As confidentially submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2021.

This draft registration statement has not been publicly filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and all information herein remains strictly confidential.

Registration No.            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

6940 Beach Blvd. Suite D-705,

Buena Park, CA 90621

(213) 272-1780

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

James Chae

Chief Executive Officer

6940 Beach Blvd. Suite D-705,

Buena Park, CA 90621

(213) 272-1780

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies of all communications, including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) check the following box. ☒

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☒

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with section 8(a) of the Securities Act, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

UNITS

Each Unit Consisting of One Share of Class A Common Stock and One Warrant to Purchase One Share of Class A Common Stock

This is our initial public offering. We are offering          units, each unit consisting of one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and one warrant to purchase one share of Class A common stock, assuming an initial public offering price of $          per unit (which is the midpoint of the estimated range of the initial public offering price shown on the cover page of this prospectus). We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be between $        and $       per unit. Each whole share exercisable pursuant to the warrants will have an exercise price per share at $       , equal to 125% of the initial public offering price. The warrants will be immediately exercisable and will expire on the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date. The units will not be certificated. The shares of Class A common stock and related warrants are immediately separable and will be issued separately, but must be purchased together as a unit in this offering.

Currently, there is no public market for our common stock or warrants. We have applied to list our Class A common stock under the symbol “YOSH” and our warrants under the symbol “YOSHW,” both on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The closing of this offering is contingent upon the successful listing of our Class A common stock and warrants on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

Following this offering, we will have two classes of outstanding common stock, Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share while holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to 10 votes per share, and all such holders will vote together as a single class except as otherwise required by applicable law. Each share of Class B common stock is convertible into one share of Class A common stock at the option of the holder, upon transfer or in certain specified circumstances. The beneficial owner of 100% of our Class B common stock is James Chae, our Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board and founder. Upon completion of this offering, we will be controlled by Mr. Chae, which will hold approximately    % of the combined voting power of our outstanding Class A common stock and Class B common stock.

We are an emerging growth company as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and as such, we have elected to take advantage of certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and future filings. In addition, following this offering, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Investing in our Class A common stock and warrants involves a high degree of risk. See Risk Factors beginning on page 12 of this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have granted the underwriters the option for a period of 45 days to purchase up to             additional shares of Class A common stock and/or up to                   additional warrants (equal to 15% of the shares of Class A common stock and warrants underlying the units sold in the offering) in any combination thereof, at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions, solely to cover over-allotments, if any.

The underwriters expect to deliver the units against payment on or about              , 2022.

EF HUTTON

division of Benchmark Investments, LLC

The date of this prospectus is          , 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information from that contained in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus we have authorized. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of Class A common stock and warrants only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the units. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” contain additional information regarding these risks.

For investors outside the United States: We have not, and the underwriters have not, done anything that would permit this offering, or possession or distribution of this prospectus, in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the units and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States. See “Underwriting.”

DEALER PROSPECTUS DELIVERY OBLIGATION

Through and including        , 2022 (the 25th day after the date of the prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate is based on information from independent industry and research organizations, other third-party sources (including industry publications, surveys and forecasts), and management estimates. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well data from internal research, and are based on assumptions made by us upon reviewing such data and our knowledge of such industry and markets which we believe to be reasonable. Although we believe the data from these third-party sources are reliable as of their respective dates, neither we nor the underwriters have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of this information. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of the future performance of the industry in which we operate and our future performance are necessarily subject to uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.

TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS AND TRADE NAMES

We own or have rights to various trademarks, service marks and trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. This prospectus may also contain trademarks, service marks and trade names of third parties, which are the property of their respective owners. Our use or display of third parties’ trademarks, service marks, trade names or food products in this prospectus is not intended to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship by, these other parties. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, TM or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, service marks and trade names.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Certain monetary amounts, percentages and other figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be the arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them, and figures expressed as percentages in the text may not total 100% or, as applicable, when aggregated may not be the arithmetic aggregation of the percentages that precede them.

In this prospectus, “Yoshiharu Global Co.,” “Yoshiharu Global” “Yoshiharu,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company” and the “Company” refer to Yoshiharu Global Co., together with its wholly owned subsidiaries Yoshiharu Holdings Co., or Yoshiharu Holdings, Yoshiharu Asset Co. (as defined below) and Yoshiharu Franchise Co. (as defined below) unless expressly indicated or the context otherwise requires. “Yoshiharu Holdings,” refers to Yoshiharu Holdings Co., a California corporation, our wholly owned subsidiary holding company, which directly owns all of our current stores. “Yoshiharu Asset” refers to Yoshiharu Asset Co., a California corporation, our wholly owned subsidiary, which owns all our intellectual property assets. “Yoshiharu Franchise” refers to Yoshiharu Franchise Co., a California corporation, our wholly owned subsidiary, which will hold the master franchisor license.

We sometimes refer to our Class A common stock as “common stock,” unless the context otherwise requires. We sometimes refer to our Class A common stock and Class B common stock as “equity interests” when described on an aggregate basis. On all matters to be voted on by stockholders, holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share while holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to 10 votes per share. Each share of Class B common stock is convertible into one share of Class A common stock at the option of the holder, upon transfer or in certain specified circumstances. With the exception of voting rights and conversion rights, holders of Class A and Class B common stock will have identical rights. The terms “dollar” or “$” refer to U.S. dollars, the lawful currency of the United States.

The Company’s fiscal year end is December 31. Our financial statements are prepared in U.S. dollars and in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Certain financial measures presented in this prospectus, such as EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin are not recognized under GAAP. We define these terms as follows:

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin are intended as supplemental measures of our performance that are neither required by, nor presented in accordance with, GAAP. We are presenting EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin because we believe that they provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to our financial condition and operating results. Additionally, we present Restaurant-level Contribution because it excludes the impact of general and administrative expenses which are not incurred at the restaurant-level. We also use Restaurant-level Contribution to measure operating performance and returns from opening new restaurants.

We believe that the use of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing the Company’s financial measures with those of comparable companies, which may present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. However, you should be aware that Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin are financial measures which are not indicative of overall results for the Company, and Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin do not accrue directly to the benefit of stockholders because of corporate-level expenses excluded from such measures. In addition, you should be aware when evaluating EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin that in the future we may incur expenses similar to those excluded when calculating these measures. Our presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Our computation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures computed by other companies, because all companies may not calculate EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin in the same fashion.

Because of these limitations, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin on a supplemental basis. For a reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of operating income to Restaurant-level Contribution, see “Summary Historical Financial and Operating Data.”

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL MEASURES AND OTHER DATA

“Average Unit Volumes” or “AUVs” consist of the average annual sales of all restaurants that have been open for 3 months or longer at the end of the fiscal year presented. AUVs are calculated by dividing (x) annual sales for the fiscal year presented for all such restaurants by (y) the total number of restaurants in that base. We make fractional adjustments to sales for restaurants that were not open for the entire fiscal year presented (e.g., a restaurant is closed for renovation) to annualize sales for such period of time. This measurement allows management to assess changes in consumer spending patterns at our restaurants and the overall performance of our restaurant base. Since AUVs are calculated based on annual sales for the fiscal year presented, they are not presented in this prospectus on an interim basis for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021.

“Comparable restaurant sales growth” refers to the change in year-over-year sales for the comparable restaurant base. We include restaurants in the comparable restaurant base that have been in operation for at least 3 months prior to the start of the accounting period presented. Growth in comparable restaurant sales represents the percent change in sales from the same period in the prior year for the comparable restaurant base. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020, there were 4 and 5 restaurants, respectively, in our comparable restaurant base. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2021, there were 5 and 6 restaurants, respectively, in our comparable restaurant base. This measure highlights performance of these mature restaurants, as the impact of new restaurant openings is excluded. The small number of restaurants in our comparable restaurant base may cause this measure to fluctuate and be unpredictable.

“Number of restaurant openings” reflects the number of restaurants opened during a particular reporting period. Before we open new restaurants, we incur pre-opening costs. New restaurants may not be profitable, and their sales performance may not follow historical patterns. The number and timing of restaurant openings has had, and is expected to continue to have, an impact on our results of operations.

“Average check” is defined as (x) sales, divided by (y) restaurant guest count for a given period of time. This is an indicator which management uses to analyze the dollars spent per guest in our restaurants and aids management in identifying trends in guest preferences and the effectiveness of menu changes and price increases.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our Class A common stock and warrants, which we refer to in this prospectus as our “securities,” involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below before deciding whether to purchase shares of our Class A common stock. In assessing these risks, you should also refer to the other information contained in this prospectus, including our financial statements and related notes. If any of the risks described below actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In any such case, the trading price of our Class A common stock or warrants could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risks below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or those we currently view to be immaterial also may materially and adversely affect our business, properties, operating results or financial condition.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Our long-term success is highly dependent on our ability to successfully identify and secure appropriate sites and timely develop and expand our operations in existing and new markets.

