Hooters CEO Says Chain Shifting Focus to Families

Hooters is adjusting its uniforms and marketing to present itself as a beach-themed restaurant rather than a venue centered on sex appeal. CEO Neil Kiefer told The New York Times that the company has work to do. He said the brand had moved too far toward overt sexualization in recent years.

2021 the chain introduced new shorts for servers that resembled thongs. A company representative told Business Insider the policy was later adjusted after customer complaints, and servers can now choose between the older and newer styles. Kiefer said the goal is to return to the original dolphin-style running shorts worn when the first location opened in 1983.

YouGov data cited in the coverage shows that half of Hooters’ American customers are millennials, 27 percent are Gen X, 11 percent are Baby Boomers, and 8 percent are Gen Z. Kiefer linked the shift in customer tastes to broader cultural changes, including the rise of gym fashion and widespread availability of pornography.

Kiefer has been with the company since its founding in 1983 and became CEO in 1992. The rebranding effort follows earlier reports of management changes at the chain.