weeks ended July 1, 2025 and July 2, 2024, was approximately $0.9 million and $0.5 million, or 0.2% of revenues, of stock-based compensation expense related to equity awards granted in accordance with our Gold Standard Stock Ownership Program for certain restaurant management team members.
Occupancy and Operating. Occupancy and operating expenses increased by $3.7 million, or 4.7%, to $83.3 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, from $79.6 million during the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. This was primarily due to increases of $2.5 million in marketing-related expenses, $0.6 million in utilities, $0.5 million in delivery fees, $0.4 million in repairs and maintenance and $0.4 million in credit card processing fees, offset by decreases of $0.5 million in supplies and $0.2 million in rent and related. As a percentage of revenues, occupancy and operating expenses increased to 22.8% for the current thirteen-week period from 22.7% for the prior year comparable period. This increase was primarily related to our investment in increased marketing with the goal of driving incremental sales.
General and Administrative. General and administrative expenses increased by $1.1 million, or 5.6%, to $21.8 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, from $20.6 million during the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. This was primarily due to increases of $0.9 million in external services, including consulting fees, $0.9 million related to personnel costs, $0.5 million related to office related expenses, $0.3 million related to our deferred compensation liability, $0.3 million related to corporate expenses, and $0.1 million related to travel expenses, offset by decreases of $1.2 million in stock-based compensation and $0.9 million in legal fees. As a percentage of revenues, general and administrative expenses remained consistent at 5.9% for the current thirteen-week period and the prior year comparable period. Included in general and administrative costs was stock-based compensation expense of approximately $1.0 million and $2.2 million, or 0.3% and 0.6% of revenues for the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025 and July 2, 2024, respectively. This reduction was due to equity forfeitures associated with leadership changes during the period.
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization increased by $0.6 million, or 3.2%, to $18.7 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, compared to $18.2 million during the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. This increase was primarily related to depreciation expense related to our restaurants opened since the thirteen weeks ended July 2, 2024, coupled with depreciation related to our remodeled restaurants. As a percentage of revenues, depreciation and amortization decreased to 5.1% for the current thirteen-week period from 5.2% for the prior year comparable period.
Restaurant Opening. Restaurant opening expense decreased by $0.1 million, or 25.0%, to $0.2 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, compared to $0.3 million during the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. This decrease was primarily due to the timing of openings.
Loss on Disposal and Impairment of Assets, Net. Loss on disposal and impairment of assets, net, was $0.2 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, and $1.9 million during the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. For the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, these costs primarily related to disposals of assets in conjunction with initiatives to keep our restaurants up to date. For the thirteen weeks ended July 2, 2024, the cost primarily related to the impairment and reduction in the carrying value of the long-lived assets related to one of our restaurants.
Interest Expense, Net. Interest expense, net, remained consistent at $1.3 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, and the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024.
Other Income, Net. Other income, net, was $3.8 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, compared to $2.8 million during the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. This change was primarily related to an increase in income related to a payroll tax credit, compared to prior period.
Income Tax Expense (Benefit). Our effective income tax rate for the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025, was an expense of 6.3% compared to a benefit of 16.4% for the comparable thirteen-week period of 2024. The effective tax rate expense and benefit, respectively, for the thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2025 and July 2, 2024, was different than the statutory rate primarily due to FICA tax tip credits.
Twenty-Six Weeks Ended July 1, 2025 Compared to Twenty-Six Weeks Ended July 2, 2024
Revenues. Total revenues increased by $26.3 million, or 3.8%, to $713.6 million during the twenty-six weeks ended July 1, 2025, from $687.3 million during the comparable twenty-six-week period of 2024. The increase in revenues primarily consisted of a 2.3%, or $15.9 million, increase in comparable restaurant sales and $10.7 million related to sales from new restaurants not yet in our comparable restaurant sales base, offset by $1.3 million related to closed restaurants. The increase in comparable restaurant sales was due to an increase in guest traffic of approximately 3.0%, offset by an average check decrease of approximately 0.7%, resulting from changes in daypart and channel mix, partially mitigated by menu price increases.
Cost of Sales. Cost of sales increased by $2.8 million, or 1.6%, to $177.6 million during the twenty-six weeks ended July 1, 2025, from $174.8 million during the comparable twenty-six-week period of 2024. This increase was primarily to support the higher sales at restaurants in our comparable restaurant sales base as well as our new restaurants. As a percentage of revenues, cost of sales decreased