Franchise opportunities compared
Benihana National Corp vs Village Inn
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 Village Inn figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
- Benihana National Corp and Village Inn disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only Village Inn has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Benihana National Corp |  Village Inn |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $616,000 – $6,250,000 2024 FDD · Item 7 | $1,076,000 – $2,745,000 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $40,000 2024 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17 | $35,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 31 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 5% Royalty 2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18 | 4% matic bank transfer through an automated clearinghouse. The royalty is calculated at — 4% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 2% Advertising Contributions — 2% 2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18 | 1% ery fees, and other customary promotions or discounts Marketing Fee 1,3, 5 Currently — 1% — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 32 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | Not available No reviewed outlet counts | 218 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | Not available Only one year reported | −12 Calculated: 230 at end of 2023 → 218 at end of 2025 |
| 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 — Systemwide companyandfranchise $658,011 other Systemwide companyandfranchise2025 Low · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised $3,484,052 other Franchised2025 High · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 70 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-owned $1,718,888 other Company-owned2025 Median · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 70 |
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 Village Inn: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Benihana National Corp or Village Inn?
- Benihana National Corp: $616,000 – $6,250,000 (2024 FDD · Item 7); Village Inn: $1,076,000 – $2,745,000 (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 Village Inn royalties compare?
- Benihana National Corp: 5% (2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); Village Inn: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Benihana National Corp and Village Inn disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Benihana National Corp makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Village Inn has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 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.