We may still be Hooters newbies, but we wouldn't mind becoming regulars. With plans to expand and a new fast-casual chain with fully-clothed waiters on the way, we're rooting for Hooters to stay abreast of the restaurant recession.
Source: Business Insider
It was an eye-opening experience for us Hooters virgins. We expected a semi-hostile, grungy sports bar that wasn't for us. Instead, we found a pleasant, welcoming restaurant with delicious wings and surprisingly passable oysters.
Hooters is banking on its reputation and people's fond feelings towards it as a brand, instead of trying to entice customers with scantily clad waitresses or aggressively sexualized marketing.
Part of that may be due to the recent decline of the bust's cultural capital in American culture. While other breastaurant chains have responded by pushing the envelope of modesty, Hooters has instead focused on '80s nostalgia — and, of course, wings.
Source: Business Insider
Instead, this facet of the brand showed up mostly in merchandise. Even then, it was in a tongue-in-cheek manner that defanged and neutralized the potentially offensive undertones.
Hooters' cleavage-centric marketing flew under the radar for most of our dining experience, which was nice. We had expected to feel discomfort in the den of aggressively sexualized wings and breasts ... and we aren't just talking about the chicken.
The Hooters brand is as much about sexualizing women's bodies as it is about eating wings — which was the biggest reason we were reticent about visiting the chain in the first place.
After finishing our shockingly satisfying meal, we wandered upstairs, where we stumbled upon a Hooters gift shop, as well as a second, equally busy dining area, which was peppered with even more senior citizens and families.
The salad is certainly large. The Hooters classic is essentially a Cobb salad. The abundance of iceberg lettuce is a bit disappointing, but an understandable choice to pair with the sauce-laden wings.
Crowned with a dollop of cocktail sauce and horseradish, they're a refreshing and divinely beachy treat that is a welcome respite from the saucy, rich wings.
The menu declared the oysters to be a famous Hooters original dish, and curiosity got the best of us. And yet, it paid off. The oysters were chilled and tasted adequately fresh to our palates.
A considerate touch: at every table, a roll of paper towels takes the place of regular napkins — which are on the wayside, anyway. In general, the waitstaff was attentive and cheerful, which only added to our unexpectedly pleasant dining experience.
Source: Business Insider