Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Oct. 27, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements	Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements: The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. ("Bob Evans") and its subsidiaries (collectively, Bob Evans and its subsidiaries are referred to as “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our”) are presented in accordance with the requirements of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and, consequently, do not include all of the disclosures normally required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or those normally made in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filing. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and results of operations have been included. The consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for a full fiscal year. The information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2017. Throughout the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, dollars are in thousands, except share and per-share amounts.
Income Statement Reclassifications	Income Statement Reclassifications: Historically, the cost of goods sold line in the Consolidated Statement of Net Income has primarily represented the cost of materials and has excluded depreciation expense, which was presented separately. In the first quarter of fiscal 2018, we changed the presentation of our Consolidated Statements of Net Income. The changes were made to conform the Consolidated Statements of Net Income to how management views the business subsequent to the divestiture of Bob Evans Restaurants and to better align with presentation that is consistent with our industry peers. The primary change was to classify all production costs, including production labor, depreciation and other plant operating costs, as costs of goods sold. These costs totaled $27,227 and $22,656 for the three months ended October 27, 2017, and October 28, 2016, respectively, and $52,751 and $42,062 for the six months ended October 27, 2017, and October 28, 2016, respectively. We also have changed our income statement presentation to separately present advertising, selling and distribution costs, consistent with how management views the business. These classification changes had no impact on reported operating income or net income, and prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue Recognition: Revenue is recognized when products are received by our customers. We engage in promotional (sales incentive / trade spend) programs in the form of "off-invoice" deductions, billbacks, cooperative advertising and coupons with our customers. Costs associated with these programs are classified as a reduction of gross sales in the period in which the sale occurs.
Distribution Costs	Distribution Costs: Distribution costs primarily consist of expenditures related to shipping products to our customers and are expensed as incurred.
Selling Costs	Selling Costs: Selling costs include compensation, travel and support costs for our sales organization as well as broker fees.
Accounts Receivable	Accounts Receivable: Accounts receivable represents amounts owed to us through our operating activities and are presented net of allowances for doubtful accounts and promotional incentives. Accounts receivable consist primarily of trade receivables from customer sales. We evaluate the collectability of our accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where we are aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations to us, we record a specific allowance for bad debts against amounts due to reduce the net recognized receivable to the amount we reasonably believe will be collected. In addition, we recognize allowances for bad debts based on the length of time receivables are past due with allowance percentages, based on our historical experiences, applied on a graduated scale relative to the age of the receivable amounts. If circumstances such as higher than expected bad debt experience or an unexpected material adverse change in a major customer’s ability to meet its financial obligations to us were to occur, the recoverability of amounts due to us could change by a material amount.
Inventories	Inventories: We value inventories at the lower of net realizable value or average cost, which approximates a first-in first-out basis due to the perishable nature of that inventory.
Property, Plant and Equipment	Property, Plant and Equipment: Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. The straight-line depreciation method is used. Depreciation is calculated at rates adequate to amortize costs over the estimated useful lives of buildings and improvements (primarily 5 to 25 years) and machinery and equipment (primarily 3 to 10 years). Improvements to leased properties are depreciated over the shorter of their useful lives or the initial lease terms. Total depreciation expense from continuing operations was $6,607 and $5,684 in the three months ended October 27, 2017, and October 28, 2016, respectively, and $13,152 and $10,779 in the six months ended October 27, 2017, and October 28, 2016, respectively. Net assets acquired from the acquisition of Pineland are recorded at the preliminary estimated fair value, net of estimated depreciation expense. See Note 2 for additional information. We evaluate property, plant and equipment held and used in the business for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstance indicate that the carrying amount of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable. Impairment is determined by comparing the estimated fair value for the asset group to the carrying amount of its assets. If impairment exists, the amount of impairment is measured as the excess of the carrying amount over the estimated fair values of the assets.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	Goodwill: Goodwill, which represents the cost in excess of fair market value of net assets acquired was $99,829 and $19,634 as of October 27, 2017 and April 28, 2017, respectively. The increase in goodwill of $80,195 from the prior year was acquired as part of our acquisition of Pineland. See Note 2 for additional information. The remaining goodwill balance was acquired as part of our fiscal 2013 acquisition of Kettle Creations. Goodwill is not amortized, but rather is tested for impairment during the fourth quarter each year or on a more frequent basis when indicators of impairment exist. Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible asset impairment testing involves a comparison of the estimated fair value of reporting units to the respective carrying amount. If the estimated fair value exceeds the carrying amount, then no impairment exists. If the carrying amount exceeds the estimated fair value, then a second step is performed to determine the amount of impairment, if any. We perform our impairment test using a combination of income-based and market-based approaches. The income-based approach indicates the fair value of an asset or business based on the cash flows it can be expected to generate over its remaining useful life. Under the market-based approach, fair value is determined by comparing our reporting units to similar businesses or guideline companies whose securities are actively traded in public markets. There have been no impairments to our goodwill in the current or prior year. Other Intangible Assets: The net book value of other intangible asset was $35,167 and $39 as of October 27, 2017 and April 28, 2017, respectively. As part of the Pineland acquisition, we acquired identifiable intangible assets associated with the Pineland trade name and customer relationships. The Pineland trade name and customer relationships are being amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated economic useful life of 20 years and 10 years, respectively.
