Hooters facts for kids
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Food service |
| Founded | October 4, 1983 Clearwater, Florida, U.S. |
| Founders | Lynn D. Stewart Gil DiGiannantonio Ed Droste Billy Ranieri Ken Wimmer Dennis Johnson |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
|
Number of locations
|
430+ |
|
Area served
|
|
| Products | Burgers, chicken wings, seafood, Tex-Mex, full bar |
| Revenue |  US$605 million (2021) |
| Owner | Nord Bay Capital TriArtisan Capital Advisor |
|
Number of employees
|
15,000 (2021) |
Hooters is the name used by two American restaurant chains. These are Hooters, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, and Hooters of America, Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia. The name "Hooters" refers to the sound an owl makes, which is also the company's logo.
The restaurants are known for their friendly service. The waiting staff, often called "Hooters Girls," wear a special uniform. The company also hires men and women for roles like cooks, hosts, and managers.
The menu at Hooters includes popular items like hamburgers, sandwiches, steaks, and seafood. Their most famous dish is chicken wings. Most Hooters restaurants also sell soft drinks and other beverages. You can also buy Hooters T-shirts and souvenirs.
As of 2016, there were over 430 Hooters restaurants and franchises around the world. Hooters of America LLC. owned 160 of these locations. In 2012, Hooters had restaurants in 44 U.S. states and 28 other countries. Hooters even had its own airline, Hooters Air, for a time.
In March 2025, Hooters of America, Inc. announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This means the company sought legal help to reorganize its finances.
Contents
Exploring Hooters' History
Hooters, Inc. started in Clearwater, Florida, on April 1, 1983. Six businessmen from Clearwater founded it: Lynn D. Stewart, Gil DiGiannantonio, Ed Droste, Billy Ranieri, Ken Wimmer, and Dennis Johnson.
They chose April Fools' Day because they thought the restaurant might not succeed. Their first restaurant was in an old nightclub building. Many businesses had failed there before, so the founders even made a small "graveyard" outside for them. The first Hooters restaurant opened on October 4, 1983. It was decorated with items from Waverly, Iowa, which was the hometown of some of the founders.
In 1984, Hugh Connerty bought the rights to Hooters. Later, Robert H. Brooks and a group of investors from Atlanta bought the company from Connerty. This group became Hooters of America, Inc. In 2002, Brooks gained control and became chairman. The original Clearwater company kept control of restaurants in the Tampa Bay Area, Chicago metropolitan area, and one in Manhattan. All other locations were managed by Hooters of America, which also sold franchising rights. Under Brooks's leadership, the Hooters brand grew to over 425 stores worldwide.
Brooks passed away in 2006. His will gave most of Hooters of America Inc. to his children, Coby Brooks and Boni Belle Brooks.
The Hooters Casino Hotel opened in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2006. It later became the Oyo Hotel & Casino in 2019, but a Hooters restaurant still operates there.
For their 25th anniversary, Hooters Magazine listed its top Hooters Girls. Famous names included Lynne Austin, Kelly Jo Dowd, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, Leeann Tweeden, and Holly Madison.
After Brooks's death, many buyers were interested in Hooters of America Inc. In January 2011, Chanticleer and other investors bought the company from the Brooks family.
As of July 2013, Hooters of America owned 160 restaurants and managed or franchised over 430. On July 1, 2019, Nord Bay Capital and TriArtisan Capital Advisors bought Hooters.
In June 2024, Hooters closed about 40 locations that were not doing well. They blamed rising costs and lower sales. In February 2025, reports said Hooters was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. On March 31, 2025, Hooters officially filed for bankruptcy. This was to help sell its company-owned restaurants to franchisees. The company planned to stay open during this process. However, by June 4, 2025, over 30 locations in 12 states had permanently closed.
In August 2025, a group of Hooters founders and franchisees agreed to buy 130 company-owned restaurants. Hooters plans to keep 200 domestic and 60 international restaurants open.
Hoots: A New Restaurant Idea
In 2017, Hooters launched a new type of restaurant called "Hoots." This was a "fast casual" version of their original idea. Hoots has a smaller menu. Also, both male and female servers work there, and they wear more casual uniforms like t-shirts and khakis.
Understanding Hooters Girls
.jpg)
The waitresses, known as "Hooters Girls," are a key part of the restaurant's image. Their uniform is a white tank top with the "Hootie the Owl" logo and the restaurant's name. They also wear short orange shorts, a brown ticket pouch, tan pantyhose, white socks, and white shoes. Men who work at Hooters wear Hooters hats, T-shirts, and long pants or shorts.
Hooters' Community Involvement
Supporting Charities
Hooters has a special fund called the Hooters Community Endowment Fund (HOO.C.E.F.). This fund helps many charities by giving money or volunteers. Some of the charities they have supported include Habitat for Humanity, The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Operation Homefront, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Special Olympics, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
After a former Hooters Girl named Kelly Jo Dowd passed away in 2007, Hooters started a campaign to support breast cancer research. This campaign, called the Kelly Jo Dowd Fund, helped spread awareness. By 2010, the chain had raised over $2 million for this cause.
In 2009, Hooters worked with Operation Homefront to create The Valentine Fund. This fund honors fallen soldier Thomas J. Valentine and supports military families, especially those of US Special Forces members.
Sports Sponsorships
Hooters has been involved in the world of sports. They used to sponsor the Miami Hooters, an Arena Football League team. They also sponsored a car racing series called the USAR Hooters Pro Cup and a golf tour.
.jpg)
In 1992, Hooters sponsored NASCAR driver Alan Kulwicki. He won the Winston Cup Championship that year. Sadly, Kulwicki died in a plane crash in 1993. Hooters continued to sponsor other drivers like Loy Allen Jr., Rick Mast, and Brett Bodine until 2003. They returned to NASCAR in 2007 and later sponsored Chase Elliott's car from 2017 to 2024.
Hooters has also sponsored the "Hooters Worldwide Wing Eating Championship" since 2012. They have licensed their name for video games, like Hooters Road Trip for PlayStation.
Images for kids
-
The interior of a Hooters restaurant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2006
-
Hooters restaurant at night, Route One, Saugus, Massachusetts
