bob Evans Restaurant
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising expense allocated percentage		80.00%
BEF Foods
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Promotional spending		$ 15,655,000	12,481,000		$ 30,408,000	21,160,000
Nonoperating Restaurant | Bob Evans Restaurants | Current assets held for sale
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of locations held-for-sale | property	19				15
Nonoperating Restaurant | Bob Evans Restaurants | Long Term Assets Held-For-Sale
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of locations held-for-sale | property	2
Impairments | Reclassification Adjustment | Bob Evans Restaurants
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification adjustment						1,319,000
SG&A | Scenario, Previously Reported | Bob Evans Restaurants
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification adjustment						1,319,000
Operating Wages and Fringe Benefit Expenses | Reclassification Adjustment
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Management training wages			2,828,000			2,828,000
Operating Wages and Fringe Benefit Expenses | Scenario, Previously Reported
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Management training wages			$ 2,828,000			$ 2,828,000