One of the key means of achieving our growth strategies will be through opening and operating new restaurants on a profitable basis for the foreseeable future. We opened one new restaurant in fiscal year 2019 and one new restaurant in fiscal year 2020. We have opened one new restaurant in fiscal year 2021. We currently have 8 locations identified or under construction, and we expect to open an additional 14 new restaurants in fiscal year 2022. We identify target markets where we can enter or expand, taking into account numerous factors such as the locations of our current restaurants, demographics, traffic patterns and information gathered from various sources. We may not be able to open our planned new restaurants within budget or on a timely basis, if at all, given the uncertainty of these factors, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. As we operate more restaurants, our rate of expansion relative to the size of our restaurant base will eventually decline.

The number and timing of new restaurants opened during any given period may be negatively impacted by a number of factors including, without limitation:

Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully expand as we may not correctly analyze the suitability of a location or anticipate all of the challenges imposed by expanding our operations. Our growth strategy, and the substantial investment associated with the development of each new restaurant, may cause our operating results to fluctuate and be unpredictable or adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. If we are unable to expand in existing markets or penetrate new markets, our ability to increase our sales and profitability may be materially harmed or we may face losses.

Our restaurant base is geographically concentrated in California, and we could be negatively affected by conditions specific to California.

Adverse changes in demographic, unemployment, economic, regulatory or weather conditions in California have had, and may continue to have, material adverse effects on our business, financial condition or results of operations. As a result of our concentration in California, we have been, and in the future may be, disproportionately affected by adverse conditions in this specific market compared to other chain restaurants with a national footprint.

Our expansion into new markets may present increased risks due in part to our unfamiliarity with the areas and may make our future results unpredictable.

As of September 30, 2021, we have opened one new restaurant in fiscal year 2021 and we currently have 8 locations identified or under construction. We plan to continue to increase the number of our restaurants in the next several years as part of our expansion strategy and expect to open an additional 14 new restaurants in 2022. We may in the future open restaurants in markets where we have little or no operating experience. This growth strategy and the substantial investment associated with the development of each new restaurant may cause our operating results to fluctuate and be unpredictable or adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Restaurants we open in new markets may take longer to reach expected sales and profit levels on a consistent basis and may have higher construction, occupancy or operating costs than restaurants we open in existing markets, thereby affecting our overall profitability. New markets may have competitive conditions, consumer tastes and discretionary spending patterns that are more difficult to predict or satisfy than our existing markets and there may be little or no market awareness of our brand in these new markets. We may need to make greater investments than we originally planned in advertising and promotional activity in new markets to build brand awareness. We also may find it more difficult in new markets to hire, motivate and keep qualified employees who share our vision, passion and business culture. If we do not successfully execute our plans to enter new markets, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

New restaurants, once opened, may not be profitable, and the increases in average restaurant sales and comparable restaurant sales that we have experienced in the past may not be indicative of future results.

New restaurants may not be profitable and their sales performance may not follow historical patterns. In addition, our average restaurant sales and comparable restaurant sales may not increase at the rates achieved over the past several years. Our ability to operate new restaurants profitably and increase average restaurant sales and comparable restaurant sales will depend on many factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

If our new restaurants do not perform as planned, our business and future prospects could be harmed. In addition, if we are unable to achieve our expected average restaurant sales, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our sales and profit growth could be adversely affected if comparable restaurant sales are less than we expect.

The level of comparable restaurant sales growth, which represents the change in year-over-year sales for restaurants open for at least 3 months, could affect our sales growth. Our ability to increase comparable restaurant sales depends in part on our ability to successfully implement our initiatives to build sales. It is possible such initiatives will not be successful, that we will not achieve our target comparable restaurant sales growth or that the change in comparable restaurant sales could be negative, which may cause a decrease in our profitability and would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Our failure to manage our growth effectively could harm our business and operating results.

Our growth plan includes opening new restaurants. Our existing restaurant management systems, financial and management controls and information systems may be inadequate to support our planned expansion. Managing our growth effectively will require us to continue to enhance these systems, procedures and controls and to hire, train and retain managers and team members. We may not respond quickly enough to the changing demands that our expansion will impose on our management, restaurant teams and existing infrastructure which could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our limited number of restaurants, the significant expense associated with opening new restaurants, and the unit volumes of our new restaurants makes us susceptible to significant fluctuations in our results of operations.

As of September 30, 2021, we operate 6 restaurants. We opened one new restaurant in fiscal year 2019 and one new restaurant in fiscal year 2020. We have opened one new restaurant in fiscal year 2021. We currently have 8 locations identified or under construction, and we expect to open 14 new restaurants in fiscal year 2022. The capital resources required to develop each new restaurant are significant. On average, we estimate that our restaurants require a cash build-out cost of approximately $350,000-$550,000 per restaurant, net of landlord tenant improvement allowances and pre-opening costs and assuming that we do not purchase the underlying real estate. Actual costs may vary significantly depending upon a variety of factors, including the site and size of the restaurant and conditions in the local real estate and labor markets. The combination of our relatively small number of existing restaurants, the significant investment associated with each new restaurant, variance in the operating results in any one restaurant, or a delay or cancellation in the planned opening of a restaurant could materially affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

A decline in visitors to any of the retail centers, shopping malls, lifestyle centers, or entertainment centers where our restaurants are located could negatively affect our restaurant sales.

Our restaurants are primarily located in high-activity areas such as retail centers, shopping malls, lifestyle centers, and entertainment centers. We depend on high visitor rates at these centers to attract guests to our restaurants. Factors that may result in declining visitor rates include economic or political conditions, anchor tenants closing in retail centers or shopping malls in which we operate, changes in consumer preferences or shopping patterns, changes in discretionary consumer spending, increasing petroleum prices, or other factors, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We depend on our senior management team and other key employees, and the loss of one or more key personnel or an inability to attract, hire, integrate and retain highly skilled personnel could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our success depends largely upon the continued services of our key executives, including James Chae. We also rely on our leadership team in setting our strategic direction, operating our business, identifying, recruiting and training key personnel, identifying expansion opportunities, arranging necessary financing, and for general and administrative functions. From time to time, there may be changes in our executive management team resulting from the hiring or departure of executives, which could disrupt our business. The loss or replacement of one or more of our executive officers or other key employees could have a serious adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

To continue to execute our growth strategy, we also must identify, hire and retain highly skilled personnel. We might not be successful in continuing to attract and retain qualified personnel. Failure to identify, hire and retain necessary key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Opening new restaurants in existing markets may negatively affect sales at our existing restaurants.

The consumer target area of our restaurants varies by location, depending on a number of factors, including population density, other local retail and business attractions, area demographics and geography. As a result, the opening of a new restaurant in or near markets in which we already have restaurants could adversely affect the sales of these existing restaurants and thereby adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Existing restaurants could also make it more difficult to build our consumer base for a new restaurant in the same market. Our core business strategy does not entail opening new restaurants that we believe will materially affect sales at our existing restaurants, but we may selectively open new restaurants in and around areas of existing restaurants that are operating at or near capacity to effectively serve our guests. Sales cannibalization between our restaurants may become significant in the future as we continue to expand our operations and could affect our sales growth, which could, in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our operating results and growth strategies will be closely tied to the success of our future franchise partners and we will have limited control with respect to their operations. Additionally, our franchise partners’ interests may conflict or diverge with our interests in the future, which could have a negative impact on our business.

As we grow, we will depend on the financial success and cooperation of our future franchise partners for our success. Our franchise partners will be independent business operators and will not be our employees, and as such we have limited control over how our franchise partners will run their businesses, and their inability to operate successfully could adversely affect our operating results.

We will receive royalties, franchise fees, contributions to our marketing development fund, and other fees from our franchise partners. Additionally, we will sell proprietary products to our franchise partners at a markup over our cost to produce. We expect to establish operational standards and guidelines for our franchise partners; however, we will have limited control over how our franchise partners’ businesses are run, including day to day operations. Even with these operation standards and guidelines, the quality of franchised stores may be diminished by any number of factors beyond our control. Consequently, our franchise partners may not successfully operate stores in a manner consistent with our standards and requirements, such as quality, service and cleanliness, or may not hire and train qualified store managers and other store personnel or may not implement marketing programs and major initiatives such as store remodels or equipment or technology upgrades, which may require financial investment. Even if such unsuccessful operations do not rise to the level of breaching the related franchise documents, they may be attributed by customers to our brand and could have a negative impact on our business.

Our franchise partners may not be able to secure adequate financing to open or continue operating their stores. If they incur too much debt or if economic or sales trends deteriorate such that they are unable to repay existing debt, our franchise partners could experience financial distress or even bankruptcy. If a significant number of our franchise partners were to become financially distressed, it could harm our operating results through reduced royalty revenue, marketing fees, and proprietary product sales and the impact on our profitability could be greater than the percentage decrease in these revenue streams.

While we are responsible for ensuring the success of our entire system of stores and for taking a longer term view with respect to system improvements, our franchise partners will have individual business strategies and objectives, which might conflict with our interests. Our future franchise partners may from time to time disagree with us and our strategies and objectives regarding the business or our interpretation of our respective rights and obligations under the franchise agreement and the terms and conditions of the franchise partner relationship. This may lead to disputes with our franchise partners and we expect such disputes to occur from time to time in the future. Such disputes may result in legal action against us. To the extent we have such disputes, the attention, time and financial resources of our management and our future franchise partners will be diverted from our stores, which could harm our business even if we have a successful outcome in the dispute.

