Benihana Inc. Reports Total Restaurant Sales and Comparable Restaurant Sales for the Third Four-Week Period & Twelve-Week Period of the Second Fiscal Quarter 2011

Benihana Inc., operator of the nation's largest chain of Japanese theme and sushi restaurants, reported total restaurant sales and comparable restaurant sales for the third four-week period (September 13 - October 10, 2010) and the twelve-week period (July 19 - October 10, 2010) of the second fiscal quarter 2011, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Benihana Inc.

For the third four-week period, total restaurant sales increased 4.6% to $23.1 million from $22.0 million, while Company-wide comparable restaurant sales increased 5.7%, representing the eighth consecutive four-week period of comparable restaurant sales increases. By concept, comparable restaurant sales increased 8.7% at Benihana Teppanyaki and 0.9% at RA Sushi, but decreased 0.6% at Haru. There were a total of 384 store-operating weeks in the third four-week period of the second fiscal quarter 2011 compared to a total of 392 store-operating weeks in the third four-week period of the second fiscal quarter 2010.

For the twelve-week period, total restaurant sales increased 4.1% to $71.8 million in the second fiscal quarter 2011 from $69.0 million in the second fiscal quarter 2010, while Company-wide comparable restaurant sales increased 4.7%, representing the third consecutive quarter of comparable restaurant sales increases. By concept, comparable restaurant sales increased 7.9% at Benihana Teppanyaki, but decreased 0.9% at RA Sushi and 1.0% at Haru. There were a total of 1,160 store-operating weeks in the second fiscal quarter 2011 compared to a total of 1,179 store-operating weeks in the second fiscal quarter 2010.

Richard C. Stockinger, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, said, "We continue to see increasing momentum in our business, and ended the quarter on a 'high note', with our best sales performance occurring during the most recent four-week period. Benihana Teppanyaki's robust trends were the result of strong traffic gains (up 10%), which we attribute to the Renewal Program itself, our recent Chef's Special promotions, as well as our effective marketing programs. At our sushi brands, RA Sushi returned to positive territory after several periods of declining trends, and even Haru realized a sequential improvement from the previous four-week period. All in all, we are pleased with our performance across all three brands, especially in Teppanyaki, where our comparable restaurant sales are at the forefront of the industry."