Why Hooters Is Trying to Become More Family-Friendly
Hooters wants people to know it’s more than just the uniforms.
The restaurant chain is making a renewed push to reshape its image, with company leaders saying they’re trying to bring the brand back to its roots after years of leaning into a more provocative reputation.
According to Hooters CEO Neil Kiefer, the goal is simple: Make Hooters feel more like a neighborhood restaurant and less like the version many people came to associate with the brand over the last two decades.
Hooters Wants Families Back
In an interview with People, Kiefer said the company is actively working to become more welcoming to families as it continues its turnaround efforts.
READ MORE: These Two Beloved M&M’s Colors Won’t Be Around Much Longer
“It’s a neighborhood place that many families frequent, and singles and couples,” Kiefer said.
He described Hooters as “a beach-themed place centered around the Hooters Girls, good food, [and being an] easy place to relax.”
The comments come as Hooters attempts to move beyond the heavily sexualized image that became increasingly associated with the chain over the years.
How Hooters Lost Its Way
Kiefer, who has been involved with the company since its launch in 1983 and became CEO in 1992, recently helped the chain’s founders regain control of the brand following Hooters of America’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2025.
READ MORE: Spirit Airlines Shuts Down Effective Immediately — What It Means for Your Flight and Money
According to Kiefer, the company gradually drifted away from its original vision after private equity firms became involved in the early 2000s.
He specifically pointed to changes in employee uniforms as one example.
The second thing was they had changed the uniforms of the girls and put them in almost what appeared to be a thong. And that was never the intention when this concept started.
The Great ‘Re-Hooterization’
As part of its comeback strategy, Hooters has begun bringing back older uniform styles, including the chain’s classic orange shorts.
The company is also simplifying menus, upgrading ingredients, and working to create what executives describe as a more approachable atmosphere.
Internally, the effort has reportedly earned a memorable nickname: re-Hooterization. “Just trying to make it more friendly to everybody. No one’s going to be insulted,” Keifer expressed.
READ MORE: Viral Hooters Location Forced to Shut Down: What We Know
Whether the strategy works remains to be seen. Still, one thing is clear: Hooters is betting that better food, a more relaxed atmosphere, and a return to its original identity can help redefine what the brand stands for today.
Country Stars With Their Own Bars + Restaurants
Of all of the side hustles country artists could partake in, opening a bar or restaurant is the most fitting — and very common. After all, many of these stars got their start on a barstool, tip jar nearby, playing their music for anyone who would listen.
These places feel like home for many of these singers. Over the years, several artists have gotten into the bar or restaurant game, and for a select few, brands have turned into franchises with several locations and/or concepts — we’re looking at you, Jimmy Buffett!
Let’s take a look at the country star food and entertainment venues that have opened over the years.
Gallery Credit: Jess
