NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:44 ET
- Hooters is rolling out new uniforms and a streamlined menu after a founder-led group took control following a Chapter 11 restructuring.
- The new owners say the revamp aims to restore the chain’s original “beachy” identity and widen its appeal.
- The chain filed for Chapter 11 earlier this year to tackle hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.
Hooters is rolling out a redesigned waitstaff uniform and a pared-back menu as the chicken-wing chain tries to steady the business after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The makeover matters because Hooters is betting on a reset of its image — and tighter operations — at a time when many U.S. casual-dining brands are fighting higher costs and softer discretionary spending.
For Hooters, the uniform is not a side detail. It is a signature part of the brand, and the company is leaning on a “back to basics” pitch to bring in families while keeping its sports-bar identity.
Hooters of America filed for Chapter 11 — a U.S. bankruptcy process that lets companies restructure debt while continuing to operate — on March 31 in Texas, seeking to address about $376 million in debt and sell its company-owned restaurants to a buyer group backed by founders, Reuters reported. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/restaurant-chain-hooters-files-bankruptcy-enable-founder-led-buyout-2025-03-31/
Hooters Inc., the founder-led group behind the original Clearwater, Florida location, said it finalized its acquisition of Hooters of America after the transaction closed on Oct. 31. The group said it and partner Hoot Owl Restaurants LLC will own about 140 of the 198 domestic Hooters restaurants and that the system — including 60 international locations — represents about $700 million in systemwide sales, a measure that includes franchised restaurants. “We’re not just acquiring restaurants — we’re taking back the Hooters name to show the world who we really are,” CEO Neil Kiefer said. 1
The company said it is simplifying its menu around what it calls fresher ingredients, including its hand-breaded wing recipe and in-house salad dressings, while investing in equipment and restaurant upgrades.
Local outlet 614Now said the uniform update is intended to “return the original look” and present a more family-friendly, beach-forward image, pointing to the chain’s earlier-era orange “dolphin-style” shorts and white tops. 2
In a Dec. 22 Fox News interview, Kiefer also argued that restoring consistency on the food side is central to the turnaround as the brand comes out of bankruptcy. 3
Law firm Ropes & Gray, which advised the company during the court process, said the restructuring included the sale of restaurant assets and other functions to Hooters Inc. and Hoot Owl as part of a court-approved Chapter 11 plan, with the transactions closing on Oct. 31. 4
Hooters’ reset lands as other casual-dining chains, including TGI Fridays and Red Lobster, have sought bankruptcy protection in recent years, underscoring pressure from inflation, labor costs and budget-conscious diners.
A Dec. 31 report by Red94 also highlighted the company’s uniform and menu revamp as part of the post-bankruptcy effort to reposition the brand. 5
Founded in 1983, Hooters built its name on chicken wings, televised sports and its “Hooters Girls” servers in orange shorts — a marketing approach now being adjusted as the chain tries to broaden its customer base after restructuring.
