Tight t-shirts, ballets and mischievous owls are no longer enough. But maybe it’s too late to take action. The US restaurant chain Hooters, famous throughout the world for its chicken wings and waitresses dressed in skimpy clothes (in US slang, ‘hooters’ is the imitation of the hoot of an owl, but also a slang term to refer to female breasts), has completed the abandonment of four entire American states, closing all the remaining restaurants in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Minnesota. The retreat highlights how the restructuring started after the bankruptcy was not enough to curb the crisis of a restaurant model linked to the pop culture of the 1980s.
Farewell to the north-east of the USA
The final three Massachusetts locations, located in Dedham, Saugus and West Springfield, closed their doors in late June, marking the chain’s final exit from the state. A similar fate befell New York, where the last restaurant in Colonie closed at the beginning of July after fifteen years of business, following the closures that have already occurred in Manhattan and Long Island. In the previous months, the brand had already divested its last outposts in Connecticut and Minnesota.
The appeal to Chapter 11
The crisis has a very long tail, linked to changing fashions and interests. It is society that is different. THEand sales in the United States fell from 867 million dollars in 2023 to 678 million in 2024 (they were 1.2 billion in 2009), with a parallel reduction in sales points from 293 to 245. Before the request for an arrangement with creditors, the company found itself crushed by a debt of around 370 million dollars and heavy delays in payments to suppliers, with more than half of the invoices overdue for more than three months.
In March 2025, Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of US law. Among the main causes of the financial collapse were indicated the sharp increase in the costs of raw materials, inflation and competition from other chains, as well as a progressive disinterest of younger consumers in the original formula of the establishments.
The original recipe
Founded in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983 by six friends with no experience in the industry, Hooters has grown to approximately 420 restaurants worldwide (including in Europe, Switzerland and Germany). The name, as mentioned, plays on the double meaning between the cry of the owl and the slang term used to indicate the female breast. The chain has made the so-called “breastaurant” format famous, places that combine burgers, chips, chicken and cheese sticks with entertainment based on “hooters girls” and the showing of sports on big screens.
A difficult relaunch
In October 2025, a group composed of the original founders and some franchisees took control of the brand in an attempt to begin its relaunch. The plan included simplifying the menu, using better quality ingredients and adopting less provocative uniforms, inspired by the sporty look of the early days. In essence, the premises have been ‘de-sexualised’, at least in part. Despite the restructuring and move to a fully franchising model, the closure of less profitable outlets continued unabated.
According to many analysts, as reported Startingfinanceconsumers are increasingly looking for quality food, a better experience and an offer capable of justifying the price. And, above all, hooters girls are no longer enough to attract customers. While many chains manage to keep up with the times, Hooters has not found the right solution. And the future doesn’t seem to be rosy.