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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Benihana National Corp vs California Pizza Kitchen

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Benihana National Corp2024 FDDCPCalifornia Pizza Kitchen2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Benihana National Corp

    $616,000 – $6,250,000

    2024 FDD · Item 7

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Benihana National Corp

    $40,000

    2024 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Benihana National Corp

    5%

    2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    Before you compare

    • Benihana National Corp figures come from its 2024 FDD and California Pizza Kitchen figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Benihana National Corp and California Pizza Kitchen disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Benihana National Corp

    $616,000 – $6,250,000
    2024 FDD · Item 7

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Benihana National Corp

    $40,000
    2024 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Benihana National Corp

    5%
    Royalty
    2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Benihana National Corp

    2%
    Advertising Contributions — 2%
    2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    California Pizza Kitchen

    1%
    Brand fund current — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    California Pizza Kitchen

    121
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    California Pizza Kitchen

    −27
    Calculated: 148 at end of 2023 → 121 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    California Pizza Kitchen

    2022
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Benihana National Corp

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    CPCalifornia Pizza Kitchen

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Benihana National Corp vs California Pizza Kitchen: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Benihana National Corp or California Pizza Kitchen?
    Benihana National Corp: $616,000 – $6,250,000 (2024 FDD · Item 7); California Pizza Kitchen: $28,000 – $5,377,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for California Pizza Kitchen. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Benihana National Corp and California Pizza Kitchen royalties compare?
    Benihana National Corp: 5% (2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); California Pizza Kitchen: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Benihana National Corp and California Pizza Kitchen disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Benihana National Corp makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; California Pizza Kitchen makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Benihana National Corp report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    CP

    Full California Pizza Kitchen report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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