-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 SVxjZhNR/M2LzS3FWDhPFruOv9Iq6tfLmdf64rhaDVvfy1sn0Cs9xtm6Aq3SoeIC
 NOw5A+36rdkTsP05IDw6hg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000935226-97-000002.txt : 19970222
<SEC-HEADER>0000935226-97-000002.hdr.sgml : 19970222
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000935226-97-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-A12G
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		19970218
SROS:			NASD

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BENIHANA INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000935226
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-EATING PLACES [5812]
		IRS NUMBER:				650538630
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0327

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-A12G
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-26396
		FILM NUMBER:		97537713

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8685 NW 53RD TERRACE
		CITY:			MIAMI
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33166
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3055930770

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8685 NW 53RD TERRACE
		CITY:			MIAMI
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33166
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-A12G
<SEQUENCE>1
<TEXT>



                                 FORM 8-A

                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                           Washington, D.C. 20549


              FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



                              Benihana Inc.
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Delaware                              65-0538630
(State of incorporation           (IRS Employer Identification No.)
   or organization)


   8685 Northwest 53rd Terrace, Miami, Florida          33166
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)


If this form relates to the                 If this form relates to the
registration of a class of                  registration of a class of debt
debt securities and is                      securities and is to become
effective upon filing                       effective simultaneously with the
pursuant to General                         effectiveness of a concurrent
Instruction A(c)(1) please                  registration statement under the
check the following box. o                  Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to
                                            the General Instruction A(c)(2)
                                            please check the following
                                            box. o

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

   Title of each class                 Name of each exchange on which
   to  be so registered                each class is to be registered
           N/A                                       N/A

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Rights to purchase one one-
hundredth share of Series A-1
and Series A-2 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share


<PAGE>





Item 1.   Description of Registrant's
              Securities to be Registered

                  The  information  required  to be  disclosed  by this  item is
incorporated by reference  herein from the  Registrant's  Current Report on Form
8-K dated February 12, 1997 (the "Form 8-K").


Item 2.   Exhibits

                  1.       Rights Agreement, dated as of February 6, 1997,
between Benihana Inc. and First Union National Bank of North
Carolina, as Rights Agent.  Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1
to the Form 8-K.





                                - 2 -
              

<PAGE>




                                 SIGNATURE


                  Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Section  12  of  the
Securities   Exchange  Act  of  1934,   the  registrant  has  duly  caused  this
registration  statement  to be signed on its behalf by the  undersigned  thereto
duly authorized.


Dated:  February 12, 1997



                                                  BENIHANA INC.




                                                  /s/ Joel A. Schwartz
                                                  --------------------
                                                  Joel A. Schwartz,
                                                  President






                                 - 3 -
               

<PAGE>


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
