Latest news with #Benihana
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Benihana Express Opens Second Location in Miami
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (Nasdaq: STKS) announces the opening of its newest Benihana Express location in the Bayside Marketplace shopping center (401 Biscayne Blvd S119) in Miami. Owned and operated by franchisee Erick Passo, the restaurant is the second location in the Miami area – the first having opened earlier this year in the Brickell neighborhood – and is a new hibachi concept that features guest-favorite menu elements from Benihana in a made-to-order, fast casual format. As part of a multi-unit development deal with Passo, The ONE Group anticipates opening additional Benihana Express locations under this agreement in the coming months. 'Benihana Express and franchises are key components of our overall growth strategy, both for the Benihana brand and The ONE Group as a whole,' said Emanuel 'Manny' Hilario, CEO of The ONE Group. 'Since Benihana joined The ONE Group's VIBE dining platform, we've been looking for ways to bring the excitement and world-class flavor profiles of the Benihana dining experience to an asset-light, franchise-forward model. Erick Passo is a fantastic partner, and we are thrilled to work alongside him to introduce more people in Miami to Benihana Express. We have many additional development deals in the pipeline and should be announcing them shortly.' The 770-square-foot fast casual concept reflects a modern, minimalist aesthetic with Japanese-inspired touches – from sleek, wood finishes and bold, red accents to an open kitchen concept (in a much smaller footprint) that mirrors the energy, excitement and renowned teppanyaki experience that guests have come to love from Benihana, now in a more casual, fast casual atmosphere. The Benihana Express menu features the best of Benihana from appetizers to add-ons, including: Hibachi Burritos – The newest offering from Benihana, guests can select either steak, shrimp or chicken prepared with hibachi fried rice and teriyaki sauce, all wrapped in a soft, flour tortilla – The newest offering from Benihana, guests can select either steak, shrimp or chicken prepared with hibachi fried rice and teriyaki sauce, all wrapped in a soft, flour tortilla Hibachi Entrees – Choose from colossal shrimp, chicken, NY strip steak, filet mignon or a combination of all four, prepared with sesame seeds and served with mushrooms and hibachi chicken rice – Choose from colossal shrimp, chicken, NY strip steak, filet mignon or a combination of all four, prepared with sesame seeds and served with mushrooms and hibachi chicken rice Hibachi Yakisoba Bowls – From steak, shrimp, chicken or simply sauteed vegetables, all yakisoba bowls are prepared with sesame seeds and served with Japanese sauteed noodles and mixed vegetables in a special sauce – From steak, shrimp, chicken or simply sauteed vegetables, all yakisoba bowls are prepared with sesame seeds and served with Japanese sauteed noodles and mixed vegetables in a special sauce Hibachi Bowls – Shrimp, steak or chicken are prepared with sesame seeds and served over mushrooms and hibachi chicken rice – Shrimp, steak or chicken are prepared with sesame seeds and served over mushrooms and hibachi chicken rice Appetizers – From pork gyoza to edamame, Benihana salad to miso soup, there's a little something for everyone to start their meal off right – From pork gyoza to edamame, Benihana salad to miso soup, there's a little something for everyone to start their meal off right Add-ons – Make any dish bigger, better or bolder with a variety of add-ons, such as filet mignon, NY strip steak, chicken, shrimp or either a single or double serving of the Benihana classic hibachi chicken rice 'Opening a second Benihana Express is a proud milestone for my family and me,' said franchisee Passo, who is also the owner of Black Market Miami and Ben's Pizza. 'We saw an opportunity to bring something fresh and exciting to the neighborhood – quality food, fast service and a brand people already love. This location reflects our commitment to growing with the community and delivering a memorable experience in a quick-service setting, and we can't wait to introduce even more people to this amazing concept when we open our third Benihana Express location in Miami later this year.' The new Benihana Express will be open daily from 11 a.m. until midnight. Following the openings in Miami, Benihana Express is slated to open its first West Coast operation in San Francisco later this year. For more information on additional franchising or licensing opportunities with The ONE Group, please visit About The ONE Group The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (Nasdaq: STKS) is an international restaurant company that develops and operates upscale and polished casual, high-energy restaurants and lounges and provides hospitality management services for hotels, casinos and other high-end venues both in the U.S. and internationally. The ONE Group's focus is to be the global leader in Vibe Dining, and its primary restaurant brands and operations are: STK, a modern twist on the American steakhouse concept with restaurants in major metropolitan cities in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, featuring