<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>

<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

<S>                             <C>                    <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-28-1997             SEP-29-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-30-1996             OCT-02-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-28-1997             SEP-29-1996
<CASH>                                               0<F1>                   0<F16>
<SECURITIES>                                         0<F2>                   0<F17>
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0<F3>                   0<F18>
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0<F4>                   0<F19>
<INVENTORY>                                          0<F5>                   0<F20>
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               160,503                 135,539
<PP&E>                                         282,991                 199,367
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0<F6>                   0<F21>
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 493,296                 383,557
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           93,957                  72,855
<BONDS>                                              0<F7>                   0<F22>
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0<F8>                   0<F23>
<PREFERRED>                                          0<F9>                   0<F24>
<COMMON>                                             0<F10>                  0<F25>
<OTHER-SE>                                           0<F11>                  0<F26>
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                         0<F12>                  0<F27>
<SALES>                                        648,961                 487,753
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                     0<F13>                  0<F28>
<CGS>                                          538,502                 404,961
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                        0<F14>                  0<F29>
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                  (14)                   1,178
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0<F15>                  0<F30>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              14,433                   7,866
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 37,974                  27,904
<INCOME-TAX>                                    14,810                  11,162
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                  0                       0
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                    23,164                  16,742
<EPS-BASIC>                                       1.31                     .95
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.29                     .94
<FN>
<F1>CASH IS ZERO, GROSS PROFIT IS $110,459.
<F2>SECURITIES ARE ZERO, SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ARE $58,066.
<F3>RECEIVABLES ARE ZERO, FAS 121 IMPAIRMENT CHARGE IS ZERO.
<F4>ALLOWANCES ARE ZERO, OPERATING INCOME IS $52,393.
<F5>INVENTORY IS ZERO, WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING - BASIC IS
17,733.
<F6>DEPRECIATION IS ZERO, WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING - DILUTED
IS 17,918.
<F7>BONDS ARE ZERO, BACKLOG IS $156,880.
<F8>PREFERRED MANDATORY IS ZERO, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ARE $40,531.
<F9>PREFERRED IS ZERO, DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION IS $30,489.
<F10>COMMON IS ZERO, EBITDA IS $82,882.
<F11>OTHER SE IS ZERO, GROSS MARGIN IS 17.0%.
<F12>TOTAL LIABILITY AND EQUITY IS ZERO, WORKING CAPITAL IS $66,546.
<F13>TOTAL REVENUES IS ZERO, SHORT-TERM DEBT IS $2,994.
<F14>TOTAL COSTS ARE ZERO, LONG-TERM DEBT IS $181,239.
<F15>LOSS PROVISION IS ZERO, STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY IS $172,639.
<F16>CASH IS ZERO, GROSS PROFIT IS $82,792.
<F17>SECURITIES ARE ZERO, SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ARE $45,844.
<F18>RECEIVABLES ARE ZERO, FAS 121 IMPAIRMENT CHARGE IS ZERO.
<F19>ALLOWANCES ARE ZERO, OPERATING INCOME IS $36,948.
<F20>INVENTORY IS ZERO, WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING - BASIC IS
17,694.
<F21>DEPRECIATION IS ZERO, WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING - DILUTED
IS 17,866.
<F22>BONDS ARE ZERO, BACKLOG IS $84,596.
<F23>PREFERRED MANDATORY IS ZERO, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ARE $31,166.
<F24>PREFERRED IS ZERO, DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION IS $20,151.
<F25>COMMON IS ZERO, EBITDA IS $57,099.
<F26>OTHER SE IS ZERO, GROSS MARGIN IS 17.0%.
<F27>TOTAL LIABILITY AND EQUITY IS ZERO, WORKING CAPITAL IS $62,504.
<F28>TOTAL REVENUES IS ZERO, SHORT-TERM DEBT IS $2,654.
<F29>TOTAL COSTS ARE ZERO, LONG-TERM DEBT IS $140,946.
<F30>LOSS PROVISION IS ZERO, STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY IS $149,319.
</FN>


</TABLE>