"Like many restaurants under pressure from current market conditions, Hooters has made the difficult decision to close a select number of underperforming stores," Hooters said in a statement to Nation's Restaurant News. "Ensuring the well-being of our staff is our priority in these rare instances...We look forward to continuing to serve our guests at home, on the go, and at our restaurants here in the US and around the globe."
An estimated 40 Hooters restaurants have already closed across the country as a result of the decision. The chain told the NRN that its primary focus is opening new restaurants - both domestically and internationally - in locations that would thrive. Hooters said it was also working on launching its frozen food items in grocery stores.
Employees took to social media to air their grievances, claiming that they were not notified that they would no longer have jobs serving customers in iconic Hooters attire, such as low-cut white tank tops and orange booty shorts.
"Went for a 'staff meeting' just to find out they closed our store forever," said one former employee on TikTok, who worked at a shuttered location in Missouri. "Cannot stop crying," another added in a separate social media post. "It was very unexpected a heads up would've been nice."
Other fast-casual chains have recently announced store closures or price increases in response to the evolving market conditions. Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy last month with $1 billion in debt after mass layoffs, and Olive Garden said it would be increasing menu prices throughout the remainder of the year.
Hooters operated 293 restaurants at the end of 2023, a 1.3 percent decrease from the previous year and a 12 percent decrease from the same period five years prior, as per data cited by Technomic Ignite.
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