premium steaks, seafood and specialty cocktails in an energetic upscale atmosphere. Benihana, an interactive dining destination with highly skilled chefs preparing food right in front of guests and served in an energetic atmosphere alongside fresh sushi and innovative cocktails. The Company franchises Benihanas in the U.S., Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Benihana Express, a small footprint casual concept showcasing the best of Benihana without teppanyaki tables. Kona Grill, a polished casual, bar-centric grill concept with restaurants in the U.S., featuring American favorites, award-winning sushi, and specialty cocktails in an upscale casual atmosphere. RA Sushi, a Japanese cuisine concept that offers a fun-filled, bar-forward, upbeat, and vibrant dining atmosphere with restaurants in the U.S. anchored by creative sushi, inventive drinks, and outstanding service. Salt Water Social is your gateway to the seven seas, featuring an array of signature and unique fresh seafood items, complemented by the highest quality beef dishes and elegant, delicious cocktails. Samurai, an interactive dining experience located in sunny Miami, FL provides a distinctive dining experience where skilled personal chefs masterfully perform the ancient art of teppanyaki right before your eyes. ONE Hospitality, The ONE Group's food and beverage hospitality services business develops, manages and operates premier restaurants and turnkey food and beverage services within high-end hotels and casinos currently operating venues in the U.S. and Europe. Additional information about The ONE Group can be found at
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Rakyat Post
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Rakyat Post
Benihana: Teppanyaki With A Twist [Review]
Subscribe to our FREE When you go to a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, it's quite common to sit at a counter table and see the chef behind it cooking up your order while you watch. That itself is already quite a unique experience for many people. But what if it's stepped up a notch? Imagine a teppanyaki restaurant where the chef not only cooks for you, but also cracks jokes, pulls (harmless) pranks, and does performative cooking with flair – like juggling their spatulas or pulling off fire tricks! That's what happened when we had the opportunity to sit down for a meal and a whole experience at Benihana in Suria KLCC. What is Benihana? Benihana is a world-famous teppanyaki restaurant with 79 outlets all over the globe. They're well-known for their performative chefs who cook all your orders Hibachi-style, which is when food is cooked over a flat grill, while diners watch in awe. It was founded in New York in 1964 by Hiroaki 'Rocky' Aoki. In case you're wondering, yes Rocky Aoki is the father of electro house DJ Steve Aoki and fashion model Devon Aoki. How wild is that! Hiraoki 'Rocky' Aoki circa 1981. He was also a professional powerboat racer and wrestler. Image: Wikipedia Back to the restaurant, what sets Benihana apart from other teppanyaki joints is its simple yet effective formula: transforming a simple meal into a captivating performance. For decades, the restaurant's talented chefs have been dazzling its guests with memorable food and performances that are different with each visit. Everything from fire tricks, simple magic tricks, jokes, light pranks, and even challenges where diners get to participate are just a few ways Benihana engages with its customers right at the dinner (or lunch) table. Our Benihana chef demonstrating his fire trick skills. No eyebrows were singed in the making. Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP Kaiseki course with three options to choose from For our review, we decided to try one of the Kaiseki courses. There are three to choose from, which are 'aka' (RM148), 'kiiro' (RM198), and 'midori' (RM258). Since it was our first time, we asked for the first on the Kaiseki menu: the 'aka' course. It includes three starters – a cold tofu salad, a hot tofu appetiser, and the special Beni Egg Roll. Preparing the Beni Egg Roll, and the final result was a delicious, savoury egg roll stuffed with crab stick and seaweed drizzled with a special mayo. Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP For the main dish, you have to choose from either a fresh, boneless chicken thigh or Nowegian salmon steak. Other dishes that accompanied the main course were their Vegetable Volcano – a stir fried mix of onion, royale chives, cabbage, shirataki, and shiitake mushrooms – as well as a bowl of Beni Onion soup and garlic fried rice cooked with eggs and butter shoyu. The chicken thigh was perfectly seasoned, cooked, and then diced, before getting a drizzle of teriyaki sauce on one batch and garlic butter sauce on the other batch. Its skin was lightly cooked to a perfect crisp, which completed the entire dish. Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP With its sweet and savoury flavour profile, the onion flower soup provided comforting warmth in between each course. Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP Arguably a favourite at local Japanese restaurants in Malaysia, the garlic fried rice cooked in butter shoyu was very well-balanced in flavour. No overpowering garlic taste or smell here! Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP The mouth-watering course was topped off with a sweet treat – pudding with black sugar syrup and a toasted bread wafer dipped in the same syrup. Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP If you opt for the more expensive courses, they have pretty much the same starters and sides. But, its mains include A6 wagyu steaks, jumbo tiger prawns, Hokkaido scallops, and wild-caught cod fish depending on which you choose. If you find that the proteins are not enough, there's the option to add on more (at an extra cost, of course). Our talented chef, Chef Has, was all smiles and jokes as he prepared the ingredients and cooked our meals. Benihana chefs are as impressive as they are talented Image: Shahril Bahrom | TRP The most impressive thing about Benihana's chefs, is that they can engage with customers in conversations, throw puns, juggle kitchen utensils, and pull off fire tricks all while cooking our orders. Their focus and ability to multitask at the same time is something definitely worthy of praise. Speaking to TRP, Benihana Malaysia's managing director Kyran Arusalm said the chefs are all trained in in-house. 'There were many who applied but not all of them made the cut. You have to do a lot of things at the same time when you're a Benihana chef. Some focused on cooking too much and forget about the customers, and some interacted too much with the customers and left the food burning on the cooking stove,' Kyran said when asked about the chef's training. Kyran Arusalm, managing director of Benihana Malaysia. Photo provided to TRP. When asked about the chef's routines with customers, Kyran explained that each chef has to follow certain signature routines set by Benihana but they're also allowed to be creative and include their own skills and talents be it magic tricks or challenges. This means that each visit will always be a different experience. Kyran also mentioned that there are plans to open more Benihana outlets so more people around Malaysia can share the good food and experience, but it won't be anytime soon since the the first one in Malaysia has only been open for four months. Whether you're looking for a place to have dinner with family, hold business meetings over lunch, or even special occasions like a birthday celebration, Benihana is an ideal place for a unique dining experience right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. One more important question we had was: what's the halal situation of benihana? Benihana KLCC does not have a Jakim Halal certificate. However, we were informed that the ingredients are from halal suppliers, and the food in their outlet in Malaysia does not contain alcohol. Address: Suria KLCC, Lot LC-401, LC-401A & LC-407, 4th Floor, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur To make table reservations, head over to Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Business Insider
30-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I tasted ecstasy, whimsy, and freedom sampling Benihana's new $15.95 'Power Lunch'
Benihana has a new 'Power Lunch special' that starts at $15.95. It comes with a choice of protein, soup or salad, vegetable rice, vegetables, and dipping sauces. Much like the onion volcano, it set my soul ablaze. Ten minutes into my Benihana "Power Lunch," I witnessed my first onion volcano, and felt a joy I'd rarely felt since I was a small child. The allium extravaganza, in which a hibachi chef carefully stacks raw onion rings, douses them in alcohol, and sets them ablaze, is a beloved component of the chain's razzle-dazzle culinary show. Launched last month, the lunch deal comes with a guarantee — in and out in 45 minutes for less than twenty bucks or your meal is free. One might expect commensurate constraints on the creative freedom of the chef. But Benihana, which opened in 1964 and has around 100 locations or offshoots nationwide, appears to have remembered that its customers come for the show just as much as the food. As I sat at the teppanyaki table on a recent weekday, surrounded by around a dozen diners that fell exclusively into three categories (children, parents, and office workers), I watched our chef, a tall man bedecked in bracelets and a heavy silver ring, toss onion rings onto a steaming grill. He coated them with oil and booze and readied a lighter. I was a Benihana newbie, and I had been briefed on what might happen. Still, I was overcome with delight when the mushroom-shaped flame shot up toward the exhaust fan. My mind was a million miles away from the pile of work waiting for me at the office. "AHHH," I wrote in my notes. It was settled: The lunch deal was a hit. I decided to try the deal a few weeks earlier, after coming across a story in Eater Los Angeles. In preparation, I asked two associates to accompany me to the storied location on West 56th Street in Manhattan. One is a former fast-food reporter who has sampled, conservatively, hundreds of chain restaurant meals; she offered experience, knowledge, and whimsy. The other is my boss, who offered plausible deniability in the event the chain failed to adhere to its 45-minute promise. We had questions: Would the dining room be full of children