A 73-year-old Florida attorney is leading a bid to revive the bankrupt Hooters restaurant chain — by dialing back the sex appeal and pitching it as a more family-friendly brand.
Neil Kiefer, a longtime friend of Hooters’ founders and operator of nearly two dozen locations, is asking a bankruptcy court to let him take over 50 shuttered restaurants. His plan? Roll back the more revealing uniforms — including bikini-style bottoms — and bring back the iconic orange shorts.
“I don’t think you’re going to see a bunch of butt cheeks hanging out,” Kiefer told The Wall Street Journal. He envisions a return to what he calls a “delightfully tacky” dining experience that still appeals to men but is more welcoming to families.
Despite the shift in tone, current job listings still emphasize physical appearance, requiring “glamorous hair styling” and the “ability to maintain attractive fit & image” for Hooters Girls.
Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy in March after years of declining sales and mounting debt, a far cry from its $1.2 billion peak in 2009. Kiefer wants to become CEO of the chain’s management company and rebrand the business with $300,000 in upgrades per location.
His turnaround strategy includes a revamped menu featuring Grade A butter and butter-based sauces on over 70% of items — all part of an effort to maintain the chain’s signature indulgence while broadening its appeal.
Kiefer blames overly revealing uniforms for hurting the brand’s image. “Those tighter, shorter shorts dragged down the brand,” he said.
Still, many servers know that appearance remains central to the job.
“You need to be camera-ready always,” said 25-year-old server Mikayla Flanagan. “You never know when someone is going to ask for a picture.”
Hooters’ cultural relevance has come under scrutiny, highlighted by a viral Reddit thread titled “Who the F—k Is Keeping Hooters in Business,” which attracted more than 8,000 comments.
Customer Jeff Oppido, 42, said that while he appreciated the prices and beer selection, he stopped going after switching jobs. “We felt this place was a bit awkward to be in,” he said.
However, Kiefer points to one unlikely success: a Hooters in The Villages, a senior community in Florida, which posted record sales — suggesting the brand may still have legs with older demographics.
The chain’s origins trace back to an April Fools’ joke by six founders who wanted to create a bar they couldn’t get kicked out of. But over time, it’s become entangled in legal battles, including harassment and discrimination lawsuits related to its hiring practices and treatment of employees.
Kiefer now faces the challenge of reviving a brand rooted in a different cultural era. Sales at his existing locations are down 2% from last year, though he says recent changes are showing promise.
A bankruptcy court in Dallas will ultimately decide whether his butter-soaked nostalgia — and revised image — can compete with modern casual dining chains like Chili’s that cater to more budget-conscious families.
“There’s so much more than the little outfits,” said Flanagan — a line that sums up the balancing act Kiefer must now perform.
