LANDRY’S RESTAURANTS, INC. (“LNY”/NYSE) REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2009 RESULTS

Houston, Texas (May 7, 2009)
Landry’s Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: LNY - News; the “Company”), today announced its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009.
Revenues from continuing operations for the three months ended March 31, 2009, totaled $256.3 million, as compared to $292.3 million a year earlier. Revenues from the restaurant and hospitality group were $200.3 million and $222.5 million for the first quarter of 2009 and 2008, respectively and $56.0 million and $69.8 million for the same periods from the Golden Nugget properties. The prior year results included an additional day due to leap year. Income from continuing operations for the quarter was $7.1 million, compared to $2.5 million reported last year. On a pre-tax basis, results for the first quarter included $7.5 million in reduced rent expense from a lease termination payment received to exit one location, $3.5 million representing a gain on insurance proceeds in excess of the book value of the damaged assets, a gain on the sale of property of $0.6 million partially offset by a $4.0 million expense for call premiums arising from the Company’s successful refinancing in February 2009 and $0.8 million in costs associated with the terminated going private transaction. In addition, the first quarter included a $0.4 million non-cash pre-tax gain on the value of interest rate swaps not designated as hedges as compared to a loss of $4.7 million during the same period in 2008. Same store sales for the Company’s restaurants were negative 9% for the quarter. Earnings per share-diluted from continuing operations for the quarter were $0.44, compared to $0.15 reported last year.
Interest expense for the first quarter of 2009 was $24.6 million compared to $20.8 million in the first quarter of 2008 primarily due to higher borrowings associated with construction of the new tower at the Golden Nugget and higher interest rates resulting from the refinancing in 2009.
Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2009 was $52.4 million comprised of $39.9 million for the restaurant and hospitality group and $12.5 million from gaming operations compared to $46.7 million in the comparable prior year period with $28.5 million from restaurant and hospitality and $18.2 million from gaming. Excluding the non recurring items described above, adjusted EBITDA for the quarter would have been $45.5 million as compared to $46.7 million in the same period in the prior year. Restaurant and hospitality would have contributed $33.0 million compared to $28.5 million in the prior year while gaming operations contributed $12.5 million in the first quarter 2009 versus $18.2 million in the first quarter of 2008.