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):   December
                          12, 2002


              RYAN'S FAMILY STEAK HOUSES, INC.
   (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Commission File Number 0-10943

South Carolina                          57-0657895
State or other jurisdiction of (IRS Employer Identification
incorporation                      No.)


                405 Lancaster Avenue (29650)
                     Post Office Box 100
                         Greer, SC 29652
     (Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip Code)


 Registrant's telephone number (including area code):  (864)
                          879-1000


                       Not Applicable
    (Former name or former address, if changed since last
                           report)


Item 5.  Other Events

     As  disclosed in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q  for  the quarter ended October 2, 2002, a lawsuit  was
filed  on  November 12, 2002, in the United States  District
Court, Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division,  on
behalf  of  three plaintiffs alleging various violations  by
the  Company of the Fair Labor Standards Act of  1938.   The
Company  intends to vigorously defend this lawsuit  and  has
retained  the  firms of Nexsen Pruet Jacobs &  Pollard,  LLC
(Greenville,  SC)  and  Constangy,  Brooks  &   Smith,   LLC
(Nashville,  TN  and  Washington, DC) to  serve  as  co-lead
counsel for the Company.  Any potential financial impact  to
the Company cannot be determined at this time.




                         SIGNATURES

     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 hereunto  duly
authorized.



                         RYAN'S FAMILY STEAK HOUSES, INC.



                         _____________________________
                         Janet J. Gleitz
                         Corporate Secretary


Date:  December 12, 2002