Actions or omissions by our future franchise partners in violation of various laws may be attributed to us or result in negative publicity that affects our overall brand image, which may decrease consumer demand for our products. Franchise partners may engage in online activity via social media or activity in their personal lives that negatively impacts public perception of our franchise partners’ or our operations or our brand as a whole. This activity may negatively affect franchise partners’ sales and in turn impact our revenue.

In addition, various state and federal laws govern our relationship with our future franchise partners and our potential sale of a franchise. A future franchise partner and/or a government agency may bring legal action against us based on the franchisee/franchisor relationships that could result in the award of damages to a franchise partner and/or the imposition of fines or other penalties against us.

Operating results at our restaurants could be significantly affected by competition in the restaurant industry in general and, in particular, within the dining segments of the restaurant industry in which we compete.

We face significant competition from a variety of restaurants offering both Asian and non-Asian cuisine, as well as takeout offerings from grocery stores and other outlets where Asian food is sold. These segments are highly competitive with respect to, among other things, product quality, dining experience, ambience, location, convenience, value perception, and price. Our competition continues to intensify as competitors increase the breadth and depth of their product offerings and open new locations. These competitors may have, among other things, chefs who are widely known to the public that may generate more notoriety for those competitors as compared to our brand. We also compete with many restaurant and retail establishments for site locations and restaurant-level employees.

Several of our competitors offering Asian and related choices may look to compete with us on price, quality and service. Any of these competitive factors may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Negative publicity relating to one of our restaurants could reduce sales at some or all of our other restaurants.

Our success is dependent in part upon our ability to maintain and enhance the value of our brand and consumers’ connection to our brand. We may, from time to time, be faced with negative publicity relating to food quality, restaurant facilities, guest complaints or litigation alleging illness or injury, health inspection scores, integrity of our or our suppliers’ food processing, employee relationships or other matters, regardless of whether the allegations are valid or whether we are held to be responsible. The negative impact of adverse publicity relating to one restaurant may extend far beyond the restaurant involved to affect some or all of our other restaurants, thereby causing an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. A similar risk exists with respect to unrelated food service businesses, if consumers associate those businesses with our own operations.

The considerable expansion in the use of social media over recent years can further amplify any negative publicity that could be generated by such incidents. Many social media platforms immediately publish the content their subscribers and participants post, often without filters or checks on accuracy of the content posted. Information posted on such platforms may be adverse to our interests and/or may be inaccurate. The dissemination of inaccurate or irresponsible information online could harm our business, reputation, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations, regardless of the information’s accuracy. The damage may be immediate without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.

Additionally, employee claims against us based on, among other things, wage and hour violations, discrimination, harassment or wrongful termination may also create negative publicity that could adversely affect us and divert our financial and management resources that would otherwise be used to benefit the future performance of our operations. A significant increase in the number of these claims or an increase in the number of successful claims could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Consumer demand for our restaurants and our brand’s value could diminish significantly if any such incidents or other matters create negative publicity or otherwise erode consumer confidence in us or our restaurants, which would likely result in lower sales and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Food safety and foodborne illness concerns could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We cannot guarantee that our internal controls and training will be fully effective in preventing all food safety issues at our restaurants, including any occurrences of foodborne illnesses such as salmonella, E. coli and hepatitis A. In addition, there is no guarantee that our restaurant locations will maintain the high levels of internal controls and training we require at our restaurants. Furthermore, we rely on third-party vendors, making it difficult to monitor food safety compliance and increasing the risk that foodborne illness would affect multiple locations rather than a single restaurant. Some foodborne illness incidents could be caused by third-party vendors and transporters outside of our control. New illnesses resistant to our current precautions may develop in the future, or diseases with long incubation periods could arise, that could give rise to claims or allegations on a retroactive basis. One or more instances of foodborne illness in any of our restaurants or markets or related to food products we sell could negatively affect our restaurant sales nationwide if highly publicized on national media outlets or through social media. This risk exists even if it were later determined that the illness was wrongly attributed to us or one of our restaurants. A number of other restaurant chains have experienced incidents related to foodborne illnesses that have had a material adverse effect on their operations. The occurrence of a similar incident at one or more of our restaurants, or negative publicity or public speculation about an incident, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Governmental regulation may adversely affect our ability to open new restaurants or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are subject to various federal, state and local regulations. Our restaurants are subject to state and local licensing and regulation by health, alcoholic beverage,  sanitation, food and occupational safety and other agencies. We may experience material difficulties or failures in obtaining the necessary licenses, approvals or permits for our restaurants, which could delay planned restaurant openings or affect the operations at our existing restaurants. In addition, stringent and varied requirements of local regulators with respect to zoning, land use and environmental factors could delay or prevent development of new restaurants in particular locations.

We are subject to the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act and similar state laws that give civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in the context of employment, public accommodations and other areas, including our restaurants. We may in the future have to modify restaurants, for example, by adding access ramps or redesigning certain architectural fixtures, to provide service to or make reasonable accommodations for disabled persons. The expenses associated with these modifications could be material.

Our operations are also subject to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act, which governs worker health and safety, the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, which governs such matters as minimum wages and overtime, and a variety of similar federal, state and local laws that govern these and other employment law matters. In addition, federal, state and local proposals related to paid sick leave or similar matters could, if implemented, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We rely significantly on certain vendors and suppliers, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our ability to maintain consistent price and quality throughout our restaurants depends in part upon our ability to acquire specified food products and supplies in sufficient quantities from third-party vendors and suppliers at a reasonable cost. We do not control the businesses of our vendors and suppliers and our efforts to specify and monitor the standards under which they perform may not be successful. Furthermore, certain food items are perishable, and we have limited control over whether these items will be delivered to us in appropriate condition for use in our restaurants. If any of our vendors or other suppliers are unable to fulfill their obligations to our standards, or if we are unable to find replacement providers in the event of a supply or service disruption, we could encounter supply shortages and incur higher costs to secure adequate supplies, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, we use various third-party vendors to provide, support and maintain most of our management information systems. We also outsource certain accounting, payroll and human resource functions to business process service providers. The failure of such vendors to fulfill their obligations could disrupt our operations. Additionally, any changes we may make to the services we obtain from our vendors, or new vendors we employ, may disrupt our operations. These disruptions could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Changes in food and supply costs could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. 

Our profitability depends in part on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food and supply costs. Shortages or interruptions in the availability of certain supplies caused by unanticipated demand, problems in production or distribution, food contamination, inclement weather or other conditions could adversely affect the availability, quality and cost of our ingredients, which could harm our operations. Any increase in the prices of the food products most critical to our menu, such as rice, meats, fish and other seafood, as well as fresh vegetables, could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results from operations. Although we try to manage the impact that these fluctuations have on our operating results, we remain susceptible to increases in food costs as a result of factors beyond our control, such as general economic conditions, seasonal fluctuations, weather conditions, demand, food safety concerns, generalized infectious diseases, product recalls and government regulations.

If any of our distributors or suppliers performs inadequately, or our distribution or supply relationships are disrupted for any reason, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows could be adversely affected. If we cannot replace or engage distributors or suppliers who meet our specifications in a short period of time, that could increase our expenses and cause shortages of food and other items at our restaurants, which could cause a restaurant to remove items from its menu. If that were to happen, affected restaurants could experience significant reductions in sales during the shortage or thereafter, if guests change their dining habits as a result. In addition, because we provide moderately priced food, we may choose not to, or may be unable to, pass along commodity price increases to consumers. These potential changes in food and supply costs could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Failure to receive frequent deliveries of fresh food ingredients and other supplies could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our ability to maintain our menu depends in part on our ability to acquire ingredients that meet our specifications from reliable suppliers. Shortages or interruptions in the supply of ingredients caused by unanticipated demand, problems in production or distribution, food contamination, inclement weather or other conditions could adversely affect the availability, quality and cost of our ingredients, which could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. If any of our distributors or suppliers performs inadequately, or our distribution or supply relationships are disrupted for any reason, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected. If we cannot replace or engage distributors or suppliers who meet our specifications in a short period of time, that could increase our expenses and cause shortages of food and other items at our restaurants, which could cause a restaurant to remove items from its menu. If that were to happen, affected restaurants could experience significant reductions in sales during the shortage or thereafter, if guests change their dining habits as a result. This reduction in sales could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, our approach to competing in the restaurant industry depends in large part on our continued ability to provide authentic and traditional Japanese cuisine that is free from artificial ingredients. As we increase our use of these ingredients, the ability of our suppliers to expand output or otherwise increase their supplies to meet our needs may be constrained. We could face difficulties to obtain a sufficient and consistent supply of these ingredients on a cost-effective basis.

Labor disputes may disrupt our operations and affect our profitability, thereby causing a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

As an employer, we are presently, and may in the future be, subject to various employment-related claims, such as individual or class actions or government enforcement actions relating to alleged employment discrimination, employee classification and related withholding, wage-hour, labor standards or healthcare and benefit issues. Any future actions if brought against us and successful in whole or in part, may affect our ability to compete or could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The minimum wage, particularly in California, continues to increase and is subject to factors outside of our control.

