Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details)		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Apr. 24, 2015 USD ($) property	Jan. 22, 2016 USD ($) restaurant state property $ / shares shares	Jan. 23, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Apr. 26, 2013 USD ($)	Jan. 22, 2016 USD ($) restaurant state property segment $ / shares shares	Jan. 23, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | restaurant		548			548
Number of states in which entity operates | state		18			18
Number of reporting segments | segment					2
Deferred gift card revenue	$ 13,714,000	$ 18,659,000			$ 18,659,000
Shipping and handling costs		3,680,000	$ 4,319,000		10,871,000	$ 12,610,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable	542,000	441,000			441,000
Accounts receivable reduction related to sales promotions	3,671,000	7,949,000			7,949,000
Accretion income		528,000	471,000		1,539,000	1,374,000
Raw materials and supplies	12,898,000	15,009,000			15,009,000
Finished goods	11,722,000	8,266,000			8,266,000
Depreciation		19,816,000	$ 20,364,000		59,997,000	$ 59,733,000
Current assets held for sale	22,243,000	12,221,000			12,221,000
Long-term assets held for sale	1,611,000	0			0
Goodwill and other intangible assets	19,634,000	19,634,000			19,634,000
Other intangible assets	352,000	$ 234,000			$ 234,000
Dilutive shares not included in computation of dilutive earnings per share | shares		249,684	34,419		240,974	40,627
Cash dividends (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.34	$ 0.31		$ 0.96	$ 0.93
Accrued non-income taxes	14,951,000	$ 17,832,000			$ 17,832,000
Self-insurance reserves	18,900,000	21,644,000			21,644,000
Advertising expense		$ 9,243,000	$ 9,212,000		$ 28,269,000	$ 26,413,000
Number of rental properties | property		2
Operating lease initial term					20 years
Reclassification			1,389,000			2,643,000
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		$ 514,000	1,077,000		$ 1,615,000	3,473,000
Capitalized costs for ERP
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation						2,528,000
Restaurant Construction
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depreciation						945,000
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		12,275,000	13,858,000		$ 30,528,000	43,648,000
Reclassification adjustment		$ 245,000	1,672,000		392,000	2,991,000
Bob Evans Restaurant
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising expense allocated percentage		80.00%
BEF Foods
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Promotional spending		$ 26,658,000	18,539,000		$ 57,066,000	39,699,000
Nonoperating Restaurant | Bob Evans Restaurants | Current assets held for sale
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of locations held-for-sale | property	19				9
Nonoperating Restaurant | Bob Evans Restaurants | Long Term Assets Held-For-Sale
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of locations held-for-sale | property	2
Other Expense | Reclassification Adjustment | BEF Foods
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Shipping and handling costs			4,319,000			12,610,000
Impairments | Reclassification Adjustment | Bob Evans Restaurants
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification adjustment			$ 1,672,000			$ 2,991,000