Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total consolidated GAAP revenues for Q3 2025 were $180.2 million, a decrease of 7.1% from $194 million in the same quarter last year [13] - Company-owned restaurants net revenue was $177.4 million, down 6.9% from $190.6 million in the prior year quarter, primarily due to a 5.9% reduction in consolidated comparable sales [14] - Net loss attributable to the ONE Group Hospitality was $76.7 million compared to a net loss of $9.3 million in the prior year, with a net loss per share of $2.75 compared to $0.53 [20][21] - Adjusted EBITDA was $10.6 million, a decrease of 28.9% from $14.9 million in the prior year [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Friends with Benefits loyalty program gained over 200,000 new members during the quarter, with a total of over 6.5 million members [1][2] - Company-owned restaurant operating expenses as a percentage of net revenue increased to 67.6% from 66.2% in the prior year quarter, driven by marketing investments and cost inflation [16] - Restaurant operating profit decreased to $20.1 million or 11.3% of owned restaurant net revenue compared to $24.5 million or 12.8% in the prior year quarter [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a 6.9% decline in traffic for Q3 2025, an improvement from a 7.5% decline in Q2 and a 7.8% decline in Q1 [29] - California sales saw a significant decline, with a negative impact of seven points sequentially between Q2 and Q3 [32] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on capital-efficient growth, with a redesigned Benihana location in San Mateo achieving record performance [3][4] - Plans to convert up to nine additional locations to either Benihana or STK formats, requiring about $1 million in capital investments per location [8] - The company aims to expand its franchise operations, with a focus on Benihana Express locations, which are expected to represent over 60% of the total footprint in the future [5] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the fourth quarter, historically the strongest period, and highlighted targeted investments to capture holiday demand [10][25] - The company is not relying on macroeconomic recovery but is focused on strategic initiatives to deliver strong results regardless of broader economic trends [11] Other Important Information - The company has approximately $45 million in liquidity and plans to reduce discretionary capital expenditures in the coming year [9][22] - The company expects total GAAP revenues for fiscal year 2025 to be between $820 million and $825 million, reflecting anticipated consolidated comparable sales of negative 3% to negative 2% [23][24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on Benihana and STK same store sales growth - Management noted that Q3 2025 was the best quarter for traffic, with a 6.9% decline, an improvement from previous quarters, and attributed this to effective pricing strategies [28][29] Question: Drivers of traffic improvements in Q4 - Management indicated that marketing efforts and macroeconomic conditions in California contributed to the sequential improvement in traffic [32] Question: Update on Benihana franchising efforts - Management confirmed progress in franchising, with new deals in development for Benihana Express locations in California and the Bay Area [36] Question: Performance in Las Vegas market - Management reported improvements in STK performance in Las Vegas, although the overall restaurant performance remains mixed [41] Question: Details on loyalty program member behavior - Management shared that loyalty program members show increased frequency of visits, with promising early returns from the program [43][45] Question: Impact of recent price increases - Management indicated that early feedback on price increases has been neutral, with no significant pushback observed [46][47] Question: Details on impairment charges - Management confirmed that the majority of impairment charges were related to Kona Grill, with minor amounts from STK in Downtown New York [54] Question: Economics of restaurant conversions - Management stated that conversions to STK or Benihana would cost around $1 million, with a focus on leveraging existing infrastructure [56][58]