1
      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 22, 1998

                                                     Registration No. 333-______

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              RENTERS CHOICE, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                                      48-1024367
(State or other jurisdiction of            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)

                        13800 MONTFORT DRIVE, SUITE 300
                                 DALLAS, TEXAS                    75240
                    (Address of principal executive offices)    (zip code)

                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                           1994 RENTERS CHOICE, INC.
                            LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                               DANNY Z. WILBANKS
                        13800 MONTFORT DRIVE, SUITE 300
                              DALLAS, TEXAS 75240
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (972) 419-2652
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Proposed            Proposed
     Title of                   Amount                  Maximum              Maximum         Amount of
    Securities                  to be                Offering Price         Aggregate       Registration
 to be Registered             Registered                Per Share         Offering Price         Fee                     
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
Common Stock,
par value $0.01
per share                     1,500,000                $27.72*            $41,580,000*      $12,266.10
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


*        Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
         in accordance with Rule  457(h).  Pursuant to Rule 457(h), this
         estimate is based upon the average of the high and low prices of the
         Registrant's common stock, par value $0.01 per share, on May 18, 1998
         (as reported on The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.).
   2
                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

         This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed in order to register
an additional 1,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of
Renters Choice, Inc. for issuance pursuant to the 1994 Renters Choice, Inc.
Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended, the "Plan").  The contents of that
earlier Registration Statement (Registration No. 33-98800), which registered
1,500,000 shares (on a post-split basis) for issuance under the Plan was filed
on October 31, 1995, are hereby incorporated by reference.


ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

5.1      Opinion of Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C. regarding the validity of
         the securities being registered.*

23.1     Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.*

23.2     Consent of Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C. (included as part of
         Exhibit 5.1).*

24       Power of Attorney (See Page II-1 of this Registration Statement).*

99.1     Amended and Restated 1994 Renters Choice, Inc. Long-Term Incentive
         Plan.*




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* Filed herewith.
   3
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Dallas, State of Texas, on May 22, 1998.

                                        RENTERS CHOICE, INC.


                                        By: /s/ J. ERNEST TALLEY
                                            ----------------------------------
                                            J. Ernest Talley
                                            Chairman of the Board and
                                            Chief Executive Officer



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below hereby constitutes and appoints J. Ernest Talley and Danny Z.
Wilbanks, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and on his behalf
and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and
all documents relating to this Registration Statement, including any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration
Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits and supplements thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, and hereby grants to such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises in order to
effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.





                                      II-1
   4
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.




         Signature and Title                                     Date
         -------------------                                     ----
                                                          
/s/ J. ERNEST TALLEY                                         May 22, 1998
- -------------------------------------------                             
J. Ernest Talley
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer (Principal
Executive Officer)


/s/ MARK E. SPEESE                                           May 22, 1998
- -------------------------------------------                             
Mark E. Speese
President, Chief Operating
Officer and Director


/s/ DANNY Z. WILBANKS                                        May 22, 1998
- -------------------------------------------                             
Danny Z. Wilbanks
Senior Vice President of Finance
and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial
and Accounting Officer)


/s/ J. V. LENTELL                                            May 22, 1998
- -------------------------------------------                             
J. V. Lentell
Director


/s/ JOSEPH V. MARINER, JR.                                   May 22, 1998
- -------------------------------------------                             
Joseph V. Mariner, Jr.
Director


/s/ REX W. THOMPSON                                          May 22, 1998
- -------------------------------------------                             
Rex W. Thompson
Director






                                      II-2
   5
                              INDEX TO EXHIBITS




Exhibit
Number   Exhibit
- ------   -------
      
5.1      Opinion of Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C. regarding the validity of
         the securities being registered.*

23.1     Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.*

23.2     Consent of Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C. (included as part of
         Exhibit 5.1).*

24       Power of Attorney (See Page II-1 of this Registration Statement).*

99.1     Amended and Restated 1994 Renters Choice, Inc. Long-Term Incentive
         Plan.*




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* Filed herewith.