We have a substantial number of hourly employees who are paid wage rates based on the applicable federal or state minimum wage. Since January 1, 2021, the State of California has a minimum wage of $14.00 per hour. Effective January 1, 2022, the State of California will have a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour. Moreover, municipalities may set minimum wages above the applicable state standards, including in the municipalities in which we operate.

The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009. Any of federally-mandated, state-mandated or municipality-mandated minimum wages may be raised in the future which could have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. If menu prices are increased by us to cover increased labor costs, the higher prices could adversely affect sales and thereby reduce our margins and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Changes in employment laws may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow.

Various federal and state labor laws govern the relationship with our employees and affect operating costs. These laws include employee classification as exempt/non-exempt for overtime and other purposes, minimum wage requirements, tips and gratuity payments, unemployment tax rates, workers’ compensation rates, immigration status and other wage and benefit requirements. Significant additional government-imposed increases in the following areas could materially affect our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flow:

If we face labor shortages, increased labor costs or unionization activities, our growth, business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

Labor is a primary component in the cost of operating our restaurants. If we face labor shortages or increased labor costs because of increased competition for employees, higher employee turnover rates, increases in federal, state or local minimum wage rates or other employee benefits costs (including costs associated with health insurance coverage), our operating expenses could increase and our growth could be adversely affected. In addition, our success depends in part upon our ability to attract, motivate and retain a sufficient number of well-qualified restaurant operators and management personnel, as well as a sufficient number of other qualified employees, to keep pace with our expansion schedule. Qualified individuals needed to fill these positions are in short supply in some geographic areas. In addition, restaurants have traditionally experienced relatively high employee turnover rates. Although we have not yet experienced significant problems in recruiting or retaining employees, our ability to recruit and retain such individuals may delay the planned openings of new restaurants or result in higher employee turnover in existing restaurants, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

If we are unable to continue to recruit and retain sufficiently qualified individuals, our business and our growth could be adversely affected, thereby adversely affecting or business, financial condition or results of operations. Competition for these employees could require us to pay higher wages, which could result in higher labor costs. In addition, increases in the minimum wage would increase our labor costs. Additionally, costs associated with workers’ compensation are rising, and these costs may continue to rise in the future. We may be unable to increase our menu prices in order to pass these increased labor costs on to consumers, in which case our margins would be negatively affected, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Although none of our employees are currently covered under collective bargaining agreements, our employees may elect to be represented by labor unions in the future. If a significant number of our employees were to become unionized and collective bargaining agreement terms were significantly different from our current compensation arrangements, it could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our business could be adversely affected by a failure to obtain visas or work permits or to properly verify the employment eligibility of our employees.

Although we require all workers to provide us with government-specified documentation evidencing their employment eligibility, some of our employees may, without our knowledge, be unauthorized workers. Unauthorized workers are subject to deportation and may subject us to fines or penalties, and if any of our workers are found to be unauthorized, we could experience adverse publicity that may negatively impact our brand and may make it more difficult to hire and keep qualified employees. Termination of a significant number of employees who are unauthorized employees may disrupt our operations, cause temporary increases in our labor costs as we train new employees and result in adverse publicity. We could also become subject to fines, penalties and other costs related to claims that we did not fully comply with all recordkeeping obligations of federal and state immigration compliance laws. These factors could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Compliance with environmental laws may negatively affect our business.

We are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations concerning waste disposal, pollution, protection of the environment, and the presence, discharge, storage, handling, release and disposal of, and exposure to, hazardous or toxic substances. These environmental laws provide for significant fines and penalties for noncompliance and liabilities for remediation, sometimes without regard to whether the owner or operator of the property knew of, or was responsible for, the release or presence of hazardous toxic substances. Third parties may also make claims against owners or operators of properties for personal injuries and property damage associated with releases of, or actual or alleged exposure to, such hazardous or toxic substances at, on or from our restaurants. Environmental conditions relating to releases of hazardous substances at prior, existing or future restaurant sites could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Further, environmental laws, and the administration, interpretation and enforcement thereof, are subject to change and may become more stringent in the future, each of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Changes in economic conditions could materially affect our ability to maintain or increase sales at our restaurants or open new restaurants.

The restaurant industry depends on consumer discretionary spending. The United States in general or the specific markets in which we operate may suffer from depressed economic activity, recessionary economic cycles, higher fuel or energy costs, low consumer confidence, high levels of unemployment, reduced home values, increases in home foreclosures, investment losses, personal bankruptcies, reduced access to credit or other economic factors that may affect consumers’ discretionary spending. Sales in our restaurants could decline if consumers choose to dine out less frequently or reduce the amount they spend on meals while dining out. Negative economic conditions might cause consumers to make long-term changes to their discretionary spending behavior, including dining out less frequently on a permanent basis. If restaurant sales decrease, our profitability could decline as we spread fixed costs across a lower level of sales. Reductions in staff levels, asset impairment charges and potential restaurant closures could result from prolonged negative restaurant sales, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

New information or attitudes regarding diet and health could result in changes in regulations and consumer consumption habits that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Changes in attitudes regarding diet and health or new information regarding the adverse health effects of consuming certain foods could result in changes in government regulation and consumer eating habits that may impact our business, financial condition or results of operations. These changes have resulted in, and may continue to result in, laws and regulations requiring us to disclose the nutritional content of our food offerings, and they have resulted in, and may continue to result in, laws and regulations affecting permissible ingredients and menu offerings. For example, a number of jurisdictions have enacted menu labeling laws requiring multi-unit restaurant operators to disclose to consumers certain nutritional information, or have enacted legislation restricting the use of certain types of ingredients in restaurants. These requirements may be different or inconsistent with requirements we are subject to under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, collectively, the “ACA,” which establishes a uniform, federal requirement for certain restaurants to post nutritional information on their menus. Specifically, the ACA requires chain restaurants with 20 or more locations operating under the same name and offering substantially the same menus to publish the total number of calories of standard menu items on menus and menu boards, along with a statement that puts this calorie information in the context of a total daily calorie intake. The ACA also requires covered restaurants to provide to consumers, upon request, a written summary of detailed nutritional information for each standard menu item, and to provide a statement on menus and menu boards about the availability of this information upon request. Unfavorable publicity about, or guests’ reactions to, our menu ingredients, the size of our portions or the nutritional content of our menu items could negatively influence the demand for our offerings, thereby adversely affecting our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Compliance with current and future laws and regulations regarding the ingredients and nutritional content of our menu items may be costly and time-consuming. Additionally, if consumer health regulations or consumer eating habits change significantly, we may be required to modify or discontinue certain menu items, and we may experience higher costs associated with the implementation of those changes, as well as adversely affect the attractiveness of our restaurants to new or returning guests. We cannot predict the impact of any new nutrition labeling requirements. The risks and costs associated with nutritional disclosures on our menus could also impact our operations, particularly given differences among applicable legal requirements and practices within the restaurant industry with respect to testing and disclosure, ordinary variations in food preparation among our own restaurants, and the need to rely on the accuracy and completeness of nutritional information obtained from third-party suppliers.

We may not be able to effectively respond to changes in consumer health perceptions or successfully implement the nutrient content disclosure requirements and to adapt our menu offerings to trends in eating habits. The imposition of menu labeling laws and an inability to keep up with consumer eating habits could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, as well as our position within the restaurant industry in general.

Failure to comply with antibribery or anticorruption laws could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition or results of operations.

The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other similar applicable laws prohibiting bribery of government officials and other corrupt practices are the subject of increasing emphasis and enforcement around the world. Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to promote compliance with these laws, there can be no assurance that our employees, contractors, agents, or other third parties will not take actions in violation of our policies or applicable law. Any such violations or suspected violations could subject us to civil or criminal penalties, including substantial fines and significant investigation costs, and could also materially damage our reputation, brands, international expansion efforts and growth prospects, business, financial condition and results of operations. Publicity relating to any noncompliance or alleged noncompliance could also harm our reputation and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We may need capital in the future, and we may not be able to raise that capital on favorable terms.

Developing our business will require significant capital in the future. To meet our capital needs, we expect to rely on equipment financing and facility improvements, cash flows from operations, the proceeds from this offering, future offerings and other third-party financing. Third-party financing in the future may not, however, be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. Our ability to obtain additional funding will be subject to various factors, including market conditions, our operating performance, lender sentiment. These factors may make the timing, amount, or terms and conditions of additional financings unattractive. Our inability to raise capital could impede our growth and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are subject to all of the risks associated with leasing space subject to long-term non-cancelable leases.

