RYAN'S FAMILY STEAK HOUSES, INC.
              REPORTS JANUARY SALES INFORMATION

                      -----------------

Ryan's   Family  Steak  Houses,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:RYAN)   today
announced  that  average unit sales for  the  5-week  period
ended  February  2,  2000  ("January")  decreased  by  1.9%.
Management  noted  that sales during both January  2000  and
January   1999  were  impacted  by  severe  winter  weather.
Details follow:

                                      January 2000
                                      (Unaudited)

  Total sales                       $56,990,000
  Increase from prior year                +2.5%

  Average unit sales:
  Same-store (open at least 18 mos.)      -1.9%
  All-store (all Ryan's units)            -0.9%

Both  January 2000 and January 1999 were adversely  impacted
by  weather.  Severe winter storms were prevalent throughout
much  of  the Company's operating areas during the last  two
weeks  of  January 2000 and during the first  two  weeks  of
January   1999.   Accordingly,  available  data   makes   it
virtually  impossible  to extrapolate a  "normal"  operating
trend for the month.

At  February  2,  2000, the Company owned and  operated  289
Ryan's.

The  Company's next accounting period consists of  4  weeks,
ending on March 1, 2000.