By Randy Tucker
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Walnut Hills-based operator of Frisch's Big Boy and Golden Corral on Tuesday reported record sales and earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2004.

Earnings for the 12-week period that ended March 7 rose nearly 40 percent to $2.2 million, or 43 cents per share, from $1.6 million in the comparable period a year ago.

Sales climbed about 15 percent to $59.6 million for the period.

"We experienced considerably higher customer counts in the quarter compared to last year's third quarter, when severe winter weather led to the only decrease in Big Boy same-store sales in the last 26 quarters," said president and CEO Craig F. Maier

Shares of Frisch's Restaurants Inc. closed down 7 cents at $28.10 Tuesday.

Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, rose about 7 percent at Big Boy restaurants but remained flat at Golden Corral restaurants.

Still, Golden Corral's same-store sales have risen 1.5 percent so far this fiscal year.

Meanwhile, year-to-date earnings rose nearly 18 percent to $7.9 million from $6.7 million for the first three quarters of fiscal 2003.

E-mail rtucker@enquirer.com