-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 QNhU4pzbv0CB70CAcQWAO9v/Q3ro0e1D8Zraeb3Zmo0KhCti4oy8FXAWrKjF1dnT
 /SRVUtJCSLL1BBUuVeAVlA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-011484.txt : 20030624
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-011484.hdr.sgml : 20030624
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030624144215
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-011484
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030620
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030624

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PETROCELLI ATTILIO F
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001208659

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-03189
		FILM NUMBER:		03754987

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NATHAN'S FAMOUS INC
		STREET 2:		1400 OLD COUNTRY RD.
		CITY:			WESTBURY
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11590

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NATHANS FAMOUS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000069733
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-EATING PLACES [5812]
		IRS NUMBER:				113166443
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0329

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1400 OLD COUNTRY RD
		CITY:			WESTBURY
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11590
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5163388500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1400 OLD COUNTRY RD
		STREET 2:		STE 400
		CITY:			WESTBURY
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11590
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd11603.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 FILING
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-06-20</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000069733</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATHANS FAMOUS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NATH</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001208659</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PETROCELLI ATTILIO F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>1988-08-08</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>0</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>48500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>2001 Stock Option Plan (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>3.81</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-20</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>10000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0.00</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2004-06-20</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2013-06-19</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>30000</value>
<footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">No transactions reported.  Securities beneficially owned.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Options vest 33 1/3% on each of 06/20/04, 06/20/05, and 06/20/06.</footnote>
<footnote id="F3">Does not include 17,500 options under the 1998 Stock Option Plan and 50,000 options under the Director Stock Option Plan.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>A.F. Petrocelli</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-06-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----