Hooters Restaurant Decline

[rainman306]

Has anyone else noticed that the Hooters Resturant Chain is not doing as well as it once was.  I know that they are done to only 4 or 5 restaurants in Wisconsin and I know other restaurants in Minnesota, Illinois and Texas have closed as well.

Seems that the Hooters girls no longer sit at your table and socialize with you much any more and the turnover seem very high and the menu has not changed much.

[gaylasue]

I have never visited a Hooters Restaurant nor do I ever plan to.  I have always felt it was a place for dirty old, perverted men or testosterone-pumped boys.  I also feel it is a down-grade to women to have their waitresses skimply dressed just to bring in customers.

[dwggs]

I haven't noticed a decline but it is not my favorite place to eat.

[rainman306]

It's not so bad to berate the restaurant like that, and if so find me anohter place to get all you can eat lemon pepper wings for $10.  I only like the lemon pepper wings because it is a rub and not a sauce smoothered all over.

[jonhall37]

your right....i live between dayton ohio and ft wayne indiana.....the one in ft wayne closed about a year ago......

[rainman306]

I remember in 2002 on spring break we went to a differnt Hooters everyday between Houton, TX and the mexican border -- that was 8 different Hooters, I know several are gone now.  There also use to be 3 in the Twin Cities and now there is only 1 in the Mall of America.  In Wisconsin, where I live, there have been Hooters that have closed in Madison, Milwaukee area, Green Bay/Appleton -- I think the only are 4 left in the whole state.

I had sorta stop going for a long time, but they are the only place I know that has lemon pepper chicken wings and they have a good all you can eat wings on Monday nights for between $10 to $12 depending on where you live.

[wadee1958]

Has anyone else noticed that the Hooters Resturant Chain is not doing as well as it once was.  I know that they are done to only 4 or 5 restaurants in Wisconsin and I know other restaurants in Minnesota, Illinois and Texas have closed as well.

Seems that the Hooters girls no longer sit at your table and socialize with you much any more and the turnover seem very high and the menu has not changed much.

Haven't been there for a long time. I guess there's so many competition now a days. but I think they still have the best buffalo wings.

[wccohn]

Yeah it's sad, I've only been to Hooters a few times in my life but I haven't been there lately.

[smckie]

Has anyone else noticed that the Hooters Resturant Chain is not doing as well as it once was.  I know that they are done to only 4 or 5 restaurants in Wisconsin and I know other restaurants in Minnesota, Illinois and Texas have closed as well.

Seems that the Hooters girls no longer sit at your table and socialize with you much any more and the turnover seem very high and the menu has not changed much.

I love their sauce, since I haven't been to the ones in those areas I am not sure, because the one closest to me (which is an hour and a half so I don't get there much) that location is doing great! I went to one in San Diego in July and they had a lot of customers. I used to think it was just a place for guys to drool over women but our local restaurant is very respectful to women (customers and employees, the manager is female). I like going there even though I'm a girl 

[smithjcsdfw]

I don't think it is just hooters that is in decline as much as it is resaurants in general closeing their doors since a like it or not we are in an economic pit so that the first place folks cut back on is their discretionary spending which includes eating out at restaurants.

[tantricia44]

I remeber going to hooter's only once, & wasn't there to look at any hooters either & they had the worst tasting food ever! My bf then swore, it was the best restrurant ever! They didn't give my money back when I complained even when I told them I wasn't there to look at any hooters;I wanted to eat the food! Told my bf then that If he ever takes me there again it was over!

[ktheodos]

A lot of restaurants are probably in the same situation but I haven't really noticed because there aren't really a lot around here. I don't really think it's that bad of a restaurant from a suggestive standpoint - yeah, it can send the wrong message sometimes but most of the waitresses aren't as attractive and/or "skimpy" as you might think - my 12 year old baseball team went there once and it wasn't so bad

[rainman306]

I imagine that when the restaurant started in the 1980s they did not have as many direct competitors, such as Tilted Kilt and others.  Also, I remember my friends a long time ago leaving huge tips ... like $10 for a $7 meal, but now the same friends leave more average tips like $2-3.  I go there mostly just for their lemon pepper winds and all you can eat wings monday nights.  I don't think the majority of current Hooters girls are well-trained in the art of interacting and flitering with the customer as they use to.

I am also aware that they like to cut the girls so sometimes they make think they are working an 8 hour shift but get cut after 3 hours because it is slow.

[masked_brown_guy]

I haven't noticed but they do sell hooters fry batter at the super market now.

[rainman306]

If you google the topic you will find some information.  I bet of the maybe 15 Hooters I have been to in my lifetime at least 6 are closed now.  Their restaurant concept may be a bit old, and the bar stools they have are not that comfortable.

But they do have the best lemon pepper wings anywhere and a good Hooters girl makes it worthwhile every now and then.