EXHIBIT 10(u)
                                                                   -------------

                              BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
                       COMPENSATION PROGRAM FOR DIRECTORS
                       APPROVED AND EFFECTIVE MAY 7, 2002



EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS' ANNUAL RETAINER
All employee directors shall be paid an annual retainer of $14,400, payable at a
rate of $1,200 per month. All payments shall be made on or before the first of
each month.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS' ANNUAL RETAINER
All non-employee directors shall receive an annual retainer of $32,000. This
retainer shall be paid in two parts. First, $15,000 shall be paid in twelve
monthly installments of $1,250 each, paid on or before the first of each month.
Second, shares of the Company's stock shall be awarded annually to each
non-employee director. This stock award shall have a value of $17,000 which
shall be calculated and awarded on the third day following the release of annual
fiscal year end earnings. The stock shall be awarded out of and in accordance
with the Company's 1998 Stock Option and Incentive Plan or any other equity
compensation plan designated by the Compensation Committee of the Board.

COMMITTEE DUTIES
Non-employee directors are expected to attend approximately five regularly
scheduled committee meetings per year. Committees shall meet as the business
requires.

Committee Chairpersons shall receive $1,000 per meeting attended, except that
Committee Chairpersons of the Audit and Compensation Committees shall receive
$2,000 per meeting attended. Committee members shall receive $750 per meeting
attended, except that Committee members of the Audit and Compensation Committees
shall receive $1,250 per meeting attended.
All meeting fees shall be paid on or before the first day of the month following
the committee meeting.

ANNUAL STOCK OPTION
Every year on the third day following the release of annual fiscal year end
earnings, each non-employee director shall be granted a non-qualified stock
option to purchase the Company's common stock unless otherwise determined by the
Compensation Committee of the Board and the Board of Directors. The number of
shares subject to each option shall be determined pursuant to the Black-Scholes
model applied to the value of the stock portion of the non-employee directors'
annual retainer of $17,000 as recommended to and approved by the Compensation
Committee. The stock options shall be awarded out of and in accordance with the
Company's 1998 Stock Option and Incentive Plan or any other equity compensation
plan designated by the Compensation Committee of the Board.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS
When the Chairman of the Board determines that the assistance of a non-employee
director on a project shall be beneficial, that director shall be compensated on
a per diem basis in the amount that a committee member receives for attending a
committee meeting.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS' BENEFITS
$50,000 Life Insurance
Group healthcare provided at employee cost levels in accordance with the
Company's group healthcare plan. Out of pocket expenses associated with travel
to and from meetings.

DIRECTORS'  RETIREMENT  BENEFITS
MANDATORY  RETIREMENT:  Any  director  who  reaches  the  age  of  70  will
automatically  retire.
EARLY  RETIREMENT:  A director  may retire  with 10 years of service  after
attaining age 55.


TERM AND EFFECT
This  Compensation  Program for Directors will be reviewed  periodically by
the Compensation Committee of the Board and may be modified or terminated by the
Committee at its discretion at any time.  This Plan  supersedes and replaces the
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 1998 Directors Compensation Plan.