2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

GAAP – The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP").

Fiscal year – The Company's fiscal year ends on the Friday nearest July 31st and each quarter consists of thirteen weeks unless noted otherwise. The Company's fiscal year ended August 3, 2012 consisted of 53 weeks and the fourth quarter of 2012 consisted of fourteen weeks. References in these Notes to a year or quarter are to the Company's fiscal year or quarter unless noted otherwise.

Principles of consolidation – The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Cash and cash equivalents – The Company's policy is to consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Property held for sale – Property held for sale consists of real estate properties that the Company expects to sell within one year and is reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. At August 2, 2013 and August 3, 2012, property held for sale consisted of office space.

Accounts receivable – Accounts receivable represent their estimated net realizable value. Accounts receivable are written off when they are deemed uncollectible.

Inventories – Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost of restaurant inventory is determined by the first‑in, first‑out ("FIFO") method. Retail inventories are valued using the retail inventory method ("RIM") except at the retail distribution center which uses average cost. Approximately 75% of retail inventories are valued using RIM and the remaining 25% are valued using an average cost method. See Note 4 for additional information regarding the components of inventory.

Valuation provisions are included for retail inventory obsolescence, retail inventory shrinkage, returns and amortization of certain items. Cost of goods sold includes an estimate of retail inventory shrinkage that is adjusted upon physical inventory counts. Annual physical inventory counts are conducted throughout the third and fourth quarters based upon a cyclical inventory schedule. An estimate of shrinkage is recorded for the time period between physical inventory counts by using a three-year average of the physical inventories' results on a store-by-store basis.

Property and equipment – Property and equipment are stated at cost. For financial reporting purposes, depreciation and amortization on these assets are computed by use of the straight‑line and double‑declining balance methods over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, as follows:

	Years
Buildings and improvements		30-45
Buildings under capital leases		15-25
Restaurant and other equipment		2-10
Leasehold improvements		1-35

Accelerated depreciation methods are generally used for income tax purposes.

Total depreciation expense and depreciation expense related to store operations for each of the three years are as follows:

	2013		2012		2011
Total depreciation expense	$	65,351	$	63,705	$	61,677
Depreciation expense related to store operations*		60,574		58,423		56,985

*Depreciation expense related to store operations is included in other store operating expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Gain or loss is recognized upon disposal of property and equipment. The asset and related accumulated depreciation and amortization amounts are removed from the accounts.

Maintenance and repairs, including the replacement of minor items, are charged to expense and major additions to property and equipment are capitalized.

Impairment of long-lived assets – The Company assesses the impairment of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying value of the asset to the undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the total expected future cash flows are less than the carrying value of the asset, the carrying value is written down, for an asset to be held and used, to the estimated fair value or, for an asset to be disposed of, to the fair value, net of estimated costs of disposal. Any loss resulting from impairment is recognized by a charge to income. See Note 9 for additional information on the Company's impairment of long-lived assets.

Derivative instruments and hedging activities – The Company is exposed to market risk, such as changes in interest rates and commodity prices. The Company has interest rate risk relative to its outstanding borrowings, which bear interest at the Company's election either at the prime rate or LIBOR plus a percentage point spread based on certain specified financial ratios under its credit facility (see Note 5). The Company's policy has been to manage interest cost using a mix of fixed and variable rate debt. To manage this risk in a cost efficient manner, the Company uses derivative instruments, specifically interest rate swaps.

Companies may elect whether or not to offset related assets and liabilities and report the net amount on their financial statements if the right of setoff exists. Under a master netting agreement, the Company has the legal right to offset the amounts owed to the Company against amounts owed by the Company under a derivative instrument that exists between the Company and a counterparty. When the Company is engaged in more than one outstanding derivative transaction with the same counterparty and also has a legally enforceable master netting agreement with that counterparty, its credit risk exposure is based on the net exposure under the master netting agreement. If, on a net basis, the Company owes the counterparty, the Company regards its credit exposure to the counterparty as being zero.

The Company does not hold or use derivative instruments for trading purposes. The Company also does not have any derivatives not designated as hedging instruments and has not designated any non-derivatives as hedging instruments. See Note 6 for additional information on the Company's derivative and hedging activities.

Segment reporting – Operating segments are components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. Utilizing these criteria, the Company manages its business on the basis of one reportable operating segment (see Note 8 for additional information regarding segment reporting).

