Document and Entity Information (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 25, 2013	Feb. 15, 2013	Apr. 27, 2012
Document and Entity Information
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Jan. 25, 2013
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2013
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Entity Registrant Name	Bob Evans Farms Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0000033769
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--04-26
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Well Known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Common Stock Shares Outstanding		27,879,464
Entity Public Float			$ 987,419,261