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                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.25

         THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE "ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE
OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL
SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.

                               15% Promissory Note
                               Due January 2, 1997

                                       of

                      THE RATTLESNAKE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.


                                                                   July 31, 1996

$425,000


         The Rattlesnake Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(hereinafter called the "Company"), for value received, hereby promises to pay
to GUY B. SNOWDEN, 4080 Ibis Point Circle, Boca Raton, FL 33431 or registered
assigns, on the 2nd day of January, 1997 (the "Due Date"), the principal amount
of Four Hundred Twenty Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($425,000.00) together
with interest on the unpaid portion of said principal amount from the date
hereof at the rate of l5% per annum (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months). Interest shall be payable on the 30th day of each month
commencing on August 30, 1996 and be payable in arrears. Both the principal
hereof and interest hereon are payable at the principal office of the Company in
Stamford, Connecticut, in such coin or currency of the United States of America
as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and
private debts.

              1. Transfer and Exchange. This Note is transferable on the Note 
Register of the Company at the expense of the Company (except for any stamp tax
or other governmental charge with respect to any transfer) upon surrender of
this Note for transfer at the principal office of the Company, accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company
duly executed by the holder of this Note or his attorney duly authorized in
writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, each in the denomination of
$50,000 or an integral multiple thereof and for the same aggregate principal
amount as the Note surrendered, and dated the date to which interest has been
paid on the Notes, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
This Note is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of
different denominations, as requested by the holder or his attorney surrendering
the same.

         The Company and its agents may treat the holder of this Note as the
owner for purposes of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue,

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and neither the Company nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

         Any new Note or Notes to be delivered to you or upon your order,
pursuant to this Section 4, in substitution for or in lieu of any Note held by
you, will be delivered to you at your address as shown on the records of the
Company, or at such other address within the United States of America as you may
request, without any expense to you in connection with such delivery and insured
to your satisfaction.

         2.   Prepayment Provisions. This Note may be prepaid, at the option of
the Company, as a whole or in part, at any time or from time to time and prior
to maturity, by payment of al outstanding principal amount of such Note,
together with accrued interest through the date of prepayment.

         3.   Default. If one or more of the following events (herein called
"Events of Default") shall occur for any reason whatsoever (and whether such
occurrence shall be voluntary or involuntary or come about or be effected by
operation of law or pursuant to or in compliance with any judgment, decree or
order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or
governmental body), and the holder of this Note shall have given fifteen (15)
days prior written notice to the Company by certified or registered mail, return
receipt requested, and the Company shall note have cured shall default within
such period:

              (i)   default in the due and punctual payment of the principal of,
or interest on, any Note when and as the same shall become due and payable,
whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by acceleration or
otherwise;

              (ii)  without the holder's prior written consent the Company 
grants a security interest or lien to a third party with respect to the
Company's leasehold interest in its restaurant property located at 55 Miller
Street Fairfield, Connecticutt; or

              (iii) the Company makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors
or admits in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they become
due; or

              (iv)  an order, judgment or decree is entered adjudicating the
Company or any subsidiary bankrupt or insolvent; or

              (v)   the Company petitions or applies to any tribunal for the
appointment of a trustee or receiver of the Company within the meaning of the
Securities Act, or of any substantial part of the assets of the Company, or
commences any proceedings (other than proceedings for the voluntary liquidation
and dissolution of a subsidiary) relating to the Company or any

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subsidiary under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency,
readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law of any jurisdiction whether
now or hereafter in effect; or

              (vi)   any such petition or application is filed, or any such
proceedings are commenced, against the Company, and the Company by any act
indicates its approval thereof, consent or acquiescence therein, or an order,
judgment or decree is entered appointing any such trustee or receiver, or
approving the petition in any such proceedings, and such order, judgment or
decree remains unstayed and in effect for more than 60 days; or

              (vii)  any order, judgment or decree is entered in any proceedings
against the Company or any subsidiary within the meaning of the Securities Act
decreeing the dissolution of the Company and such order, judgment or decree
remains unstayed and in effect for more than 60 days; or

              (viii) any order, judgment or decree is entered in any proceedings
against the Company or any subsidiary decreeing a split-up of the Company which
requires the divestiture of a substantial part of the consolidated assets of the
Company and its subsidiaries, or the divestiture of the stock of a subsidiary
and such order, judgment or decree remains unstayed and in effect for more than
60 days;

         Then and in each and every such case, so long as such Event of Default
shall not have been remedied, the holder of any Note, by notice in writing to
the Company, may declare the principal of this Note then outstanding and the
interest accrued thereon if not already due and payable, to be due and payable
immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be
immediately due and payable, anything in this Note contained to the contrary
notwithstanding.

