Hooters tries covering up
The chain that serves up wings with a side of naughtiness is rebranding.
The Hooters website offers no hint of a dramatic shift at the restaurant chain. Neither does the local outpost off Corporate Boulevard.
What’s happening: The chain known for wings and its nudge-nudge-say-no-more waitstaff is rebranding as a more family-friendly restaurant.
The big picture: Hooters’ public relations team has said little about the makeover, and its website continues to prominently feature Hooters Girls. But with risqué now commonplace, the struggling chain has decided on a U-turn. Sort of.
What’s changing: Under new ownership led by one of its founders, Hooters is revamping the menu, restoring some original flavors and putting its signature sauce back at the center of the food.
What they’re saying: CEO Neil Kiefer told People that previous management had made the uniforms too revealing.
- Waitresses have returned to longer shorts and cover up more.
- There still won’t be male servers, a hiring practice that has previously drawn discrimination lawsuits.
The bottom line: An iconic American chain has decided sex no longer sells like it once did. The question is whether a more modest Hooters can persuade parents to bring the kids along for those special wings.