We do not own any real property. Payments under our operating leases account for a significant portion of our operating expenses and we expect the new restaurants we open in the future will similarly be leased. The majority of our operating leases have lease terms of 10 years, inclusive of customary extensions which are at the option of the Company. Most of our leases require a fixed annual rent which generally increases each year, and some require the payment of additional rent if restaurant sales exceed a negotiated amount. Generally, our leases are “net” leases, which require us to pay all of the cost of insurance, taxes, maintenance and utilities. We generally cannot cancel these leases. Additional sites that we lease are likely to be subject to similar long-term non-cancelable leases. If an existing or future restaurant is not profitable, and we decide to close it, we may nonetheless be committed to perform our obligations under the applicable lease including, among other things, paying the base rent for the balance of the lease term. In addition, as each of our leases expires, we may fail to negotiate renewals, either on commercially acceptable terms or at all, which could cause us to pay increased occupancy costs or to close restaurants in desirable locations. If we fail to negotiate renewals, we may have to dispose of assets at such restaurant locations and incur closure costs as well as impairment of property and equipment. Furthermore, if we fail to negotiate renewals, we may incur additional costs associated with moving transferable furniture, fixtures and equipment. These potential increased occupancy and moving costs, as well as closures of restaurants, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Macroeconomic conditions, including economic downturns, may cause landlords of our leases to be unable to obtain financing or remain in good standing under their existing financing arrangements, resulting in failures to pay required tenant improvement allowances or satisfy other lease covenants to us. In addition, tenants at shopping centers in which we are located or have executed leases, or to which our locations are near, may fail to open or may cease operations. Decreases in total tenant occupancy in shopping centers in which we are located, or to which our locations are near, may affect traffic at our restaurants. All of these factors could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We may become involved in lawsuits involving Yoshiharu Asset Co. as the owner of intellectual property, or us as a licensee of intellectual property from Yoshiharu Asset Co., to protect or enforce intellectual property rights, which could be expensive, time consuming, and unsuccessful.

Third parties may sue Yoshiharu Asset Co., our wholly owned subsidiary, or us for alleged infringement of their proprietary rights. The party claiming infringement might have greater resources than we do to pursue its claims, and we could be forced to incur substantial costs and devote significant management resources to defend against such litigation, even if the claims are meritless and even if we ultimately prevail. If the party claiming infringement were to prevail, we could be forced to pay significant damages, or enter into expensive royalty or licensing arrangements with the prevailing party. In addition, any payments we are required to make, and any injunction we are required to comply with as a result of such infringement, could harm our reputation and our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Infringements on Yoshiharu Asset Co.’s intellectual property rights, including Yoshiharu Asset Co.’s service marks and trade secrets, could result in additional expense and could devalue our brand equity, as well as substantially affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Other parties may infringe on our intellectual property rights, including those which we develop or otherwise license to use, and may thereby dilute our brand in the marketplace. Any such infringement of our intellectual property rights would also likely result in a commitment of our time and resources to protect these rights through litigation or otherwise.

Our business prospects depend in part on our ability to develop favorable consumer recognition of the Yoshiharu name. Although the “YOSHIHARU RAMEN” word and design marks are federally registered marks owned by Yoshiharu Asset Co., such marks could be imitated in ways that we or Yoshiharu Asset Co. cannot prevent. Alternatively, third parties may attempt to cause us to change our name or not operate in a certain geographic region if our name is confusingly similar to their name. In addition, we rely on trade secrets, proprietary know-how, concepts, and recipes, some of which we license from Yoshiharu Asset Co. Our methods or Yoshiharu Asset Co.’s methods of protecting this information may not be adequate. Moreover, we or Yoshiharu Asset Co. may face claims of misappropriation or infringement of third parties’ rights that could interfere with our use of this information. Defending these claims may be costly and, if unsuccessful, may prevent us from continuing to use this proprietary information in the future, and may result in a judgment or monetary damages. We do not maintain confidentiality and non-competition agreements with all of our executives, key personnel, or suppliers. If competitors independently develop or otherwise obtain access to the trade secrets, proprietary know-how, concepts, or recipes we rely upon to operate our restaurants, some of which we license from Yoshiharu Asset Co., the appeal of our restaurants could be significantly reduced and our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected.

A breach of security of confidential consumer information related to our electronic processing of credit and debit card transactions, as well as a breach of security of our employee information, could substantially affect our reputation, business, financial condition of results of operations.

The majority of our restaurant sales are by credit or debit cards. Other restaurants and retailers have experienced security breaches in which credit and debit card information has been stolen. We may in the future become subject to claims for purportedly fraudulent transactions arising out of the actual or alleged theft of credit or debit card information, and we may also be subject to lawsuits or other proceedings relating to these types of incidents. We may ultimately be held liable for the unauthorized use of a cardholder’s card number in an illegal activity and be required by card issuers to pay charge-back fees. In addition, most states have enacted legislation requiring notification of security breaches involving personal information, including credit and debit card information. Any such claim or proceeding could cause us to incur significant unplanned expenses, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Further, adverse publicity resulting from these allegations may have a material adverse effect on us and could substantially affect our reputation and business, financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, our business requires the collection, transmission and retention of large volumes of guest and employee data, including personally identifiable information, in various information technology systems that we maintain and in those maintained by third parties with whom we contract to provide services. The collection and use of such information is regulated at the federal and state levels, as well as at the international level, in which regulatory requirements have been increasing. As our environment continues to evolve in the digital age and reliance upon new technologies becomes more prevalent, it is imperative we secure the privacy and sensitive information we collect. Failure to do so, whether through fault of our own information systems or those of outsourced third-party providers, could not only cause us to fail to comply with these laws and regulations, but also could cause us to face litigation and penalties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Our brand’s reputation and image as an employer could also be harmed by these types of security breaches or regulatory violations.

We rely significantly on information technology, and any material failure, weakness, interruption or breach of security could prevent us from effectively operating our business.

We rely significantly on information systems, including point-of-sale processing in our restaurants for management of our supply chain, payment of obligations, collection of cash, credit and debit card transactions and other processes and procedures. Our ability to efficiently and effectively manage our business depends significantly on the reliability and capacity of these systems. Failures of these systems to operate effectively, maintenance problems, upgrading or transitioning to new platforms, or a breach in security of these systems could result in delays in customer service and reduce efficiency in our operations. Remediation of such problems could result in significant, unplanned capital investments.

Our marketing programs may not be successful, and our new menu items, advertising campaigns and restaurant designs and remodels may not generate increased sales or profits.

We incur costs and expend other resources in our marketing efforts on new menu items, advertising campaigns and restaurant designs and remodels to raise brand awareness and attract and retain guests. These initiatives may not be successful, resulting in expenses incurred without the benefit of higher sales. Additionally, some of our competitors have greater financial resources, which enable them to spend significantly more on marketing and advertising and other initiatives than we are able to. Should our competitors increase spending on marketing and advertising and other initiatives or our marketing funds decrease for any reason, or should our advertising, promotions, new menu items and restaurant designs and remodels be less effective than our competitors, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our inability or failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media could materially adversely impact our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our marketing efforts rely heavily on the use of social media. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms, including weblogs (blogs), mini-blogs, chat platforms, social media websites, and other forms of Internet-based communications which allow individuals access to a broad audience of consumers and other interested persons. Many of our competitors are expanding their use of social media, and new social media platforms are rapidly being developed, potentially making more traditional social media platforms obsolete. As a result, we need to continuously innovate and develop our social media strategies in order to maintain broad appeal with guests and brand relevance. We also continue to invest in other digital marketing initiatives that allow us to reach our guests across multiple digital channels and build their awareness of, engagement with, and loyalty to our brand. These initiatives may not be successful, resulting in expenses incurred without the benefit of higher sales or increased brand recognition.

We could be party to litigation that could adversely affect us by distracting management, increasing our expenses or subjecting us to material money damages and other remedies.

Our guests may file complaints or lawsuits against us alleging we caused an illness or injury they suffered at or after a visit to our restaurants, or that we have problems with food quality or operations. We may also be subject to a variety of other claims arising in the ordinary course of our business, including personal injury claims, contract claims and claims alleging violations of federal and state law regarding workplace and employment matters, equal opportunity, discrimination and similar matters, and we are presently subject to class action and other lawsuits with regard to certain of these matters and could become subject to additional class action or other lawsuits related to these or different matters in the future. Regardless of whether any claims against us are valid, or whether we are ultimately held liable, claims may be expensive to defend and may divert time and money away from our operations and hurt our performance. A judgment in excess of our insurance coverage for any claims could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Any adverse publicity resulting from these allegations may also materially and adversely affect our reputation or prospects, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are subject to state and local “dram shop” statutes, which may subject us to uninsured liabilities. These statutes generally allow a person injured by an intoxicated person to recover damages from an establishment that wrongfully served alcoholic beverages to the intoxicated person. Because a plaintiff may seek punitive damages, which may not be fully covered by insurance, this type of action could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. A judgment in such an action significantly in excess of, or not covered by, our insurance coverage could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Further, adverse publicity resulting from any such allegations may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our current insurance may not provide adequate levels of coverage against claims.

There are types of losses we may incur that cannot be insured against or that we believe are not economically reasonable to insure. Such losses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, our current insurance policies may not be adequate to protect us from liabilities that we incur in our business in areas such as workers’ compensation, general liability, auto and property. In the future, our insurance premiums may increase, and we may not be able to obtain similar levels of insurance on reasonable terms, or at all. Any substantial inadequacy of, or inability to obtain, insurance coverage could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. As a public company, we intend to obtain directors’ and officers’ insurance. While we expect to obtain such coverage, we may not be able to obtain such coverage at all or at a reasonable cost now or in the future. Failure to obtain and maintain adequate directors’ and officers’ insurance would likely adversely affect our ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.

