Core Insights - Nicole Thaung has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of The One Group Hospitality, succeeding Tyler Loy [1] - Thaung previously served as CFO at Benihana and played a key role in its integration into The One Group following its acquisition for $365 million in 2024 [2] - The One Group expects to realize $20 million in synergies from the Benihana acquisition, which now accounts for over 55% of its total revenues [2] Financial Performance - Benihana experienced a decline in same-store sales of 1.8% in 2024, but showed improvement in the first half of 2025 with increases of 0.7% and 0.4% in Q1 and Q2, respectively [2] - The restaurant operating profit for Benihana exceeded $43 million in the first half of 2025, more than double the profit from the previous year [2] - The One Group's overall same-store sales were down 4.1% in Q2 2025, although this was an improvement from a 7% decline in Q2 2024 [3] Strategic Focus - The One Group aims to boost same-store sales through operational excellence, culinary innovation, and timely marketing strategies [4] - The company is seeing increased demand on weekends and is implementing value-focused programming, such as prix fixe menus, to attract customers during the week [5] - Plans are in place to enhance menus across the portfolio, including the addition of premium items like Wagyu beef at Benihana [5]