CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

9 Months Ended

Jul. 02, 2011

Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements [Text Block]

1. CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The consolidated condensed balance sheet as of October 2, 2010, which has been derived from audited financial statements included in the Form 10-K, and the unaudited interim consolidated and condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation for the periods presented have been reflected as required by Regulation S-X, Rule 10-01. Such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted. These consolidated condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 2, 2010. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be expected for the full year or any other interim period.

PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION — The consolidated condensed interim financial statements include the accounts of Ark Restaurants Corp. and all of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, partnerships and other entities in which it has a controlling interest. Also included in the consolidated condensed interim financial statements are certain variable interest entities. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

SEASONALITY — The Company has substantial fixed costs that do not decline proportionally with sales. The first and second fiscal quarters, which include the winter months, usually reflect lower customer traffic than in the third and fourth fiscal quarters. In addition, sales in the third and fourth fiscal quarters can be adversely affected by inclement weather due to the significant amount of outdoor seating at the Company’s restaurants.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, deposits with banks and highly liquid investments generally with original maturities of three months or less. Outstanding checks in excess of account balances, typically vendor payments, payroll and other contractual obligations disbursed after the last day of a reporting period are reported as a current liability in the accompanying consolidated condensed balance sheets.

AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE SECURITIES — Available-for-sale securities consist primarily of US Treasury Bills and Notes, all of which have a high degree of liquidity and are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recorded in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The cost of investments in available-for-sale securities is determined on a specific identification basis. Realized gains or losses and declines in value judged to be other than temporary, if any, are reported in Other (Income) Expense, Net. The Company evaluates its investments periodically for possible impairment and reviews factors such as the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below cost basis and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time which may be sufficient for anticipated recovery in market value.

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS — The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, investments, receivables, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value due to the immediate or short-term maturity of these financial instruments. The fair value of notes payable is determined using current applicable rates for similar instruments as of the balance sheet date and approximates the carrying value of such debt.

NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS ADOPTED IN FISCAL 2011 — Effective October 3, 2010, the Company adopted amendments to Accounting Standards Code (“ASC”) Topic 810 (formerly the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement of Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 167—Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R) (“SFAS No 167”)). This requires an enterprise to perform an analysis to determine whether the enterprise’s variable interest or interests give it a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity (“VIE”). This analysis identifies the primary beneficiary of a VIE as the enterprise that has both of the following characteristics: (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impacts the entity’s economic performance; and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Additionally, an enterprise is required to assess whether it has an implicit financial responsibility to ensure that a VIE operates as designed when determining whether it has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance. This statement requires the Company to focus on a more qualitative approach, rather than a quantitative approach previously required for determining the primary beneficiary of a VIE, it also amended certain guidance for determining whether an entity is a VIE, added an additional requirement to assess whether an entity is a VIE, on an ongoing basis, and required enhanced disclosures that provide users of financial statements with more transparent information about an enterprise’s involvement in a VIE. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the consolidation of certain limited partnerships in the quarter ended January 1, 2011. The Company did not retroactively apply this guidance. See Note 2 for additional information regarding the impact of the adoption of this standard on the consolidated condensed financial statements.

NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOT YET ADOPTED — In May 2011, the FASB issued guidance that amends U.S. GAAP to conform it with fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The amendments changed the wording used to describe the requirements in U.S. GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The provisions of this guidance are effective for the first reporting period (including interim periods) beginning after December 15, 2011. We are currently evaluating the impact this accounting standard update will have on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition or disclosures.

In June 2011, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on the presentation of other comprehensive income. The new guidance eliminates the current option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. Instead, an entity has the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The new accounting guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. Full retrospective application is required. As the new accounting guidance will only amend the presentation requirements of other comprehensive income, we do not expect the adoption to have any impact on our consolidated financial condition or results of operations.