Failure to obtain and maintain required licenses and permits or to comply with alcoholic beverage or food control regulations could lead to the loss of our liquor and food service licenses and, thereby, harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The restaurant industry is subject to various federal, state and local government regulations, including those relating to the sale of food and alcoholic beverages. Such regulations are subject to change from time to time. The failure to obtain and maintain licenses, permits and approvals relating to such regulations could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Typically, licenses must be renewed annually and may be revoked, suspended or denied renewal for cause at any time if governmental authorities determine that our conduct violates applicable regulations. Difficulties or failure to maintain or obtain the required licenses and approvals could adversely affect our existing restaurants and delay or result in our decision to cancel the opening of new restaurants, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Alcoholic beverage control regulations generally require our restaurants to apply to a state authority and, in certain locations, county or municipal authorities for a license that must be renewed annually and may be revoked or suspended for cause at any time. Alcoholic beverage control regulations relate to numerous aspects of daily operations of our restaurants, including minimum age of patrons and employees, hours of operation, advertising, trade practices, wholesale purchasing, other relationships with alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, inventory control and handling, storage and dispensing of alcoholic beverages. Any future failure to comply with these regulations and obtain or retain liquor licenses could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. 

If we fail to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results in a timely manner, which may adversely affect investor confidence in our company.

If material weaknesses or control deficiencies occur in the future, we may be unable to report our financial results accurately on a timely basis, which could cause our reported financial results to be materially misstated and result in the loss of investor confidence or delisting and cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

We have not performed an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting, such as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, nor have we engaged our independent registered public accounting firm to perform an audit of our internal control over financial reporting as of any balance sheet date or for any period reported in our financial statements.

Changes to accounting rules or regulations may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Changes to existing accounting rules or regulations may impact our business, financial condition or results of operations. Other new accounting rules or regulations and varying interpretations of existing accounting rules or regulations have occurred and may occur in the future. For instance, accounting regulatory authorities have recently issued new accounting rules which require lessees to capitalize operating leases in their financial statements in the next few years. When adopted, such change would require us to record significant operating lease obligations on our balance sheet and make other changes to our financial statements. This and other future changes to accounting rules or regulations could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company.

As a public company, we expect to incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company” as defined under the JOBS Act. In addition, new and changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Dodd-Frank Act and the rules and regulations promulgated and to be promulgated thereunder, as well as under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the JOBS Act, have created uncertainty for public companies and increased costs and time that boards of directors and management must devote to complying with these rules and regulations. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules of the SEC and the Nasdaq Stock Market regulate corporate governance practices of public companies. We expect compliance with these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and lead to a diversion of management time and attention from sales-generating activities. For example, we will be required to adopt new internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures. In addition, we will incur additional expenses associated with our SEC reporting requirements and increased compensation for our management team. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we will incur as a public company or the specific timing of such costs.

We are an “emerging growth company,” and we cannot be certain if the reduced reporting and disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.

For as long as we remain an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” These exceptions provide for, but are not limited to, relief from the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, less extensive disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, exemptions from the requirements to hold a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved and an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have $1.07 billion or more in annual gross revenues; (ii) the date on which we become a “large accelerated filer” (which means the year-end at which the total market value of our common equity securities held by non-affiliates is $700 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter); (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt securities over a three-year period; and (iv) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock to be less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and the market price of our common stock may be more volatile.

Our management does not have experience managing a U.S. public company and our current resources may not be sufficient to fulfill our public company obligations.

Following the closing of this offering, we will be subject to various regulatory requirements, including those of the SEC and Nasdaq Stock Market. These requirements include recordkeeping, financial reporting and corporate governance rules and regulations. Our management team does not have experience in managing a U.S. public company and, historically, has not had the resources typically found in a public company. Our internal infrastructure may not be adequate to support our increased reporting obligations and we may be unable to hire, train or retain necessary staff and may be reliant on engaging outside consultants or professionals to overcome our lack of experience or employees. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected if our internal infrastructure is inadequate, including if we are unable to engage outside consultants or are otherwise unable to fulfill our public company obligations.

Pursuant to the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as we are an “emerging growth company.”

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, starting with the second annual report that we file with the SEC as a public company, and generally requires in the same report a report by our independent registered public accounting firm on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. However, under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” We will be an “emerging growth company” until the earliest of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have $1.07 billion or more in annual gross revenues; (ii) the date on which we become a “large accelerated filer” (which means the year-end at which the total market value of our common equity securities held by non-affiliates is $700 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter); (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt securities over a three-year period; and (iv) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering.

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. An “emerging growth company” can therefore delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. However, we are choosing to “opt out” of such extended transition period and, as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that our decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards is irrevocable.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities

There may be an adverse effect on the value and liquidity of our Class A common stock and our warrants due to the disparate voting rights of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock.

With the exception of voting rights and certain conversion rights for the Class B common stock, holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock have identical rights. On all matters to be voted on by stockholders, holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share while holders of our

Class B common stock are entitled to 10 votes per share. The difference in the voting rights of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock could adversely affect the value of the Class A common stock to the extent that any investor or potential future purchaser of our Class A common stock ascribes value to the superior voting rights of our Class B common stock. The existence of two separate classes of common stock could result in less liquidity for our Class A common stock than if there were only one class of our common stock. In addition, if we issue additional shares of Class B common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors or potential future purchasers of our Class A common stock. See “Description of Capital Stock” for a description of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock and the rights associated with them.

There is no existing market for our common stock or our warrants and we do not know if one will develop. Even if a market does develop, the stock prices in the market may not exceed the offering price.

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our securities or any of our equity interests. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our company will lead to the development of an active trading market on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or how liquid that market may become. An active public market for our Class A common stock or warrants may not develop or be sustained after the offering. If an active trading market does not develop or is not sustained, you may have difficulty selling any shares that you buy.

The initial public offering price for the units will be determined by negotiations among us and the representative of the underwriters based upon several factors, including prevailing market conditions, our historical performance, estimates of our business potential and earnings prospects, and the market valuations of similar companies, and may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the open market following this offering. The price at which our securities are traded after this offering may decline below the initial public offering price, meaning that you may experience a decrease in the value of your Class A common stock and warrants regardless of our operating performance or prospects..

Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly and could fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors due to seasonality and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, resulting in a decline in our stock price.

Seasonal factors and the timing of holidays also cause our sales to fluctuate from quarter to quarter. As a result of these factors, our quarterly and annual operating results and comparable restaurant sales may fluctuate significantly. Accordingly, results for any one quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other quarter or for any year and comparable restaurant sales for any particular future period may decrease. In addition, as we expand by opening more restaurants in cold weather climates, the seasonality of our business may be amplified. In the future, operating results may fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. In that event, the price of our securities could be adversely impacted.

The price of our securities may be volatile and you may lose all or part of your investment.

The market price of our securities could fluctuate significantly, and you may not be able to resell your securities at or above the offering price. Those fluctuations could be based on various factors in addition to those otherwise described in this prospectus, including those described under “—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry” and the following:

In addition, in recent years the stock market has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. These fluctuations may be unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may cause declines in the market price of our securities. The price of our securities could fluctuate based upon factors that have little or nothing to do with our business, financial condition or results of operations, and those fluctuations could adversely impact the market price of our securities.

Future sales of our common stock, or the perception that such sales may occur, could depress the market price of our securities.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, following this offering could depress the market price of our securities. This would include sales by James Chae, as detailed below under “—Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure—Future sales of our shares by James Chae could depress the market price of our securities.” Our executive officers and directors and holders of all of our options and equity interests, including James Chae, have agreed with the underwriters not to offer, sell, dispose of or hedge any shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock (including shares of our Class B common stock), subject to specified limited exceptions and extensions described elsewhere in this prospectus, during the period ending 12 months after the date of the final prospectus, except with the prior written consent of the representative of the underwriters. See “Underwriting.”

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue up to 49,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and 1,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, of which, as of the date of this prospectus, 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and                            shares of Class B common stock are outstanding. The shares of Class A common stock offered in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act, except for any shares of our common stock that may be held or acquired by our directors, executive officers, a consultant and other affiliates, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, which will be restricted securities under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may not be sold in the public market unless the sale is registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration is available.

After the expiration of the lock-up agreements, shares of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock held by our affiliates will continue to be subject to the volume and other restrictions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. The representative of the underwriters may, in its sole discretion and at any time without notice, release all or any portion of the shares subject to the lock-up. See “Underwriting.”

The warrants may not have any value.

The warrants will be exercisable for five years from the date of initial issuance at an initial exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price per unit set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. There can be no assurance that the market price of our shares of Class A common stock will ever equal or exceed the exercise price of the warrants. In the event that the stock price of our shares of Class A common stock does not exceed the exercise price of the warrants during the period when the warrants are exercisable, the warrants may not have any value.

Holders of warrants purchased in this offering will have no rights as stockholders until such holders exercise their warrants and acquire our shares of common stock.

Until holders of the warrants purchased in this offering acquire shares of common stock upon exercise thereof, such holders will have no rights with respect to the shares of common stock underlying the warrants. Upon exercise of the warrants, the holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the date they were entered in the register of members of the Company as a stockholder.

