Highlights for the fourth quarter and full year 2011 compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2010 were as follows:

Revenues: Total revenues in the fourth quarter rose 7.1% to $99.6 million compared to $93.0 million in the prior year. Total revenues in full year 2011 rose 4.7% to $369.6 million compared to $353.0 million in the prior year.

Operating expenses: Operating expenses increased by $9 million or 10.3% in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of 2010.

Net income: Net income available to preferred and common shareholders in the fourth quarter decreased to $1.9 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $0.04, compared to net income of $3.9 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $0.09, in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Michael P. O'Donnell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc., stated, ?We?re extremely pleased with the continued momentum of the Ruth?s Chris brand. Our same store sales growth of 7.7% at Ruth?s, on top of last year?s 9.2% increase, demonstrates our ongoing focus on exemplary service and distinctive, high-quality offerings. It also marks the seventh consecutive quarter of comparable sales growth and our eighth consecutive quarter of traffic gains in the Ruth?s Chris brand. We?re also encouraged that Mitchell?s same store sales continued its upward trajectory and returned to positive territory during the quarter. As we announced earlier this week, we are transitioning the leadership at Mitchell?s from Sam Tancredi to Pete Beadrault. Pete brings to Mitchell?s a broad multi-unit operator history and a record of positioning concepts for growth and profitability. We are thankful for Sam?s efforts over the last three years and look forward to Pete?s future contributions. Looking ahead to 2012, while food inflation is expected to provide continued cost challenges, we believe that through the efforts of our entire team, we have further strengthened our brand during the past year and believe we are well positioned to take advantage of continued improvement in the upscale dining segment during 2012.?

Review of Fourth Quarter 2011 Operating Results

Total revenues, which include Company-owned restaurant sales, franchise income, and other operating income, were $99.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to $93.0 million in the same quarter last year.

Company-owned restaurant sales increased 6.8% to $95.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2011 from $89.3 million in the same quarter last year. Total operating weeks for the quarter were flat year-over-year at 1,105.

Ruth?s Chris Steak House Sales

Mitchell?s Fish Market Sales

Franchise Income

Operating Expenses

Net income: Net income available to preferred and common shareholders in the fourth quarter decreased to $1.9 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $0.04, compared to net income available to preferred and common shareholders of $3.9 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $0.09, in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Financial Outlook

The following statements are not guarantees of future performance, and therefore, undue reliance should not be placed upon them. We refer all of you to our recent filings with the SEC for a more detailed discussion of the risks that could impact future operating results and financial conditions.

Based on current information, Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc. is providing the following 2012 outlook:

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call to discuss fourth quarter 2011 financial results today at 8:30 AM Eastern Standard Time. Hosting the call will be Mike O?Donnell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Arne Haak, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing 888-329-8903 or for international callers by dialing 719-457-2632. A replay will be available one hour after the call and can be accessed by dialing 877-870-5176 or 858-384-5517 for international callers; the password is 2074549. The replay will be available until February 17, 2012. The call will also be webcast live from the Company's website at www.rhgi.com under the investor relations section.

About Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc.

Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RUTH) is a leading restaurant company focused exclusively on the upscale dining segment. The Company owns the Ruth?s Chris Steak House, Mitchell?s Fish Market, Mitchell?s Steakhouse and Cameron?s Steakhouse concepts. With more than 150 Company- and franchisee-owned locations worldwide, Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Winter Park, Fla.

For further information about our restaurants, to make reservations, or to purchase gift cards, please visit: www.RuthsChris.com, www.MitchellsFishMarket.com, www.MitchellsSteakhouse.com and www.Camerons-Steakhouse.com. For more information about Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc., please visit www.rhgi.com.

Non-GAAP Measure

We prepare our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Within our press release, we make reference to non-GAAP diluted earnings per common share. This non-GAAP measurement was calculated by excluding certain non-cash items and income (loss) on discontinued operations. This non-GAAP measurement has been included as supplemental information. We believe that this measure represents a useful internal measure of performance. Accordingly, where this non-GAAP measure is provided, it is done so that investors have the same financial data that management uses in evaluating performance with the belief that it will assist the investment community in assessing our underlying performance on a quarter-over-quarter basis. However, because this measure is not determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, such a measure is susceptible to varying calculations and not all companies calculate the measure in the same manner. As a result, the aforementioned measure as presented may not be directly comparable to a similarly titled measure presented by other companies. This non-GAAP measure is presented as supplemental information and not as alternatives to any GAAP measurements.