Franchise opportunities compared
Benihana National Corp vs The Counter
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.
Before you compare
- Benihana National Corp figures come from its 2024 FDD and The Counter figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
- Benihana National Corp and The Counter disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only The Counter has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Benihana National Corp |  The Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $616,000 – $6,250,000 2024 FDD · Item 7 | $712,133 – $1,988,750 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $40,000 2024 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 5% Royalty 2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18 | 6% Weekly royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 37 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 2% Advertising Contributions — 2% 2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18 | 1% Current advertising fee — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 37 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | Not available No reviewed outlet counts | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | Not available Only one year reported | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Existing franchised outlets meeting Item 19 criteria 6 stores other Number of stores measured · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 103 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All existing The Counter franchised stores located in the United States that di… $2,311,053 other gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 103 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All franchised outlets in Item 19 50 percent other Percentage meeting/exceeding average gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 103 +1 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 The Counter: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Benihana National Corp or The Counter?
- Benihana National Corp: $616,000 – $6,250,000 (2024 FDD · Item 7); The Counter: $712,133 – $1,988,750 (2026 FDD · Item 7). 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 The Counter royalties compare?
- Benihana National Corp: 5% (2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); The Counter: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 37). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Benihana National Corp and The Counter disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Benihana National Corp makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; The Counter has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 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.