If you purchase shares of our common stock sold in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution.

If you purchase shares of our Class A common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution in the amount of $        per share (or $         per share if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option) because the initial public offering price of $         per share is substantially higher than the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our outstanding Class A common stock. This dilution is due in large part to the fact that our first shareholders paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares. See “Dilution.”

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our market price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our securities will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our securities would be negatively impacted. If we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage and if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrades our securities or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our market price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our securities could decrease, which could cause our market prices and trading volume to decline.

We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

We may retain future earnings, if any, for future operations, expansion and debt repayment and have no current plans to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare and pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our financial condition, results of operations, cash requirements, contractual restrictions and such other factors as our board of directors deems relevant. Our ability to pay dividends may also be limited by covenants under any future outstanding indebtedness we, our subsidiaries or affiliates incur. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it. See “Dividend Policy.”

Provisions in our charter documents and Delaware law may delay or prevent our acquisition by a third party.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and Delaware law, contain several provisions that may make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us without the approval of our board of directors. These provisions may make it more difficult or expensive for a third party to acquire a majority of our outstanding equity interests. These provisions also may delay, prevent or deter a merger, acquisition, tender offer, proxy contest or other transaction that might otherwise result in our stockholders receiving a premium over the market price for their common stock. See “Description of Securities.”

Our bylaws, each to be effective in connection with the completion of this offering, will contain an exclusive forum provision, which could limit a stockholder’s ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees.

Our bylaws, to be effective in connection with the completion of this offering, will contain an exclusive forum provision providing that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by, or other wrongdoing by, any of our directors, officers, employees, agents or stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. However, Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. In addition, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provisions will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or any other claim for which the federal and state courts have concurrent jurisdiction, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this provision of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws which we will adopt prior to the completion of this offering. The exclusive forum provisions, if enforced, may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find the exclusive forum provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. For example, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware recently determined that a provision stating that U.S. federal district courts are the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act is not enforceable.

Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

We intend to apply to have our Class A common stock and warrants listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the Nasdaq listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will be, or will continue to be, listed on Nasdaq in the future.

If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants which could limit the ability of warrant to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our Company.

Our warrant agreement will provide that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants or rights shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement or rights agreement, as applicable. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement or rights agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants or rights, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder or right holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant or right holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant or right holder.

This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our Company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.

Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure

We are controlled by James Chae, whose interests may differ from those of our other stockholders.

Immediately following this offering and the application of net proceeds from this offering, James Chae will control approximately      % of the combined voting power of our equity interests through their ownership of both Class A common stock and Class B common stock. James Chae will, for the foreseeable future, have significant influence over corporate management and affairs, and will be able to control virtually all matters requiring stockholder approval so long as James Chae owns a majority of the combined voting power of our outstanding equity interests. Following this offering, if James Chae continues to own at least           shares of Class B common stock, James Chae will own a majority of the combined voting power of our outstanding equity interests, and effectively control the outcome of matters submitted to stockholders that require a majority vote assuming          shares of Class A common stock and          shares of Class B common stock outstanding as of the completion of this offering. James Chae is able to, subject to applicable law, elect a majority of the members of our board of directors and control actions to be taken by us and our board of directors, including amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and approval of significant corporate transactions, including, among other matters, mergers and sales of substantially all of our assets, as well as incurrence of indebtedness by us. The directors so elected will have the authority, subject to the terms of our indebtedness and applicable rules and regulations, to issue additional stock, implement stock repurchase programs, declare dividends and make other decisions. It is possible that the interests of James Chae may in some circumstances conflict with our interests and the interests of our other stockholders, including you. For example, James Chae may have different tax positions from us that could influence their decisions regarding whether and when to dispose of assets and whether and when to incur new or refinance existing indebtedness. Such indebtedness could contain covenants that prevent us from declaring dividends to stockholders. In addition, the determination of future tax reporting positions and the structuring of future transactions may take into consideration James Chae’s tax or other considerations, which may differ from our considerations or our other stockholders. For additional information about our relationships with James Chae, you should read the information under the headings “Principal Stockholders” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions”.

We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq listing standards and, as a result, will qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

Immediately following this offering and the application of net proceeds from this offering, James Chae will control approximately           % of the combined voting power of our equity interests through their ownership of both Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Because of the voting power of James Chae, we are considered a “controlled company” for the purposes of the Nasdaq Stock Market. As such, we are exempt from certain corporate governance requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market, including (i) the requirement that a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors, (ii) the requirement that we have a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee that is composed entirely of independent directors and (iii) the requirement that we have a Compensation Committee that is composed entirely of independent directors. Following this offering, we intend to rely on some or all of these exemptions. As a result, we will not have a majority of independent directors, we will not have a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Compensation Committee may not consist entirely of independent directors so long as we are considered a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Stock Market requirements. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The interests of James Chae may conflict with ours or yours in the future.

Various conflicts of interest between James Chae and us could arise. Ownership interests of directors or officers of James Chae in our common stock, could create or appear to create potential conflicts of interest when those directors and officers are faced with decisions that could have different implications for James Chae. These decisions could, for example, relate to:

Potential conflicts of interest could also arise if we enter into any new commercial arrangements with James Chae in the future.

Future sales of our shares by James Chae could depress the price of our securities.

After this offering, and subject to the lock-up period described below, James Chae may sell all or a portion of the shares of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock that he owns (which shares of Class B common stock would be converted automatically into Class A shares in connection with any sale). Sales by James Chae in the public market could depress the price of our securities. James Chae is not subject to any contractual obligation to maintain any ownership position in our shares, except that it has agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of any of our equity interests for a period ending 12 months after the date of the final prospectus without the prior written consent of the representative of the underwriters, subject to specified limited exceptions and extensions described in “Underwriting.” Consequently, James Chae may decide not to maintain his ownership of our equity interests once the lock-up period expires.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business.” In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “target,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “objective,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “would,” “expect,” “believe,” “design,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “potential,” “plan,” “anticipate” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these assumptions, risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expected, including:

We discuss many of these risks in this prospectus in greater detail under the heading “Risk Factors.” Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this prospectus. Unless required by United States federal securities laws, we do not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the statement is made.

The market data and certain other statistical information used throughout this prospectus are based on independent industry publications, governmental publications, reports by market research firms or other independent sources. Some data are also based on our good faith estimates. Although we believe these third-party sources are reliable, we have not independently verified the information attributed to these third-party sources and cannot guarantee its accuracy and completeness. Similarly, our estimates have not been verified by any independent source.

You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds we will receive from this offering will be approximately $            based on an assumed initial public offering price of $         per unit, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and excluding proceeds received from the exercise of our warrants. If the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units in this offering from us is exercised in full, our net proceeds will be approximately $ after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and excluding proceeds received from the exercise of our warrants.

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per unit, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, would increase (decrease) net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $            , that the number of units offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same. We may also increase or decrease the number of units we are offering. Each 100,000 increase (decrease) in the number of units we are offering would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $          , assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per unit.

We intend to use the net proceeds we receive from this offering to fund our expansion and development of new corporate-owned locations, expand our distribution capabilities, develop our franchise program and for general corporate purposes.

Our expected use of net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business condition. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the amounts that we will actually spend. The amounts and timing of our actual use of net proceeds will vary depending on numerous factors. As a result, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds of this offering, and investors will be relying on our judgment regarding the application of the net proceeds.

DIVIDEND POLICY

No dividends have been declared or paid on our equity interests. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain any earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon then-existing conditions, including our earnings, capital requirements, results of operations, financial condition, business prospects and other factors that our board of directors considers relevant. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for additional information regarding our financial condition.

CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of September 30, 2021:

You should read the following table in conjunction with the sections entitled “Use of Proceeds,” “Selected Financial Data,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and related notes included in this prospectus.

DILUTION

Currently we have, and upon completion of this offering we will have, two classes of equity interests issued and outstanding: Class A common stock, which is being sold in this offering and to which we refer in this prospectus as “common stock,” and Class B common stock. Dilution is the amount by which the initial public offering price paid by purchasers of shares of our equity interests exceeds the net tangible book value per share of our equity interests immediately following the completion of the offering. Net tangible book value represents the amount of our total tangible assets reduced by our total liabilities. Net tangible book value per share represents our net tangible book value divided by the number of shares of our equity interests outstanding. The Company defines total tangible assets as total assets less intangible assets (including deferred tax assets and deferred offering costs). As of September 30, 2021, prior to giving effect to the offering, our net tangible book value was $         and our net tangible book value per share was $           .

After giving effect to the issuance and sale of the           units offered in this offering and the application of the estimated net proceeds of the offering received by us, as described in “Use of Proceeds,” based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $          per unit, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, and assuming that no warrants are exercised, our net tangible book value as of September 30, 2021 would have been approximately $         , or $          per share of equity interest. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value to our existing stockholders (including James Chae) of $          per share and an immediate dilution to new investors in this offering of $          per share. The following table illustrates this per share dilution net tangible book value to new investors after giving effect to this offering:

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $        per unit would increase (decrease) our net tangible book value by $         , the net tangible book value per share after this offering by $        and the dilution per share to new investors by $        , assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock after giving effect to this offering would be $         per share, which amount represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $ per share to existing stockholders (including James Chae) and the immediate dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering of $         per share.

