(Crankers) The infamous Hooters filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the year, selling off its property to all interested parties.
Neil Kiefer, the CEO of a group aiming to reclaim the Hooters brand by buying up the Atlanta-based Hooters of America, is planning to change the outfits.
The glaring orange shorts of Hooters have been the symbol of the “delightfully tacky” mantra that followed all establishments, and are the most recognizable symbol of the brand.
The Hooters uniform has remained relatively unchanged since its establishment in 1983, but Kiefer aims to change that and make it less revealing – even though it’s not very revealing as is.
Kiefer has stated that the original vision for the Hooters uniform was closer to sportswear than what we today know as the risque uniform that doesn’t cover enough.
Kiefer had stated that “The shorts were supposed to be sized to fit appropriately. They’re supposed to be athletic, not so much sexual.”
He will also point out that Hooters doesn’t only cater to young men, but to women, senior citizens, and people wishing to spend the night socializing. “I can guarantee you there’s a bunch of senior citizens here, male and female, at two in the afternoon.” He stated.
He uses the recent overwhelmingly successful opening of a Hooters branch in The Villages, Florida, and its success as an indication of this truth. The Villages is an age-restricted community 45 miles northwest of Orlando.
Kiefer wishes to change the popular public perception of the Hooters brand with this minor change. He points out that the risque uniform only serves to alienate customers who come to Hooters for other purposes.