UNITED STATES
             SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                   Washington, D.C. 20549

                        ____________

                          FORM 8-K

                       CURRENT REPORT
           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
               Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                    _____________________


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 2, 1998


                 Piccadilly Cafeterias, Inc.
         (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          Louisiana                  1-11754                    72-0604977
  (State of incorporation)  (Commission File Number)          (IRS Employer
                                                            Identification No.)



  3232 Sherwood Forest Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana         70816
      (Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)



                                 (225) 293-9440
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                     N/A
        (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS.

     On  August  8,  1988, the Board of Directors of Piccadilly Cafeterias,
Inc., a Louisiana corporation  (the  "Company")  declared a dividend of one
common stock purchase right (the "Old Rights") for  each  outstanding share
of  common stock, no par value (the "Common Stock"), of the  Company.   The
Old Rights expired on August 22, 1998.

     On  November 2, 1998, the Company declared a dividend of one preferred
stock purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock
of  the  Company.    The  dividend  is  payable  on  November  6,  1998  to
shareholders of record on November 2, 1998 (the "Record Date").  Each Right
entitles the registered  holder  to  purchase  from  the  Company  one one-
hundredth of a share of Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred  Stock,
no  par  value (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company at a price of $51.00
per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (the "Purchase Price"),
subject to  adjustment.   The  description  and terms of the Rights are set
forth  in  a Rights Agreement dated as of November  2,  1998  (the  "Rights
Agreement")  between  the  Company and Wachovia Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
(the "Rights Agent").

     Subject to certain exceptions,  until  the  earlier to occur of (i) 10
days following a public announcement that a person  or  group of affiliated
or  associated  persons  (an "Acquiring Person"), have acquired  beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of  the  outstanding  Common  Stock,  or  (ii)  10
business  days  (or  such  later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of Directors prior to  such time as any person or group of affiliated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person)  following  the  commencement  of,  or
announcement  of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the
consummation of  which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person
or group of 15% or  more  of  the  outstanding Common Stock (the earlier of
such  dates  being called the "Distribution  Date"),  the  Rights  will  be
evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Stock certificates outstanding
as of the Record  Date,  by such Common Stock certificate, with a copy of a
Summary of Rights attached thereto.

     The Rights Agreement  provides  that,  until the Distribution Date (or
earlier  redemption  or  expiration  of the Rights),  the  Rights  will  be
transferred with and only with the Common  Stock.   Until  the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new  Common Stock
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance  of
Common  Stock will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference.    Until   the  Distribution  Date  (or  earlier  redemption  or
expiration of the Rights),  the  surrender for transfer of any certificates
for Common Stock outstanding as of  the  Record  Date,  even  without  such
notation  or  a  copy of the Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such  certificate.   As  soon  as  practicable following the
Distribution  Date,  separate certificates evidencing  the  Rights  ("Right
Certificates") will be  mailed  to holders of record of the Common Stock as
of the close of business on the Distribution  Date  and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

     The  Rights  are  not  exercisable until the Distribution  Date.   The
Rights will expire on  November  2,  2008  (the  "Final  Expiration Date"),
unless  the  Final  Expiration  Date is extended or unless the  Rights  are
earlier redeemed or exchanged by  the  Company,  in each case, as described
below.

     The  Purchase  Price payable, and the number of  shares  of  Preferred
Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights
are subject to adjustment  from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the
event  of  a  stock  dividend  on,   or   a   subdivision,  combination  or
reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of
the  Preferred  Stock of certain rights or warrants  to  subscribe  for  or
purchase Preferred  Stock  at  a  price,  or  securities  convertible  into
Preferred  Stock with a conversion price, less than the then-current market
price of the  Preferred  Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of
the  Preferred Stock of evidences  of  indebtedness  or  assets  (excluding
regular  periodic  cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings
or dividends payable  in  shares  of  Preferred  Stock)  or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

     The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one  one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of each Right are also
subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common  Stock or
a  stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock  or
subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring,
in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.

     With  certain  exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative  adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1%
in such Purchase Price.  No  fractional  shares  of Preferred Stock will be
issued  (other  than  fractions which are integral multiples  of  one  one-
hundredth of a share of  Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depository  receipts)  and  in  lieu  thereof,  an
adjustment  in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

     Preferred  Stock  purchasable  upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable.  Each share of Preferred  Stock  will  be entitled to a minimum
preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1.00  but  will  be entitled to
an  aggregate  dividend  of  100  times the dividend declared per share  of
Common Stock.  In the event of liquidation,  the  holders  of the Preferred
Stock  will  be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation  payment  of
$0.01 per share  but  will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times
the payment made per share  of Common Stock.  Each share of Preferred Stock
will have 100 votes, voting together  with  the  Common Stock.  Finally, in
the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common
Stock  is  exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock  will  be  entitled  to
receive 100  times  the  amount  received per share of Common Stock.  These
rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.