between the ages of four and 11 exclusively there to celebrate birthdays? Would there be any traces of Benihana nepo baby Steve Aoki, musical or otherwise? Would we really be in and out in less than an hour? Would the chef toss shrimp into my mouth? Was it actually filet mignon? There was only one way to find out. The company says the interior of the first Benihana was "a 150-year-old Japanese barn." This location, nestled between a parking garage and a nondescript corporate corridor, is a stone's throw from Carnegie Hall and Trump Tower. Its dishwater-colored facade and vaguely brutalist vibe is reminiscent of an office park in 1990s Los Angeles. As we check in with the hostess, I have ample views of the interior, because we are the only patrons in the entire restaurant. I begin to understand why the lunch deal might exist. She gives us a menu explaining the deal: For $15.95, we could get chicken, shrimp, or tofu. For $4 more, we could level up to filet mignon or New York strip steak. Both options come with onion soup or salad, vegetable rice, vegetables, and dipping sauces. Available only on weekdays from 11 am to 3 pm, the deal seemed directly targeted at office drones like me. When I was a child, I associated Benihana with fancyness; trailing our hostess upstairs to the main dining room, I realize that association didn't come out of nowhere. With its gleaming silver staircase, relative quiet, dim mood lighting, and dark-wood booze case, it feels like if Keens Steakhouse opened a location at LaGuardia Airport. The spacious main dining area features around a dozen teppanyaki tables — communal areas with chairs arranged around a steel grill. We're seated at a table in the corner, tucked away next to wide shelves dotted with knick-knacks. The high-energy Top 40 music coming from the speakers is what my boss later describes as "pretty close to what they play at Chuck E. Cheese." (This is not a diss.) I pull out my stopwatch and hit start. Game on, Benihana. When our server arrives, I order the onion soup and New York strip steak. We treat ourselves to Diet Cokes. They come with a lemon and make me feel very elegant. (If you prefer your business lunches boozy, there are ample options.) My boss goes with shrimp, and my friend, feeling very elegant, opts for filet mignon. A few minutes later, the server brings our drinks, soups, and vegetable rice. Cooking the fried rice is usually a star of the show during regular Benihana meals, but the 45-minute pledge demands some sacrifices — bearing witness to the dark arts of egg-scrambling, I'm not. The rice comes pre-portioned in small white bowls. The rice is hot and peppery, and I could eat seven bowls of it. The soup, a dark brown broth with spring onions and mushrooms bobbing around, is salty and delicious. Around minute eight, our chef wheels a cart over and starts preparing the grill. There is a lot of oiling and clanging and tossing of kitchen utensils in the air. If I was this chef, I would be overcome with stage fright, and that is the reason I am not this chef. Watching him work prompts a spirited discussion about Benihana's training process. Does it happen off-site, or are the chefs thrown out of the teppan grill and into the fire? Can regular people attend Benihana University? Wherever he learned, our chef seems to have done this a million times, and I feel at ease, despite my proximity to an open flame. After he chucks the steaks and a tray of chopped onion, zucchini, and mushroom on the grill, he begins assembling the onion volcano, one ring at a time. Again, I cannot emphasize enough how much it slaps. When it's done, he slices it up and adds it to the vegetable pile. The humble onion volcano is both impressive and utile. Up until minute 11, the three of us are the only diners, but then a family walks in. One of the small children is carrying a Labubu, which feels apt. A minute later, a second family walks in, and they're carrying a fistful of balloons celebrating a graduation. As we watch our chef grill up our selections, we mull the origins of the lunch deal. "I mean, look around," my boss says, gesturing at the mostly empty dining room. My reporter friend posits that Benihana is best known as a dinner chain, and this is an attempt to break into the lunch space. It may also have something to do with the chain's new owners, One Group, who completed their acquisition in 2024. They're trying to muscle into the fast-casual space with an offshoot called Benihana Express, and they're also trying to build out their franchising strategy, per FSR Magazine. A quick-and-dirty lunch offering appears to be another gesture in this direction. Around minute 14, our entrees arrive. The chef portions out the vegetables and protein onto our plates, and serves up mustard and ginger dipping sauces. The mustard sauce vaguely reminds me of chipotle mayo, while the ginger sauce is a watery concoction made with ginger, chopped onion, vinegar, lemon, and soy sauce. Both were tasty, but the ginger sauce was the table's undisputed favorite. Here is where I state for the record that I was not expecting that much from the main course. I would cut my own arm off for a good piece of steak, but it's easy to overcook, and grilled veggies can be decidedly meh if they're not seasoned