The wing restaurant chain Hooters, recognized for its environment and all-female waitstaff attire, has closed down several locations across the nation. A wave of closures has hit roughly 30 Hooters restaurants, including those in Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, as revealed by a company statement. "After careful consideration of what is needed to best position our company for the future, Hooters made the difficult decision to close certain company-owned locations," read a part of the statement given to CNN.
Several of the shuttered locations had already ceased operations prior to the chain's declaring bankruptcy in early 2024. Still navigating Chapter 11, Hooters has decided to sell its company-owned restaurants to franchisee groups based in Tampa, Florida, and Chicago areas. Despite these challenges, the company remains optimistic, stating, "Hooters is here to stay, and by optimizing our business in support of our long-term goals, Hooters will be well-positioned to continue our iconic legacy under a pure franchise business model," according to a spokesperson in the same CNN report.
Local sources have provided names of the affected establishments, as noted in reports from KHOU 11 News, including a Houston Hooters along FM 1960 which confirmed its permanency in closure through a voice recording and Google Maps status.
In the context of trimming company fat, Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters, explained to CNN the merit behind such corporate strategies. "It's similar to rationalizing a menu: Better to eliminate items that aren't selling or rarely selling to improve the quality and consistency of what remains," Webster told CNN, received a voice recording that informed customers of its definite closure after calling the location. This approach seems to align with how Hooters is managing its operational footprint, attempting to consolidate its business model solely around franchise-owned stores.
The restructuring of companies like Hooters follows a pattern seen in other eateries such as Bahama Breeze and TGI Fridays, which have also closed locations in response to changing consumer habits, tightened purse strings due to inflation, and a challenging economic climate.
