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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Benihana National Corp vs M elting Pot Restaurant

    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 FDDMEM elting Pot Restaurant2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Benihana National Corp

    $616,000 – $6,250,000

    2024 FDD · Item 7

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    $1,617,128 – $2,740,600

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Benihana National Corp

    $40,000

    2024 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Benihana National Corp

    5%

    2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Benihana National Corp figures come from its 2024 FDD and M elting Pot Restaurant figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Benihana National Corp discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only M elting Pot Restaurant 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

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    $1,617,128 – $2,740,600
    Total estimated initial investment: $1,617,128–$2,740,600
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Benihana National Corp

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

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Benihana National Corp

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

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    5%
    Royalty and Service Fee: 5% of Gross Revenues
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Benihana National Corp

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

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    2.2%
    Brand Development Contribution current: 2.2% of Gross Revenues — 2.2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    89
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    −4
    Calculated: 93 at end of 2023 → 89 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    M elting Pot Restaurant

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

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Benihana National Corp

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    M elting Pot Restaurant

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Benihana National Corp

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    MEM elting Pot Restaurant
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-Owned Restaurants; food and beverage costs as a percentage of yearly gr…
    $21
    other Company-Owned Restaurant food and beverage costs
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-owned restaurants; fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
    $21
    other Company-Owned Restaurant food and beverage costs
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-Owned Restaurants, Top Half, full 12-month fiscal year ended March 31,…
    $3,357,256
    other Company-Owned Restaurants Top Half
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56
    +7 more groups in the full report

    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 M elting Pot Restaurant: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Benihana National Corp or M elting Pot Restaurant?
    Benihana National Corp: $616,000 – $6,250,000 (2024 FDD · Item 7); M elting Pot Restaurant: $1,617,128 – $2,740,600 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Benihana National Corp. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Benihana National Corp and M elting Pot Restaurant royalties compare?
    Benihana National Corp: 5% (2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); M elting Pot Restaurant: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Benihana National Corp and M elting Pot Restaurant disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Benihana National Corp makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; M elting Pot Restaurant has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 location groups. 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

    ME

    Full M elting Pot Restaurant report

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

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