         4.    Miscellaneous. (a) To the extent permitted by applicable
law, the Company hereby agrees to waive, and does hereby absolutely and
irrevocably waive and relinquish, the benefit and advantage of any valuation,
stay, appraisement, extension or redemption law now existing or which may
hereafter exist, which, but for this provision, might be applicable to any sale
made under the judgment, order or decree of any court, or otherwise, based on
the Notes or on any claim for principal or interest on the Note.

              (b) This Note is issued upon the express condition, to which each
successive holder expressly assents and by receiving the same agrees, that no
recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Note, or for
the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or the interest on, the
Note, or for any claim based on the Note, or otherwise in respect hereof, shall
be had against any incorporator or any past, present or future stockholder,
officer or director, as such, of the Company or

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of any successor corporation, whether by virtue of the constitution, statute or
rule of law or by any assessment or penalty or otherwise howsoever, all such
individual liability being hereby expressly waived and released as a condition
of and as a part of the consideration for the execution and issue of the Note.

              (c) Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of the Note and of indemnity
reasonably satisfactory to it, and upon reimbursement to the Company of all
reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender and cancellation of
any such Note if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Note or like
tenor in lieu of the Note so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. Any new Note
made and delivered in accordance with the provisions of this subsection 4(c)
shall be dated as of the date from which unpaid interest has then accrued on the
Note so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

              (d) Any notice or demand which by any provision of the Note is
required or provided to be given or served to or upon the Company shall be
deemed to have been sufficiently given or served for all purposes by being sent
as registered mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Company at its principal
office.

              (e) No course of dealing between the Company and the holder of the
Note or any delay on the part of the holder in exercising any rights under the
Note shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any holder of the Note.

              (f) The Company hereby waives presentment and notice of dishonor.
In the event the holder is successful in any action at law or equity to enforce
the provisions of this Note, the Holder shall be entitled to recover from the
Company all reasonable attorney's fees and costs of collection.

         5.   Binding Effect. The Company agrees that the provisions of this
Note shall bind and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
successors and assigns.

         6.   Amendment and Waiver. This Note may be amended, and the 
performance and observance of any term of this Note may be waived, with (and
only with) the written consent of the Company and such Note purchaser as to whom
performance is to be waived.

         7.   Interest Rate. If any interest rate specified herein is held to be
impermissible, then the rate charged on the indebtedness represented hereby
shall be reduced to the highest rate then permitted by law.

         8.   Communications. All notices and other communications provided for
hereunder or under the Notes shall be in writing, and, if to you, shall be
delivered or mailed by

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registered mail addressed to you at your address as shown in the records of the
Company in this Note hereto or to such other address as you may designate to the
Company in writing and, if to the Company, shall be delivered or mailed by
registered mail to the Company at 3 Stamford Landing, Suite 130, Stamford,
Connecticut 06902, attention: Office of the President, or to such other address
as the Company may designate to you in writing.

         9.  Delaware Law. This Note shall be construed in accordance with and
governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of
conflicts of law, and cannot be changed, discharged or terminated orally but
only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of
any change, discharge or termination is sought.

         10. Counterparts. This Note may be executed simultaneously in any
number of counterparts each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an
original, but such counter parts together shall constitute but one and the same
instrument.

         11. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Note are inserted
for convenience only and do not affect the meaning of such section.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Note to be signed
in its corporate name by a duly authorized officer and to be dated the date and
year first above written.


                                       THE RATTLESNAKE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.


                                       By /William J. Opper
                                          ----------------------------------
                                            William J. Opper
                                            Chairman


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