Ark Restaurants Stock Price, News & Analysis

Ark Restaurants Corp (NASDAQ: ARKR) is a food service company that owns and operates restaurants, bars, fast food concepts and catering operations in the United States. The company is classified in the food service contractors industry within the accommodation and food services sector and its common stock trades on NASDAQ under the symbol ARKR.

According to company disclosures in its news releases, Ark Restaurants operates restaurants and bars and multiple fast food concepts in several U.S. markets. Its operations are concentrated primarily in New York City, Florida, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Nevada, Atlantic City, New Jersey and the Gulf Coast of Alabama. The company’s business is built around operating full-service restaurants, bar concepts, fast food outlets and catering activities in these locations.

Geographic footprint and key locations

In descriptions included in its earnings announcements, Ark Restaurants states that it owns and operates restaurants and bars and fast food concepts in:

• New York City – with several restaurant locations, including the Bryant Park Grill & Cafe and The Porch at Bryant Park, which have been significant contributors to revenue.
• Washington, D.C. – including the Sequoia restaurant property.
• Las Vegas, Nevada – including four restaurants within the New York-New York Hotel & Casino Resort and operation of the hotel’s room service, banquet facilities, employee dining room and multiple food court concepts, as well as a restaurant within the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.
• Atlantic City, New Jersey – where the company operates a restaurant in the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.
• Florida – including The Rustic Inn in Dania Beach, Shuckers in Jensen Beach, JB’s on the Beach in Deerfield Beach, Blue Moon Fish Company in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, and fast food facilities at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino locations operated by the Seminole Indian Tribe in Tampa and Hollywood (with the Tampa food court lease having been terminated in late 2024).
• Alabama – where Ark Restaurants operates two Original Oyster Houses, one in Gulf Shores and one in Spanish Fort.

These locations illustrate the company’s focus on destination venues, casino properties and notable regional restaurant brands. The company has also disclosed that it operates catering and banquet facilities associated with some of these venues, such as at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino Resort.

Restaurant, bar, fast food and catering operations

Ark Restaurants’ business model, as described in its public releases, centers on owning and operating:

• Restaurants and bars – full-service dining and bar concepts in major cities and resort destinations, including properties in New York City, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Florida and Alabama.
• Fast food concepts – multiple fast food outlets, particularly in casino and resort environments. The company has reported operating fast food concepts in Las Vegas food courts and at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino locations in Florida.
• Catering and banquet services – including hotel room service, banquet facilities and event catering at properties such as the New York-New York Hotel & Casino Resort, and event business at locations like the Bryant Park Grill.

In its earnings announcements, Ark Restaurants has indicated that some locations, such as the Bryant Park Grill & Cafe and The Porch at Bryant Park in New York City, account for a meaningful percentage of total revenues. The company has also highlighted the performance of specific properties such as its operations at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the Rustic Inn in Florida, Robert in New York City and Sequoia in Washington, D.C.

Leases, property mix and notable assets

The company’s operations are closely tied to lease agreements and long-term arrangements with property owners. Public disclosures describe:

• Casino and hotel-based operations – including restaurants and food court concepts in the New York-New York Hotel & Casino Resort and Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, a restaurant in the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, and fast food facilities at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino locations in Florida.
• Park and public space venues – notably the Bryant Park Grill & Cafe and The Porch at Bryant Park in New York City, operated under agreements with the Bryant Park Corporation, which manages Bryant Park under agreements with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
• Waterfront and regional concepts – such as The Rustic Inn, Shuckers, JB’s on the Beach, Blue Moon Fish Company and the Original Oyster House locations on the Gulf Coast of Alabama.

Ark Restaurants has also disclosed that it has, at times, closed or exited certain locations, such as El Rio Grande and the Tampa food court at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, Florida, and recorded related gains or losses in its financial statements.

