RYAN'S FAMILY STEAK HOUSES, INC.
                  AUGUST SALES INFORMATION
                              
                      -----------------

Ryan's   Family  Steak  Houses,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:RYAN)   today
announced that same-store sales for the 4-week period  ended
September  2,  1998 ("August") increased by  1.2%.   Details
follow:

                                      August 1998
                                      (Unaudited)

  Total sales                       $50,200,000
  Increase from prior year                  +5%
  
  Average unit sales:
  Same-store (open at least 18 mos.)      +1.2%
  All-store (all Ryan's units)            +0.8%


Management  noted  that  August's results  were  unfavorably
impacted  by this year's placement of Labor Day in  relation
to   the   Company's  reporting  periods.   Labor   Day   is
traditionally an excellent sales production day.   In  1997,
this  holiday  fell  in the August reporting  period,  while
sales  results  for Labor Day 1998 will be included  in  the
September reporting period.  If the last week of August (the
"mismatch" week) was eliminated from the calculation,  same-
store  sales would have increased by 2.4% for the  resulting
three-week period.

At  September  2, 1998, the Company owned and  operated  277
Ryan's.

The  Company's next accounting period consists of  4  weeks,
ending on September 30, 1998.