Hooters finally ditching Bikini Night in favour of Family Night may be the sign that the creepy 'breastraunt' has realised how outdated its business model is. Hopefully, this is the last gasp of the dying, sexist, food chain.
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The Hooters CEO, since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, has tried desperately to reassure stockholders that this isn't the end. They are undergoing a massive restructuring in an attempt to pull it from the brink. However, the restructuring seems more like a regression to me.
They have decided that it isn't the changing attitudes of the US that has killed the business. Instead, Hooters is trying to get 'back to its roots' in order to pull people in. It's this kind of small-minded thinking that assures me this is the end of Hooters.
They're unable to see that people no longer enjoy the predatory nature of the food establishment due to changing mentalities. Instead, they seem to think that they can get back their glory days by becoming the outdated restaraunt of yesteryear.
"The original owners are taking back the concept, returning it to its roots, and restoring the success it's enjoyed for 42 years," the CEO said of the Hooters restructuring. But what worked 42 years ago won't work today. Trading Bikini Night for Family Night won't save Hooters.
Hooters Helping Everyone But Its Staff
The Hooters brand is hoping to pivot back to helping out in the community, according to its CEO. They want to become a valued member of society. "We do programs like Wings for Children, for education. We sponsor first responders. We do Veterans' days, breast cancer programs with the V Foundation, the Moffitt Cancer [Center], Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital," they claimed.
It would be cool to see them offer a little mental health support for their abused and objectified waitresses, too, if you ask me. Cutting out Bikini Night in favour of Family Night is just the start the Hooters women need.
"Some of our restaurants, we've got 65% of our customers are women and children," Hooters' CEO said. "We really are a neighborhood restaurant that participates in its neighborhood." The fact that a 'breastraunt' isn't even frequented by its target audience is a surefire sign that their day is done. It's an outdated and creepy business model.
Hooters can show itself out and leave its wings at the door.