Revenue recognition – The Company records revenue from the sale of products as they are sold. The Company provides for estimated returns based on return history and sales levels. The Company's policy is to present sales in the Consolidated Statements of Income on a net presentation basis after deducting sales tax.

Unredeemed gift cards and certificates – Unredeemed gift cards and certificates represent a liability of the Company related to unearned income and are recorded at their expected redemption value. No revenue is recognized in connection with the point-of-sale transaction when gift cards or gift certificates are sold. For those states that exempt gift cards and certificates from their escheat laws, the Company makes estimates of the ultimate unredeemed ("breakage") gift cards and certificates in the period of the original sale and amortizes this breakage over the redemption period that other gift cards and certificates historically have been redeemed by reducing its liability and recording revenue accordingly. For those states that do not exempt gift cards and certificates from their escheat laws, the Company records breakage in the period that gift cards and certificates are remitted to the state and reduces its liability accordingly. Any amounts remitted to states under escheat or similar laws reduce the Company's deferred revenue liability and have no effect on revenue or expense while any amounts that the Company is permitted to retain are recorded as revenue.

Insurance – The Company self-insures a significant portion of its workers' compensation, general liability and health insurance programs. The Company purchases insurance for individual workers' compensation claims that exceed $250, $500 or $1,000 depending on the state in which the claim originates. The Company purchases insurance for individual general liability claims that exceed $500.

The Company records a reserve for workers' compensation and general liability for all unresolved claims and for an estimate of incurred but not reported claims ("IBNR"). These reserves and estimates of IBNR claims are based upon a full scope actuarial study which is performed annually at the end of the Company's third quarter and is adjusted by the actuarially determined losses and actual claims payments for the fourth quarter. The reserves and losses in the actuarial study represent a range of possible outcomes within which no given estimate is more likely than any other estimate. As such, the Company records the losses at the lower end of that range and discounts them to present value using a risk-free interest rate based on projected timing of payments. The Company also monitors actual claims development, including incurrence or settlement of individual large claims during the interim periods between actuarial studies as another means of estimating the adequacy of its reserves. Beginning in the second quarter of 2011, the Company began performing limited scope actuarial studies on a quarterly basis to verify and/or modify the Company's reserves.

For the Company's health insurance plans, benefits for any individual (employee or dependents) in the self-insured program are limited to not more than $20 in any given year, and, in certain cases, to not more than $8 in any given year. The Company records a liability for the self-insured portion of its group health program for all unpaid claims based upon a loss development analysis derived from actual group health claims payment experience. Beginning in the first quarter of 2012, the fully-insured portion of the Company's health insurance program contains a retrospective feature which could increase or decrease premiums based on actual claims experience.

Store pre-opening costs – Start-up costs of a new store are expensed when incurred, with the exception of rent expense under operating leases, in which the straight-line rent includes the pre-opening period during construction, as explained further under the "Leases" section in this Note.

Leases – The Company's leases are classified as either capital or operating leases. The Company has ground leases and office space leases that are recorded as operating leases. The Company also leases its advertising billboards which are recorded as operating leases. A majority of the Company's lease agreements provide renewal options and some of these options contain rent escalation clauses. Additionally, some of the leases have rent holiday and contingent rent provisions. During rent holiday periods, which include the pre-opening period during construction, the Company has possession of and access to the property, but is not obligated to, and normally does not, make rent payments. Contingent rent is determined as a percentage of gross sales in excess of specified levels. The Company records a contingent rent liability and corresponding rent expense when it is probable sales have been achieved in amounts in excess of the specified levels.

The liabilities under these leases are recognized on the straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life, with a maximum of 35 years, or the related lease life. The Company uses a lease life that generally begins on the date that the Company becomes legally obligated under the lease, including the rent holiday periods, and generally extends through certain renewal periods that can be exercised at the Company's option, for which at the inception of the lease, it is reasonably assured that the Company will exercise those renewal options. This lease period is consistent with the period over which leasehold improvements are amortized.

Advertising – The Company expenses the costs of producing advertising the first time the advertising takes place. Other advertising costs are expensed as incurred.

