Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
WAITES BENJAMIN A
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
RARE HOSPITALITY INTERNATIONAL INC [RARE]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Accounting Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
8215 ROSWELL ROAD, BUILDING 600
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/08/2006
(Street)

ATLANTA, GA 30350
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 02/08/2006   A   3,253 A $ 0 7,989 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 31.5 02/08/2006   A   4,561   02/08/2007(1) 02/08/2016 Common Stock 4,561 $ 0 4,561 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 31.5 02/08/2006   A   7,861   02/08/2007(2) 02/08/2016 Common Stock 7,861 $ 0 7,861 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy) $ 31.5 02/08/2006   A   2,280   02/08/2009(3) 02/08/2016 Common Stock 2,280 $ 0 2,280 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy) $ 31.5 02/08/2006   A   896   02/08/2009(4) 02/08/2016 Common Stock 896 $ 0 896 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
WAITES BENJAMIN A
8215 ROSWELL ROAD
BUILDING 600
ATLANTA, GA 30350
      Chief Accounting Officer  

Signatures

 Benjamin A. Waites, by Joia M. Johnson, Attorney-In-Fact   02/10/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Grant to reporting person of option to purchase shares under the RARE Hospitality International, Inc. Amended and Restated 2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The options vest with respect to 2,281 shares on February 8, 2007; and 2,280 shares on February 8, 2008.
(2) Grant to reporting person of option to purchase shares under the RARE Hospitality International, Inc. Amended and Restated 2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The options vest with respect to 2,189 shares on February 8, 2007; 2,189 shares on February 8, 2008; and 3,483 shares on February 8, 2009.
(3) Grant to reporting person of option to purchase shares under the RARE Hospitality International, Inc. Amended and Restated 2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The options vest with respect to 2,280 shares on February 8, 2009.
(4) Grant to reporting person of option to purchase shares under the RARE Hospitality International, Inc. Amended and Restated 2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The options vest with respect to 896 shares on February 8, 2009.

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