EXHIBIT 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        Contact: Donald J. Radkoski or
August 10, 2004                                       Mary Cusick (614) 491-2225



     BOB EVANS FARMS ANNOUNCES JULY SAME-STORE SALES AND QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

         COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (Nasdaq: BOBE) today announced
that same-store sales in "core" Bob Evans family restaurants (479 stores which
were open for the full 12 months in both fiscal years 2003 and 2004) for the
fiscal 2005 month of July (the five weeks ended July 30) decreased 2.0 percent
from the same period a year ago. Average menu prices for the fiscal month were
up approximately 2.4 percent.

         Mimi's Cafe same-store sales in "core" restaurants (60 stores which
opened prior to July 1, 2002) for the partial fiscal 2005 month of July
(approximately three weeks of the five weeks ended July 30) increased 3.3
percent from the same period a year ago. Average menu prices for the period were
up approximately 3.7 percent.

         Bob Evans Farms, Inc. successfully completed the acquisition of SWH
Corporation (d/b/a Mimi's Cafe) on July 7, 2004.

         The Bob Evans Farms board of directors today declared a quarterly
dividend of 12 cents ($.12) per share on the corporation's outstanding common
stock ($.01 par value). The dividend is payable Sept. 1, 2004, to stockholders
of record at the close of business on Aug. 20, 2004.

         The company will release first quarter results after the market closes
on Aug. 11, 2004, and a conference call will be held on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2004,
at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time). To listen, call (800) 253-6872 or log-in to the
webcast at www.bobevans.com and click on "investors." The call will be archived
on the company's Web site.

         Bob Evans Farms, Inc. owns and operates 568 full-service, family
restaurants in 21 states. Bob Evans Restaurants are primarily located in the
Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States, while Owens
Restaurants operate in Texas. In addition, the company operates 81 Mimi's Cafe
casual restaurants located in 10 states, primarily in California and other
western states. Bob Evans Farms, Inc. is also a leading producer and distributor
of pork sausage and a variety of complementary homestyle convenience food items
under the Bob Evans and Owens brand names. For more information about Bob Evans
Farms, Inc., visit the company's Web site at www.bobevans.com.

         SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM
ACT OF 1995 The statements contained in this report which are not historical
fact are "forward-looking statements" that involve various important
assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the
company's actual results for fiscal 2005 and beyond to differ materially from
those expressed in such forward-looking statements. These important factors
include, without limitation, changes in hog costs, the possibility of severe
weather conditions where the company operates its restaurants, the availability
and cost of acceptable new restaurant sites, shortages of restaurant labor,
acceptance of the company's restaurant concepts into new geographic areas as
well as other risks previously disclosed in the company's securities filings and
press releases.