well (or if they're soaked in oil). But a strong woman isn't afraid to admit when she's wrong. When we dig in, everything is hot, chargrilled, and well seasoned. The veggies are nice and crispy. The steak is a hair overdone — somewhere around medium — but for less than twenty bucks, I'm not going to complain too much. The portions are generous: My boss receives 11 shrimp, and my friend and I both get healthy-sized cuts of steak. After I sample the other dishes, I secretly decide that I chose the best option. Around minute 17, after he delivers our food, our chef bids us farewell. As we eat, I ask my companions for their takes so far. My boss says that his shrimp is "delightfully cooked," and the vibes are "awesome." My reporter friend says that she loves the "celebratory air." "The only reason I wouldn't come every day is because I would want it to feel special," she says. "Also, it's very heavy." I agree at the time, but later that night, I would go on to eat a big bowl of pasta and three large chocolate chip cookies while watching Tom Cruise almost die crawling around an airborne biplane, so I guess it wasn't too heavy. Lest you think we're only here for the food, my boss spies one of the kids across the way clutching a giant poster cutout of his own head, and asks us why he has never done that for his own child. "You can learn new things at Benihana," my friend replies sagely. It is, we agree, a Power Lunch and a Powerful Lunch. While we pick at the detritus left on our plates, our server drops the check. I look at the stopwatch, and see that a mere 27 minutes have passed. With tax and tip, the grand total is $89.23. It's more than I would normally spend on lunch, but in my book, it's well worth it. My other go-tos are usually sushi from a place near my office that once gave me a free mousepad, leftovers brought from home, a salad from Sweetgreen or Chop't, or, if I'm feeling spunky, a sandwich the size of my forearm from an Italian panini shop. Save for the leftovers, all of those set me back between $17 and $25, and none of them feature a chef nuking an onion directly in front of my face. "If this was near the office, I would come once a week," my boss says. A blonde woman at the next table munching on her own lunch deal agrees. "It's a very good deal," she tells me. She and her companion both work in the neighborhood, and they say they would come back on slower work days. "There's an expectation that you're hovered over the keyboard," her friend says. The lunch special, it seems, provides an escape. As I prepared to write this story, I decided I needed an expert's perspective. I called up a friend whom I consider a Benihana veteran — she has a storied tradition of dining at the 56th street location every holiday season with a group of close friends. I asked how she thought the Power Lunch compared to the regular Benihana show. Though she was disappointed by the absence of shrimp flipping, she said it seemed much the same. "They do a condensed version, I think that's fine," she said — particularly at its price point. I asked her if she would try it. "I'd go all the time," she said. "I'd have meetings there. It sounds great. It's really smart of them." The lunch deal works because it's fast-casual with a twist. It provides something the Sweetgreens of the world don't: theatricality, spontaneity, and fun. But the potential for danger is still there. Go too far in the fast-casual direction, and the magic is lost. Benihana can't afford to go the way of Hooters — straying too far from its foundational identity. "You don't go there for the food," my friend explained. "You go there for the entertainment. They have to do it on the grill, do the tricks, have the chefs." As long as that component remained, she — and I — were sold.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
STKS Q1 Earnings Call: Acquisition Integration Drives Growth Amid Shifting Consumer Trends
Upscale restaurant company The One Group Hospitality (NASDAQ:STKS) reported Q1 CY2025 results beating Wall Street's revenue expectations , with sales up 148% year on year to $211.1 million. Revenue guidance for the full year exceeded analysts' estimates, but next quarter's guidance of $207.5 million was less impressive, coming in 2.3% below expectations. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.14 per share was significantly above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy STKS? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $211.1 million vs analyst estimates of $203.4 million (148% year-on-year growth, 3.8% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.14 vs analyst estimates of -$0.14 (significant beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $25.2 million vs analyst estimates of $24.51 million (11.9% margin, 2.8% beat) The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $852.5 million at the midpoint EBITDA guidance for the full year is $105 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $102.7 million Operating Margin: 6.9%, up from 1.1% in the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales fell 3.2% year on year (-7.9% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $118 million The ONE Group's first quarter results reflected the full impact of its recently acquired