Earnings Per Share (EPS)	Earnings Per Share ("EPS"): Our basic EPS computation is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period presented. Our diluted EPS calculation reflects the assumed vesting of restricted shares and market-based performance shares, the exercise and conversion of outstanding employee stock options and the settlement of share-based obligations recorded as liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet, net of the impact of anti-dilutive shares.
Dividends	Dividends: In both the three months ended October 27, 2017, and October 28, 2016, the Company paid dividends equal to $0.34 per share on our outstanding common stock. In the six months ended October 27, 2017 and October 28, 2016, the Company paid dividends equal to $8.18 and $0.68, respectively, per share on our outstanding common stock. Dividends paid during the first six months of fiscal 2018 include a special dividend of $7.50 per share, which represents the majority of net cash proceeds from the Restaurants Transaction, after income tax payments and the settlement of outstanding borrowings under our former credit agreement. Individuals that hold awards for unvested and outstanding restricted stock units, performance share units and outstanding deferred stock awards are entitled to receive dividend equivalent rights equal to the per-share cash dividends paid on outstanding units. Dividend equivalent rights are forfeitable until the underlying share-units from which they were derived vest. Share-based dividend equivalents are recorded as a reduction to retained earnings, with an offsetting increase to capital in excess of par value.
Accrued Non-Income Taxes	Accrued Non-Income Taxes: Accrued non-income taxes primarily represent obligations for real estate and personal property taxes, as well as sales and use taxes.
Self-Insurance Reserves	Self-Insurance Reserves: We record estimates for certain health, workers’ compensation and general insurance costs that are self-insured programs. Self-insurance reserves include actuarial estimates of both claims filed, carried at their expected ultimate settlement value, and claims incurred but not yet reported. Our liability represents an estimate of the ultimate cost of claims incurred as of the balance sheet date.
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies: We occasionally use purchase commitment contracts to stabilize the potentially volatile pricing associated with certain commodity items. We are self-insured for most casualty losses and employee health-care claims up to certain stop-loss limits per claimant. We have accounted for liabilities for casualty losses, including both reported claims and incurred, but not reported claims, based on information provided by independent actuaries. We have estimated our employee health-care claims liability through a review of incurred and paid claims history. The Company retained liabilities for health insurance and general liability claims associated with the Restaurants Business that were incurred prior to the closing of the Restaurants Transaction. We do not believe that our calculation of casualty losses and employee health-care claims liabilities would change materially under different conditions and/or different methods. However, due to the inherent volatility of actuarially determined casualty losses and employee health care claims, it is reasonably possible that we could experience changes in estimated losses, which could be material to net income.
New Accounting Pronouncements	New Accounting Pronouncements: In the normal course of business, management evaluates all new accounting pronouncements issued by the Financial Accounting Standard Board ("FASB"), the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or any other authoritative accounting body to determine the potential impact they may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") issued new joint guidance surrounding revenue recognition. Under US GAAP, this guidance is being introduced to the ASC as Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("Topic 606"), by Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09. The new standard supersedes a majority of existing revenue recognition guidance under US GAAP, and requires companies to recognize revenue when it transfers goods or services to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled. Companies may need to use more judgment and make more estimates while recognizing revenue, which could result in additional disclosures to the financial statements. Topic 606 allows for either a "full retrospective" adoption or a "modified retrospective" adoption. The standard will become effective for us in fiscal 2019. We are in the process of implementing the new standard, focusing on promotional arrangements with customers. We do not believe the implementation will be material to our current or historical financial statements. We are in the process of developing additional controls to ensure proper oversight of new customer relationships and promotional activity, as well as to ensure we meet all of the disclosure requirements associated with the new standard. We have not yet concluded which transition method we will elect, but anticipate we will use the modified retrospective approach. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. This guidance requires companies to put most leases on their balance sheets but recognize expenses on their income statements in a manner similar to today’s accounting. The new standard also will result in enhanced quantitative and qualitative disclosures, including significant judgments made by management, to provide greater insight into the extent of revenue and expense recognized and expected to be recognized from existing leases. The standard requires modified retrospective adoption and will become effective for us beginning in fiscal 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating this standard, including the timing of adoption and the related impact on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses. ASU 2016-13 introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments. It also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and provides for a simplified accounting model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The standard will become effective for us in our fiscal 2021. We do not expect this standard to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. The guidance is to be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. This standard will become effective for us in our fiscal 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. ASU 2017-04 simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairments by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the previous guidance an impairment of goodwill exists when the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, whereas under the new guidance a goodwill impairment loss would be recognized if the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The ASU is effective for annual and any interim impairment tests for periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.