The following table presents, as of September 30, 2021, the differences between the number of shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us, and the average price per share paid by existing stockholders (including James Chae) and by new investors purchasing Class A common stock at the assumed initial offering price of $           per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters were to fully exercise their option to purchase            additional shares of our Class A common stock, the percentage of shares of our Class A common stock held by James Chae after this offering would be         %, and the percentage of shares of our Class A common stock held by new investors after this offering would be                   %.

To the extent any outstanding options or other equity awards are exercised or become vested or any additional options or other equity awards are granted and exercised or become vested or other issuances of shares of our common stock are made, there may be further economic dilution to new investors.

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following table summarizes our historical financial and operating data for the periods and as of the dates indicated. The statements of income data for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020 and the balance sheet data as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020 have been derived from our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the statements of income data for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2021 and the balance sheet data as of September 30, 2021 from our unaudited interim financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The financial data presented includes all normal and recurring adjustments that we consider necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for such periods.

The historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. This information should be read in conjunction with “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited financial statements and unaudited interim financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

EBITDA is calculated as net income before interest expense, provision (benefit) for income taxes and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA further adjusts EBITDA to reflect the additions and eliminations described in the table below. Restaurant-level Contribution represents operating income plus depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, pre-opening rent expense, pre-opening costs, non-cash rent expense, asset disposals, closure costs and restaurant impairments, general and administrative expenses, less corporate-level stock-based compensation expense. Restaurant-level Contribution margin is defined as Restaurant-level Contribution divided by sales.

We believe that the use of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing the Company’s financial measures with those of comparable companies, which may present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. However, you should be aware that Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin are financial measures which are not indicative of overall results for the Company, and Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin do not accrue directly to the benefit of stockholders because of corporate-level expenses excluded from such measures. In addition, you should be aware when evaluating EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin that in the future we may incur expenses similar to those excluded when calculating these measures. Our presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Our computation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures computed by other companies, because all companies may not calculate EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin in the same fashion.

Because of these limitations, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin on a supplemental basis. Our management recognizes that EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant-level Contribution and Restaurant-level Contribution margin have limitations as analytical financial measures, including the following:

A reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is provided below:

The following table presents a reconciliation of operating income to Restaurant-level Contribution:

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with the “Selected Financial Data” and our financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should review the “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” sections of this prospectus for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.

Overview of Yoshiharu

Yoshiharu is a fast-growing Japanese restaurant operator and was borne out the idea of introducing the modernized Japanese dining experience to customers all over the world. Specializing in authentic Japanese ramen, Yoshiharu gained recognition as a leading ramen restaurant in Southern California within six months of our 2016 debut and has continued to expand our top-notch restaurant service across Southern California, currently owning and operating 6 restaurant stores with an additional 8 in development and 14 expected to open in 2022.

We take pride in our warm, hearty, smooth, and rich bone broth, which is slowly boiled for over 12 hours. Customers can taste and experience supreme quality and deep flavors. Combining the broth with the fresh, savory, and highest-quality ingredients, Yoshiharu serves the perfect, ideal ramen, as well as offers customers a wide variety of sushi, bento menu and other favorite Japanese cuisine. Our acclaimed signature Tonkotsu Black Ramen has become a customer favorite with its slow cooked pork bone broth and freshly made, tender chashu (braised pork belly).

Our mission is to bring ramen and Japanese cuisine to the mainstream, by providing a meal that customers find comforting. Since the inception of the business, we have been making our own ramen broth and other key ingredients such as pork chashu and flavored eggs from scratch, whereby upholding the quality and taste of our foods, including the signature texture and deep, rich flavor of our handcrafted broth. Moreover, we believe that slowly cooking the bone broth makes it high in collagen and rich in nutrients. Yoshiharu also strives to present food that is not only healthy, but also affordable. We feed, entertain and delight our customers, with our active kitchens and bustling dining rooms providing happy hours, student and senior discounts, and special holiday events. As a result of our vision, customers can comfortably enjoy our food in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Our success has resulted in strong financial results as illustrated by the following:

Our flexible physical footprint, which has allowed us to open restaurants in size ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet, allows us to open in-line and end-cap restaurant formats at strip malls and shopping centers and penetrate markets in both suburban and urban areas.

Our Growth Strategies

Pursue New Restaurant Development.

We have pursued a disciplined new corporate owned growth strategy. Having expanded our concept and operating model across varying restaurant sizes and geographies, we plan to leverage our expertise opening new restaurants to fill in existing markets and expand into new geographies. While we currently aim to achieve in excess of 100% annual unit growth rate over the next three to five years, we cannot predict the time period of which we can achieve any level of restaurant growth or whether we will achieve this level of growth at all. Our ability to achieve new restaurant growth is impacted by a number of risks and uncertainties beyond our control, including those described under the caption “Risk Factors.” In particular, see “Risk Factors—Our long-term success is highly dependent on our ability to successfully identify and secure appropriate sites and timely develop and expand our operations in existing and new markets” for specific risks that could impede our ability to achieve new restaurant growth in the future. We believe there is a significant opportunity to employ this strategy to open additional restaurants in our existing markets and in new markets with similar demographics and retail environments.

Deliver Consistent Comparable Restaurant Sales Growth.

We have achieved positive comparable restaurant sales growth in recent periods. We believe we will be able to generate future comparable restaurant sales growth by growing traffic through increased brand awareness, consistent delivery of a satisfying dining experience, new menu offerings, and restaurant renovations. We will continue to manage our menu and pricing as part of our overall strategy to drive traffic and increase average check. We are also exploring initiatives to grow sales of alcoholic beverages at our restaurants, including the potential of a larger format restaurant with a sake bar concept.

Franchise Program Development.

We expect to initiate sales of franchises beginning in 2022. We expect to submit an application for franchise registration in California, and we expect to submit franchise applications in additional states over the next few months. While our initial franchise development will focus on the United States, we also believe the Yoshiharu concept will attract future franchise partners around the world.

Increase Profitability.

We have invested in our infrastructure and personnel, which we believe positions us to continue to scale our business operations. As we continue to grow, we expect to drive higher profitability by taking advantage of our increasing buying power with suppliers and leveraging our existing support infrastructure. Additionally, we believe we will be able to optimize labor costs at existing restaurants as our restaurant base matures and AUVs increase. We believe that as our restaurant base grows, our general and administrative costs will increase at a slower rate than our sales.

Heighten Brand Awareness.

We intend to continue to pursue targeted local marketing efforts and plan to increase our investment in advertising. We also are exploring the development of instant ramen noodles which we would distribute through retail channels. We intend to explore partnerships with grocery retailers to provide for small-format Yoshiharu kiosks in stores to promote a limited selection of Yoshiharu cuisine.

Corporate Overview

In December 2021, Yoshiharu Holdings was formed by James Chae as an S corporation for the purpose of acquiring all of the equity in each of the 6 restaurant store entities which were previously founded and wholly owned directly by James Chae in exchange for an issuance of 10,000,000 shares to James Chae, which constituted all of the issued and outstanding equity in Yoshiharu Holdings Corporation.

Yoshiharu Global Co. was incorporated on December 9, 2021 in Delaware by James Chae for purposes of effecting the IPO. On December 9, 2021, James Chae contributed 100% of the equity in Yoshiharu Holdings Corporation to Yoshiharu Global Co. in exchange for the issuance by Yoshiharu Global Co. of 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock to James Chae.

Following the closing of this offering, James Chae will own all of our Class B common stock and               shares of our Class A common stock, representing approximately % of the combined voting power of our outstanding capital stock, or % if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional units. See “Principal Stockholders.” As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, and James Chae will be able to exert significant voting influence over fundamental and significant corporate matters and transactions and may have interests that differ from yours. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure.”

On all matters to be voted on by stockholders, holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share while holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to 10 votes per share. Each share of Class B common stock is convertible into one share of Class A common stock at the option of the holder, upon transfer or in certain specified circumstances. With the exception of voting rights and conversion rights, holders of Class A and Class B common stock will have identical rights. We do not intend to list Class B common stock on any stock exchange.

COVID-19 Impact on Concentration of Risk

The novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic has significantly impacted health and economic conditions throughout the United States and globally, as public concern about becoming ill with the virus has led to the issuance of recommendations and/or mandates from federal, state and local authorities to practice social distancing or self-quarantine. The Company is continually monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19 and the related business and travel restrictions and changes to behavior intended to reduce its spread, and its impact on operations, financial position, cash flows, inventory, supply chains, purchasing trends, customer payments, and the industry in general, in addition to the impact on its employees. We have experienced significant disruptions to our business due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related suggested and mandated social distancing and shelter-in-place orders.

Key Performance Indicators

Sales

Sales represents sales of food and beverages in restaurants, as shown on our statements of income. Several factors affect our restaurant sales in any given period including the number of restaurants in operation, guest traffic and average check.