Legal and lease-related matters

Company news releases describe ongoing litigation and lease matters that are significant to Ark Restaurants’ operations. In particular, the company has reported a dispute with the Bryant Park Corporation regarding the Bryant Park Grill & Cafe and The Porch at Bryant Park leases. The company’s agreements for these locations expired in 2025, and Ark Restaurants has disclosed that the landlord has stated it selected a new operator. Ark Restaurants has filed legal actions in New York State courts, asserting issues with the bid process and seeking to enforce its rights under its lease agreements, including a claimed right of first lease.

The company has stated that it continues to operate the Bryant Park Grill & Cafe and The Porch at Bryant Park as a holdover tenant and intends to do so until it is either awarded lease extensions or ordered to vacate the premises. It has also disclosed that the uncertainty surrounding these leases and related litigation has had a material adverse impact on its business, financial condition and results of operations, particularly through reduced catering and a la carte revenue at the Bryant Park Grill.

Impairment, goodwill and asset evaluations

Ark Restaurants’ public filings and news releases describe periodic evaluations of right-of-use assets, long-lived assets and goodwill. The company has reported:

• Impairment charges related to the Sequoia property in Washington, D.C., following lower-than-expected operating results and discounted cash flow analyses indicating that certain right-of-use and long-lived assets were not recoverable.
• Goodwill impairment charges recognized after assessments indicated that the carrying amount of the company’s equity exceeded its estimated fair value. These assessments considered factors such as declines in the company’s stock price, lower than expected profitability and uncertainty related to key leases, including the Bryant Park Grill & Cafe and The Porch at Bryant Park.

The company has indicated that it monitors performance at several restaurants on an ongoing basis and may recognize further impairment charges if expected performance is not realized.

Credit facility and capital structure considerations

In its third quarter 2025 financial results release, Ark Restaurants reported that it entered into a Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with Bank Hapoalim B.M. and later executed an Omnibus Amendment. The company disclosed that this amendment extended the maturity date of the credit agreement, adjusted the maximum permitted obligations outstanding, modified certain financial covenants and extended the due dates of balloon payments on outstanding promissory notes. These disclosures highlight the role of its credit facility in funding operations and managing liquidity.

Investments and strategic interests

Ark Restaurants has disclosed an investment in New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC (NMR) through membership interests in Meadowlands Newmark, LLC. The company has reported that NMR operates horse racing and sports betting activities and is pursuing a potential full casino license, subject to regulatory and constitutional processes in New Jersey. Ark Restaurants has indicated that its investment in NMR could be affected by the outcome of a proposed referendum and related capital-raising efforts, and that if certain conditions are not met, the investment may be evaluated based on existing operations and could be subject to substantial impairment.

Use of non-GAAP measures

In multiple earnings releases, Ark Restaurants presents Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) and "EBITDA, as adjusted" as non-GAAP performance measures. The company explains that it has historically used EBITDA as both a performance measure and a measure of liquidity and notes that EBITDA is commonly used in the restaurant sector. It also provides reconciliations of EBITDA to pre-tax income and explains that investors should not consider these measures in isolation or as substitutes for GAAP metrics.

Business risks and operating environment

Ark Restaurants’ public disclosures highlight several factors that can influence its operating results, including:

• Lease terms and renewals at key locations such as Bryant Park and casino properties.
• Performance of specific restaurants and markets, including Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas.
• Impairment of right-of-use assets, long-lived assets and goodwill when projected cash flows do not support carrying values.
• Legal disputes and related expenses, such as ongoing litigation concerning the Bryant Park operations.

The company has also indicated that certain markets, such as Washington, D.C., have been challenging for its restaurants, and that negative publicity related to lease disputes can affect catering and a la carte revenue at specific venues.

ARKR stock and investor information

Ark Restaurants Corp. is incorporated in New York and files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under Commission File Number 1-09453. The company’s common stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ARKR. Investors can review the company’s financial results, lease and legal disclosures, impairment analyses, credit facility details and other information in its earnings releases and SEC filings, including Forms 8-K that furnish press releases announcing quarterly and annual results.