Hooters trying its hand at family-friendly dining
Earlier this month, in an interview with Business Insider, a former Hooters waitress offered an intriguing answer to the question, "Did families ever come in" to the restaurant?
"Oh, yeah," she said. "We had families all the time. It's a very kid and family-friendly environment. Wives, girlfriends, kids. Not all the customers are men."
Um, what's that, former Hooters waitress? Are we talking about the same restaurant, the breasty, scantily-clad server environment with a nod to boobs right there in its name?
It would appear that we are, and the restaurant itself has made that clear. This week, Hooters will debut a new layout concept that's supposed to be more accommodating to family dining.
On Wednesday, Hooters, known not as much for its food but its waitresses, what with their painted-on orange shorts and skin-tight white tanks, will test a new look at one of its Texas locations.
*Bing: Find the nearest Hooters to you
Check out pics of the remodel here, but that Hooters is turning its focus to family-friendly dining is an interesting play for a restaurant that's so long catered to testosterone-fuelled customers.
"Hooters is turning 30 this year, so it seems only fitting to refresh and modernize our restaurants during this milestone anniversary," Dave Henninger, Hooters' chief marketing officer in the U.S., said in a statement.
"Based on initial feedback from our local Hooters customers, they are celebrating this remodel as the ideal environment to kick back and relax after work, get together to watch their favourite sports team and enjoy a delicious meal with their family."
That last point is what brings us here today. No doubt there's more money to Hooters in catering to entire families, not just dudes sitting around gawking at waitresses.
But really, are you talking your wife and kids to Hooters for dinner?
Most Canadians know Hooters only by proxy. There aren't too many locations north of the border, despite the chain's high-profile from its waitresses' infamous wardrobe.
Though given the chance, perhaps Canadians looking for a quick meal on the town aren't so much interested in improved restaurant decor as they are restaurant ambience. That is to say, the ramped-up sexual atmosphere of Hooters may just prevent it from ever becoming a family restaurant of choice.
Would you eat at Hooters with your family? Why or why not?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Bob | Jan 22, 2022 1:22:14 AM
I would take my kids... daughters, in fact, to Hooter's all the time. I learned the "family" oriented atmosphere while working in the US. Guys and gals from the office would pop in for a beer and wings after work. You would see families in there. When I came back to Canada, people were floored. "How cold you", or "What are you teaching your daughters". Really, I'm a pretty laid back, non-creepy, professional, liberal guy. My kids were good in school, and are now both college bound. I would enjoy going with them for a bite to eat on weekends. It was better than McDonald's or Chuckee Cheese. I could get a beer, chat to the kids. As teenagers, they would then go with their friends for wings.
The best part was on weekends, kids would eat for free. They'd get a Hooters frisbee with the kids meal too. Funny story, one day we were there and one of my kids ordered the kids wing meal, and said "Don't bring the frisbee, we have so many in our garage". If you compare what these girls wear, against somewhere like Earl's, or your local pub with tartan kilts, there is not a whole lot of difference.
Dad's, the wings are fabulous, you can grab a beer with some sports on in the background, and chat to your kids. If you can deal with the stereotype of the place, I highly recommend it.
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Posted by: Tiffany | Jan 23, 2022 9:04:06 AM
The uniform a Hooters Girl wears is not really that much different from the uniform that a Jack Astor's girl wears.
That said, neither is a place I would ever take my kids to. We're more of a Support Locally Owned And Operated Businesses kind of family.
Posted by: big moe | Jan 23, 2022 1:52:38 PM
being at hooters with the family often for dinner and i cant see anything wrong with the place service is great and food is good you see more at schools than hooters even on the streets here in ottawa no mater were you go now you see girls and you ask yourself if they forgot there close at home.i say if your offended by the girls at hooters start looking arround you and open your eyes.nothing wrong going to hooters and having lunch with your family.