Benihana Inc. Signs Definitive Lease Agreements for Four New Restaurants.

Analyst Day to be held on January 29, 2007 at 9:00 AM ET

MIAMI -- Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHNA; BNHN), operator of the nation's largest chain of Japanese theme and sushi restaurants, announced today that the Company has signed definitive lease agreements for four new restaurants.

In Houston, Texas the Company will open its second RA Sushi Bar restaurant. The new restaurant will be located in City Center, a 30 acre mixed-use development facility that includes a theatre, office space, retail and residences. The site is adjacent to the Town and Country Village Lifestyle Center and is framed by Beltway 8 and Interstate 10. The restaurant is expected to open in spring 2008.

In South Miami, Florida the Company will open a RA Sushi Bar restaurant. South Miami is a small residential area of the Miami metropolis located south of downtown Miami and adjacent to Coral Gables. The restaurant will be located on the ground floor of a multi-story parking garage and will include outdoor dining on the adjoining sidewalk. The restaurant is expected to open in late 2007.

In Boston, Massachusetts, the Company will open a Haru sushi restaurant in the Prudential Center. The Prudential Center is located in Back Bay Retail District in downtown Boston and consists of several office towers and residential buildings, a hotel, a convention center, department stores and numerous shops and restaurants. The restaurant is expected to open in late 2007.

In Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, the Company will open a Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in the Plymouth Meeting Mall, which is adjacent to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Germantown Pike. Plymouth Meeting is a suburb of Philadelphia, located northwest of the city. The restaurant will be built with a contemporary Japanese look and feel, utilizing the prototype design of WD Partners. The restaurant is expected to open in late 2007.

"We are pleased to be expanding our portfolio with the addition of these four exciting restaurant locations. Each site offers compelling demographics, and we are confident that over time, our customers will learn to appreciate our menu quality as well as the comfortable and inviting dining experience we offer across all of our brands. We look forward to building a long and successful relationship in each community," said Joel A. Schwartz, President and CEO.

Analyst Day on January 29, 2007 to Begin at 9:00 AM ET

As a reminder, the Company will host an Analyst Day on Monday, January 29, 2007 at the Bonaventure Hyatt Hotel, located at 250 Racquet Club Road in Weston, Florida. The Analyst Day, which is now scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM ET, will feature presentations from several key members of the management team as well as formal tours of the new Benihana teppanyaki restaurant in Miramar, Florida and the new RA Sushi in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

For those not able to attend in person, the presentations will be webcast live from the Company's website at www.benihana.com under the investor relations section.

About Benihana

Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHNA; BNHN) operates 79 restaurants nationwide, including 59 Benihana teppanyaki restaurants, seven Haru sushi restaurants, and thirteen RA Sushi Bar restaurants. Under development at present are eleven restaurants - three Benihana teppanyaki restaurants, two Haru restaurant, and six RA Sushi restaurants. In addition, 17 franchised Benihana teppanyaki restaurants are operating in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.