Advertising expense for each of the three years was as follows:

		2013				2012				2011
Advertising expense		$	59,957			$	56,198			$	48,889

Share-based compensation – The Company's share-based compensation consists of nonvested stock, performance-based market stock units ("MSU Grants") and stock options. Share-based compensation is recorded in general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Share-based compensation expense is recognized based on the grant date fair value and the achievement of performance conditions for certain awards. The Company recognizes share-based compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the award's vesting period, or to the date on which retirement eligibility is achieved, if shorter.

Certain nonvested stock awards and the Company's MSU Grants contain performance conditions. Compensation expense for performance-based awards is recognized when it is probable that the performance criteria will be met. If any performance goals are not met, no compensation expense is ultimately recognized and, to the extent previously recognized, compensation expense is reversed.

If a share-based compensation award is modified after the grant date, incremental compensation expense is recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the fair value of the modified award over the fair value of the original award immediately before the modification. Incremental compensation expense for vested awards is recognized immediately. For unvested awards, the sum of the incremental compensation expense and the remaining unrecognized compensation expense for the original award on the modification date is recognized over the modified service period.

Additionally, the Company's policy is to issue shares of common stock to satisfy exercises of share-based compensation awards.

Income taxes – The Company's provision for income taxes includes employer tax credits for FICA taxes paid on employee tip income and other employer tax credits are accounted for by the flow-through method. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The Company recognizes (or derecognizes) a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return in the financial statements when it is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than fifty percent) that the position would be sustained (or not sustained) upon examination by tax authorities. A recognized tax position is then measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company recognizes, net of tax, interest and estimated penalties related to uncertain tax positions in its provision for income taxes. See Note 14 for additional information regarding income taxes.

Comprehensive income – Comprehensive income includes net income and the effective unrealized portion of the changes in the fair value of the Company's interest rate swaps.

Discontinued operations – The Company classifies the results of operations of a closed store as a discontinued operation when the operations and cash flows of the store have been or will be eliminated from ongoing operations, the Company no longer has any significant continuing involvement in the operations associated with the store after closure and the results are material to the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In determining whether the cash flows have been or will be eliminated from operations, the Company considers the proximity of the closed store to any remaining open stores in the geographic area to evaluate whether the Company will retain the closed store's customers at another store in the same market. Unless considered immaterial, if the Company determines that it has exited the market, then the closed store will be classified as a discontinued operation. The Company closed one store in 2011; this closed store was not classified as discontinued operations. The Company did not close any stores in 2013 or 2012.

Net income per share – Basic consolidated net income per share is computed by dividing consolidated net income to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the reporting period. Diluted consolidated net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities, options or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock and is based upon the weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the year. Common equivalent shares related to stock options, nonvested stock awards and MSU Grants issued by the Company are calculated using the treasury stock method. Outstanding employee and director stock options, nonvested stock awards and MSU Grants issued by the Company represent the only dilutive effects on diluted consolidated net income per share. See Note 15 for additional information regarding net income per share.

Use of estimates – Management of the Company has made certain estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods to prepare these Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP. Management believes that such estimates have been based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and that the resulting estimates are reasonable for use in the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results, however, could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

Presentation of Comprehensive Income

In June 2011, the FASB issued amended accounting guidance which requires companies to present total comprehensive income and its components and the components of net income in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two consecutive statements reporting net income and comprehensive income. This requirement eliminates the option to present components of comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity. This guidance affects only the presentation of comprehensive income and does not change the components of comprehensive income. The Company adopted this accounting guidance on a retrospective basis in the first quarter of 2013 by presenting separate but consecutive statements. The adoption of this accounting guidance did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

In December 2011, the FASB issued accounting guidance which requires companies to disclose information about the nature of their rights of setoff and related arrangements associated with their financial instruments and derivative instruments to enable users of financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on their financial position. Each company will be required to provide both net and gross information in the notes to its financial statements for relevant assets and liabilities that are eligible for offset. In January 2013, the FASB issued additional accounting guidance which limits these disclosures to derivatives, repurchase agreements and securities lending transactions to the extent that they are offset in the financial statements or subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement. These disclosure requirements are effective for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2013 on a retrospective basis. The Company does not expect that the adoption of these disclosure requirements in the first quarter of 2014 will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2013, the FASB issued accounting guidance which requires companies to provide information regarding the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. A company will be required to present, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required by GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, a company is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under GAAP that provide additional detail regarding those amounts. This accounting guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2012 on a prospective basis. Since the guidance only affects presentation and disclosure of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income, the adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of 2014 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.