Benihana and RA Sushi brands, which significantly expanded the company's revenue base. Management emphasized that positive comparable sales at Benihana and transaction growth at the flagship STK brand were key performance contributors, alongside operational efficiencies that improved restaurant-level margins. CEO Emanuel Hilario highlighted that cost synergies from integration efforts supported profit expansion, noting, 'We grew restaurant-level EBITDA to 16.4%, representing a 50-basis point improvement year over year through strategic operational efficiencies.' The company's new unit openings, particularly in California, further bolstered results by extending its presence in premium dining markets. Looking ahead, management's guidance is shaped by expectations for continued contributions from the Benihana integration, careful balancing of value-oriented offerings with premium positioning, and a strategic push into franchising. CEO Emanuel Hilario described a dual focus on expanding company-owned locations and accelerating asset-light growth through franchising, stating, 'We have discovered strong interest from franchisees seeking to enhance their portfolios with our established upscale and casual dining brand.' The company also plans to leverage its new loyalty program and digital marketing strategies to strengthen guest engagement, while remaining cautious about macroeconomic uncertainties, including consumer spending patterns and convention-driven demand fluctuations. Management attributed the quarter's growth to Benihana and RA Sushi's integration, increased operating efficiency, and targeted marketing, while acknowledging consumer shifts toward value and alternative dining times. Benihana and RA Sushi integration: The full-quarter performance of these newly acquired brands was a primary growth driver, contributing both higher sales and improved restaurant-level margins. Management credited operational synergies, such as unified reservation systems and consolidated purchasing, for enhancing profitability and efficiency across the portfolio. Shifting guest behavior: The company observed a trend toward value-oriented dining, with guests increasingly opting for happy hour offerings and sharing dishes, especially at STK. Management responded by introducing tiered pricing menus and midweek value-focused experiences to attract and retain traffic amid economic uncertainty. Marketing and loyalty initiatives: The soft launch of the Friends with Benefits rewards program aims to increase repeat visits and cross-brand engagement. CEO Emanuel Hilario highlighted the company's strategic use of its seven-million-member database and grassroots marketing to offset competitors' high-value TV promotions, particularly in the casual dining segment. Franchising momentum: The expansion of franchising infrastructure has led to heightened interest from potential partners, especially for Benihana Express concepts. Management is negotiating multiple development agreements and expects franchising to play a larger role in future growth, supported by dedicated internal resources and increased industry visibility. Labor and cost control: Wage inflation was described as moderate, and retention levels remained stable, particularly at STK and Benihana. The company continues to prioritize traffic and market share over aggressive pricing, opting for a conservative approach to price increases to sustain long-term growth. Management expects that Benihana's growing contribution, expanded franchising, and targeted marketing will drive results, but macroeconomic headwinds and evolving consumer preferences may limit near-term upside. Benihana's holiday and seasonal strength: Management believes Benihana will outperform during key holiday periods, especially in the second half of the year, based on learnings from last year's integration and efforts to optimize throughput during peak times. This is expected to help offset softer trends in other brands. Franchising and asset-light expansion: The company plans to accelerate its dual-track strategy, combining company-owned growth with a greater emphasis on managed and licensed venues. CEO Emanuel Hilario indicated that franchising could account for roughly half of Benihana's eventual U.S. footprint, and the company is actively negotiating development deals. Ongoing consumer and competitive pressures: Management cited unpredictable convention schedules, potential impacts from tariffs, and increased promotional activity by larger competitors as sources of risk. The company aims to mitigate these challenges through localized marketing, loyalty programs, and selective pricing adjustments. Looking forward, the StockStory team will be watching (1) the pace and quality of new unit openings and franchise deal signings, (2) signs of stabilization or improvement in same-store sales trends, particularly at legacy brands, and (3) evidence that marketing and loyalty initiatives are driving increased guest frequency. Execution in integrating Benihana and managing competitive pressures will also be important indicators. The ONE Group currently trades at a forward EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 1.1×. Should you double down or take your chips? See for yourself in our full research report (it's free). Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
