The Florida businessmen who created Hooters more than four decades ago have taken back full control of the chain, vowing to restore its 1980s beach-bar vibe and replace the current, revealing waitress outfits with the iconic eatery’s original — and more modest — server uniforms.
The founders’ group, operating as Hooters Inc., said Monday it finalized the purchase of Hooters of America on Friday, ending months of bankruptcy turmoil that left dozens of restaurants shuttered.
Neil Kiefer, the 73-year-old lawyer now running the brand, said his goal is simple: “I don’t think you’re going to see a bunch of butt cheeks hanging out.”
He told the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that the chain will scrap the bikini-style shorts adopted under prior ownership in favor of the orange jogging shorts that made the restaurant famous.
“We’re not just acquiring restaurants — we’re taking back the Hooters name to show the world who we really are,” Kiefer said in a Monday statement.
“Our vision is about more than great food and service. It’s about bringing people together, making memories, and ensuring that Hooters remains a place where everyone feels welcome.”
The founders — who opened the sports bar chain in 1983 — are calling their turnaround plan a “re-Hooterization” of the brand.
The strategy focuses on simplified menus, upgraded ingredients and a return to the chain’s family-friendly origins, the investors said.
Hooters Inc. and its partner Hoot Owl Restaurants LLC will control about 140 of the 198 domestic restaurants, plus 60 overseas locations, according to Monday’s announcement. All told, the joints “represent approximately $700 million in systemwide sales,” the owners said.
The group added that it has already begun equipment upgrades and remodeling work at its locations nationwide.
The new owners’ plans appear to mark a major shift for a brand that once peaked at $1.2 billion in sales but was hobbled by inflation, high debt and shifting consumer tastes.
Private equity investors who ran Hooters of America since the mid-2000s filed for bankruptcy protection in March after closing roughly 50 stores.
Kiefer, who has been associated with the chain since 1992, led a vocal campaign to strip away what he called “out-of-control” image decisions made under corporate ownership.
Chief among them was a 2021 decision by Hooters of America to introduce micro “wedgie” shorts that some staffers said resembled bikini bottoms.
The 2021 uniform rollout triggered widespread backlash. Photos and videos posted by servers went viral on social media, with some describing the new outfit as “porn” and “embarrassing.”
After the outcry, management reversed course and told employees they could choose between the new shorts and the traditional design.
Monday’s statement confirmed that all restaurants under the new ownership will “return the original look while staying true to the brand’s beachy vibe and heritage.”
Executives said the goal was not to abandon Hooters’ playful identity, but to reposition it as a “fun” hangout for families and longtime fans alike.
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