BRIEFCASE RESTAURANT GROUP SEES INCOME DROP.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

SHERMAN OAKS - Worldwide Restaurant Concepts Inc. reported quarterly net income Thursday of $600,000, or 2 cents per diluted share, compared with $3.6 million, or 12 cents per diluted share, in the same period a year ago.

Worldwide Restaurant Concepts operates, franchises or is in joint ventures with 312 Sizzler restaurants worldwide, 112 KFC restaurants located primarily in Queensland, Australia, and 23 Pat & Oscar's restaurants.

Continued weak sales results at Pat & Oscar's, stemming from a fiscal 2004 second quarter food-borne illness incident, was partially offset by positive domestic Sizzler system sales and strong same-store sales growth at Sizzler Australia and KFC, the company reported.

For the quarter ended July 25, the company reported revenues of $82 million, compared to $77.8 million reported in the year-ago period.

NetZero teams up with McDonald's

WOODLAND HILLS - Internet service provider United Online Inc. will launch a two-month promotion through McDonald's restaurants to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Under the deal, which begins today and runs through Oct. 31, customers can sign up for United's dial-up Internet service NetZero and receive their first month free. For each new customer who signs up under the program, United will donate $20 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Intel Corp. lowers its expectations

SAN FRANCISCO - High-tech bellwether Intel Corp. lowered its financial outlook Thursday, providing the latest sign of an economy in the doldrums.

The Santa Clara-based computer giant said its third-quarter revenue will range from $8.3 billion to $8.6 billion. Management previously forecast revenue ranging from $8.6 billion to $9.2 billion for the three-month period ending Sept. 25.

Gross profit margins are now expected to be within a couple of points of 58 percent, compared with the earlier guidance of 60 percent, plus or minus a couple of points.

Intel shares rose 20 cents to close at $21.63 on the Nasdaq Stock Market before the release, then fell $1.73 in extended trading.

Mortgages hitting a five-month low

WASHINGTON - Mortgage rates fell this week, with rates on 30-year mortgages dropping to their lowest level in five months, good news for potential home buyers.

Freddie Mac, in its weekly nationwide survey released Thursday, said rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.77 percent for the week ending Sept. 2. That was down from 5.82 percent last week and was the lowest since rates averaged 5.52 percent for the week ending April 1. Rates on 30-year mortgages hit a high this year of 6.34 percent the week of May 13. Since then, rates, while bouncing around, have slowly drifted downward as economic activity cooled in the late spring and early summer.

Airline planning new ticket fees

DALLAS - American Airlines says it will begin charging a service fee of $5 or $10 to buy a ticket over the phone or at an airport counter, copying a similar move by Northwest Airlines.

American, the largest U.S. carrier and a unit of AMR Corp., said it expects to reap $25 million from the fees, which take effect Monday.

The airline will charge $5 for customers who buy a ticket through a telephone reservations center and $10 for customers who buy at the ticket counter. The charges will apply equally to one-way and round-trip tickets.

Northwest announced the same fees last month. American, however, did not match Northwest's move to tack a $7.50 service fee on round-trip tickets bought through systems used by travel agents.