Eater
27-05-2025
- Business
- Eater
If This Benihana Power Lunch Isn't Done in 45 Minutes, It's Free
When times get tough, nothing tastes better than a reasonably priced lunch, which can now look like a 45-minute plow through the steaming, clanking, and slicing experience of Benihana, the original hibachi. Launched a few weeks ago, the sub-$20 power lunch guarantees a 45-minute meal or else it's free, like the mattresses from Sit-and-Sleep if they can't beat an advertised price. Benihana's power lunch is ideal for office workers and work-from-home folks who want a satisfying lunch break with a little visual appeal over a bowl of the usual salad or a limp sandwich. Angelenos have long cherished Benihana, which founder Yunosuke Aoki first opened in Tokyo in the 1940s and later was expanded to New York City by his son Hiroaki 'Rocky' Aoki (the father of famed DJ Steve Aoki) in 1964. It opened a popular location on Beverly Hills' Restaurant Row in 1971 and operated there until its closure in 2015. Today, Benihana still maintains outposts in Torrance, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Encino, and Downey in Los Angeles County. Benihana was acquired by One Group (STK Steakhouse) in February 2024 for $365 million, solidifying its position as one of the country's top Asian restaurant chains. I grew up going to Benihana for special occasions, but had not been in at least 25 years. Our family enjoyed the 'eatertainment' of a chef throwing shrimp tails into his hat with a metal spatula or stacking onion rings into a mini-volcano and lighting it on fire. While the show was fun, the best part of the teppanyaki dinner was the interplay between the appetizers (a profound onion soup or crunchy iceberg lettuce salad with a tangy sesame dressing), main entrees, and sides — the way the meal progressed like a proto-omakase. Each bite tasted different because of those superb sauces: sesame for vegetables and the savory soy-ginger for meats. And of course, the fried rice, prepared on the steel teppanyaki counter. At a time when inflation and other rising costs have made the average sit-down meal beyond the reach of an everyday experience, Benihana's power lunch offering feels like a refreshing change of pace. For $15.95, diners get soup or salad, pre-made fried rice, vegetables, and either chicken, tofu, or shrimp; a choice of New York strip or filet mignon costs $19.95. In comparison, a chicken parm sandwich from Ggiata costs $16, and a Cote-collaboration salad from Sweetgreen will run you $18. And neither of those comes with a chef cooking the food in front of you. Stepping into the traditional tile-roofed Benihana in Torrance, the building tucked behind office buildings and a big Korean grocery store, I noticed that the space felt long in the tooth. Low-flung counters featured weathered wood, varnished at least a few dozen times in its life and stamped with the fingerprints of thousands of hibachi dinners. The room felt less remarkable during the brightness of day, when its age clearly showed. Shortly after ordering, a chef dragged in a cart full of ingredients, sauces, and a clucking blue plastic rooster (ostensibly for entertaining children, which our table did not have). I started the timer on my phone to make sure they stuck to the 45-minute guarantee. A small salad came with the ginger dressing (I regretted not getting the dark brown onion soup), and I downed it quickly while watching the chef go to work. He started slicing and searing onions, mushrooms, and zucchini, with steam billowing out and salt shakers rattling against a spatula. My New York strip hit the grill a bit later, followed by swift cuts into bite-sized pieces. Chopsticks are the only utensils required to eat at Benihana, thanks to the knifework. The fried rice, typically the final part of the teppanyaki show, was pre-made, which also cut down on the meal time. I checked my phone to confirm: I was ready to dig into the main entrees with sides in 14 minutes and 30 seconds. For some reason, with the fried rice finale skipped from the show, I felt a slight hollowness, like I was paying just under $20 for a plate of vegetables, rice, and steak. Still a good price, but somehow deprived of the full Benihana experience. I quickly forgot about it after taking in a few bites, dipping the juicy steak into the ruddy ginger sauce or zucchini into the nutty, barely sweetened sesame sauce. I experienced a brief Ratatouille -esque snapshot of past meals at Benihana, sitting next to my dad, sister, and mom; stealing a bite from Appa's plate because I wanted to taste his shrimp. Benihana now — on a Wednesday at 1 p.m., dining solo in a Torrance strip mall, checking my watch to make sure I get back to my desk after lunch — wasn't quite the same kind of event. However, it was quite good and the total cost was $31.79, including a $4.50 soft drink, tax, and tip; the whole meal had taken just 35 minutes. I would gladly power lunch here again. The Benihana power lunch is available at all locations in Southern California and Arizona (including Phoenix Arena, Chandler, and Scottsdale); it's not served in Las Vegas at the Westgate or on the Strip. Related My Benihana, Myself Sign up for our newsletter.