     Because of the nature of the  Preferred  Stock's dividend, liquidation
and  voting  rights,  the  value of the one one-hundredth  of  a  share  of
Preferred Stock purchasable  upon exercise of each Right should approximate
the value of one share of Common Stock.

     At any time after any person  or  group  becomes  an Acquiring Person,
each  holder of a Right (other than the Acquiring Person)  will  thereafter
have the  right  to  exercise  the  Right to purchase, in lieu of Preferred
Stock, Common Stock having a market value, at the time such person or group
became an Acquiring Person, equal to  two  times  the Purchase Price of the
Right.

     In  the  event  that  the  Company is acquired in a  merger  or  other
business combination transaction  or 50% or more of its consolidated assets
or earning power are sold after a person  or  group has become an Acquiring
Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right (other
than the Acquiring Person) will thereafter have  the right to receive, upon
the exercise thereof at the then-current Purchase  Price of the Right, that
number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time
of  such  transaction will have a market value of two  times  the  Purchase
Price of the Right.  In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated  persons  becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder  of  a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned
by the Acquiring Person (which  will  thereafter  be void), will thereafter
have the right to receive upon exercise that number  of  shares  of  Common
Stock having a market value at the time of such occurrence of two times the
Purchase Price of the Right.

     At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person  and
prior  to  the  acquisition  by  such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding  Common  Stock, the Board  of  Directors  of  the  Company  may
exchange the Rights (other  than Rights owned by such person or group which
will have become void), in whole  or  in  part, at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock, or one one-hundredth  of a share of Preferred Stock,
per Right (subject to adjustment).

     At  any  time  prior  to  the  acquisition by a  person  or  group  of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial  ownership of 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors  of  the  Company  may
redeem  the  Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right
(the "Redemption  Price").   The  redemption  of  the  Rights  may  be made
effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board
of  Directors  in its sole discretion may establish.  Immediately upon  any
redemption of the  Rights,  the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and  the  only right of the holders  of  Rights  will  be  to  receive  the
Redemption Price.

     The terms  of  the  Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company without the consent  of the holders of the Rights, including an
amendment to lower the thresholds  described  above,  except  that from and
after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated  persons
becomes  an  Acquiring  Person,  no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.

     Until a Right is exercised, the  holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company,  including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends.

     As of November 2, 1998 there were 10,528,368  shares  of  Common Stock
issued  and outstanding.  As long as the Rights are attached to the  Common
Stock, the Company will issue one Right with each new share of Common Stock
so that all such shares will have Rights attached.

ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

     (c)  EXHIBITS.

             4.   Rights Agreement,  dated  as of November 2, 1998, between
                  Piccadilly Cafeterias, Inc.  and  Wachovia Bank, N.A., as
                  Rights  Agent,  including (i) as Exhibit  A-the  Form  of
                  Articles of Amendment,  (ii)  as  Exhibit  B-the Forms of
                  Rights Certificate, Assignment and Election  to Purchase,
                  and  (iii)  as Exhibit C-the Summary Description  of  the
                  Shareholder Rights Plan (incorporated herein by reference
                  to Exhibits 1,  2,  3 and 4 to the Company's Registration
                  Statement  on Form 8-A,  filed  with  the  Commission  on
                  November 19, 1998).

             99.  Press release,  dated  November  2,  1998,  issued by the
                  Company (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5 to
                  the  Company's Registration Statement on Form  8-A  filed
                  with the Commission on November 19, 1998).


                             SIGNATURE


     Pursuant to the requirements  of  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report  to  be  signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                              PICCADILLY CAFETERIAS, INC.



                              By:     /s/ Ronald A. LaBorde
                                          Ronald A. LaBorde
                                President and Chief Executive Officer



Date:  November 19, 1998



                           EXHIBIT INDEX


   EXHIBIT NO.                     DESCRIPTION

      4.                 Rights Agreement, dated as of  November  2,  1998,
                         between  Piccadilly  Cafeterias, Inc. and Wachovia
                         Bank,  N.A., as Rights  Agent,  including  (i)  as
                         Exhibit  A-the Form of Articles of Amendment, (ii)
                         as Exhibit  B-the  Forms  of  Rights  Certificate,
                         Assignment and Election to Purchase, and  (iii) as
                         Exhibit   C-the   Summary   Description   of   the
                         Shareholder  Rights  Plan  (incorporated herein by
                         reference  to  Exhibits  1, 2,  3  and  4  to  the
                         Company's  Registration  Statement  on  Form  8-A,
                         filed with the Commission on November 19, 1998).

      99.                Press release, dated November  2,  1998, issued by
                         the Company (incorporated herein by  reference  to
                         Exhibit  5 to the Company's Registration Statement
                         on Form 8-A  filed with the Commission on November
                         19, 1998).