Benihana Inc. Updates Development Activity
	Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHNA, BNHN), operator of the nation's largest chain of Japanese theme and sushi restaurants, today updated development activity for its Benihana teppanyaki, RA Sushi, and Haru restaurant concepts.
Benihana Teppanyaki The Company signed a definitive lease agreement for a new Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in Columbus, OH. The restaurant will be located in Polaris Fashion Place, which is Central Ohio's premier shopping destination, and just minutes north of downtown. It features over 150 specialty stores, six anchor stores, and the Columbus Zoo soft play area, the largest children's play area in the region. The Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in Dulles, VA opened on January 31, 2008. This is the third Benihana teppanyaki restaurant to open in fiscal 2008. The Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in San Diego, CA reopened on February 5, 2008. It had been closed since September 17, 2007 for remodeling. The Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in Dallas, TX was closed on January 14, 2008 for remodeling. The restaurant had been recently operating in a limited capacity during its initial renovation phase. It is scheduled to reopen during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008. The Benihana teppanyaki restaurants in Cupertino and Newport Beach, CA, Denver, CO, and Houston, TX were closed in January for remodeling. These restaurants are expected to reopen late in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. The Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in Turtle Creek, TX, was permanently closed on January 27, 2008. There are currently seven additional Benihana teppanyaki restaurants under development in Coral Springs and Orlando, FL, Chicago, IL, Meadowlands, NJ, Plano, TX, Plymouth Meeting, PA, and Westwood, MA. The Company also signed a franchise agreement with an existing franchisee to open a new Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in Toms River, NJ. Story continues below ↓ Advertisement RA Sushi The RA Sushi restaurant in Mesa, AZ opened on December 17, 2007, while the RA Sushi restaurant in Baltimore, MD opened on January 21, 2008. Including these locations, four new RA Sushi restaurants have opened in fiscal 2008. The Company signed a definitive lease agreement for a new RA Sushi restaurant in Chino Hills, CA. The restaurant will be located in the Shoppes at Chino Hills, a mixed-use 360,000-square-foot lifestyle retail center encompassing upscale specialty retail, restaurants and eateries, as well as a luxury multifamily community. There are currently eight additional RA Sushi restaurants under development in Houston and Plano, TX, Huntington Beach, CA, Leawood, KS, Pembroke Pines, Orlando, and South Miami, FL, and Westwood, MA. Haru The Company opened a Haru restaurant in the Wall Street financial district in New York City on December 10, 2007. This is the second Haru restaurant to open in fiscal 2008. 'Our teppanyaki renovation program is moving ahead, and we have already completed fifteen renovations, with a sixteenth to be wrapped up by the end of March. In fact, we intend to be finished with the entire program in January 2009, with a total of 24 remodeled restaurants. The decrease in the average age of our teppanyaki restaurants will further enhance their relevance and appeal, and will pay dividends for our entire Company for many years to come. We are also pleased with our current expansion plans, which will perpetuate our leadership position within the Japanese theme and sushi dining category,' stated Joel A. Schwartz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.