In this study, we assessed biases in attention disengagement among average‐weight women with binge‐eating (n = 33) and non‐eating disordered controls (n = 31). Participants engaged in a spatial cueing paradigm task wherein they first observed high‐calorie food, low‐calorie food, or neutral images and then had to quickly locate targets in either the same or a different location. Within both groups, reaction times (RTs) were longer to valid‐cued trials (i.e. target appearing in location of preceding cue) than to invalid‐cued trials (i.e. targets appearing in location different from initial location), reflecting a general inhibition of return (IOR) effect. However, RT findings also indicated that women with BE had significantly more difficulty disengaging from high‐calorie food images than did controls, even though neither group had disengagement problems related to other image types. Selective attention disengagement difficulties related to high‐calorie food images suggested that increased reward sensitivity to such cues is related to binge eating risk. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.