ATLANTA, July 17 (Our Florida Times) — Hooters is trying to tell a new story about itself: one that includes kids, families and neighborhood regulars.
But in South Florida, some employees say that story is not new at all.
The chain’s leaders are presenting the shift as a return to the brand’s original identity, not a full makeover. And in Fort Lauderdale, Hooters workers told Fox News Digital that families have always been part of the crowd.
What is Hooters saying now?
CEO Neil Kiefer has said the company wants to bring back what he sees as the chain’s original concept: a beach-themed restaurant centered on Hooters Girls, food and a place to relax. In interviews quoted by PEOPLE and Fox News Digital, Kiefer said Hooters is moving away from stores he described as oversexualized or “renegade” and putting more emphasis on food, hospitality and community involvement.
Company representative Michela DellaMonica told USA TODAY that the change is a “return to our roots,” not a major transformation. She also said family-oriented promotions, including children’s deals, are planned.
Why are South Florida employees pushing back?
At two Fort Lauderdale locations, Gracie Williams and Micayla Williams told Fox News Digital that families and children have always been welcome. Gracie Williams, who said she has worked for Hooters for nearly six years and is the chain’s “Miss July” cover model, said, “Nothing’s really changed for our locations.”
She said the restaurants have long served families, teenagers, older guests and kids, especially during the day and at beach locations.
Her message was simple: the South Florida stores were already operating the way the company now says it wants to look.
What is behind the bigger turnaround?
The company’s new messaging comes after a rough stretch. Fox News Digital reported in April that Hooters of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a founder-led buyout and restructuring plan. In bankruptcy terms, Chapter 11 usually lets a company keep operating while it reorganizes its debts.
The New York Times reported that the original owners had acquired about 140 locations and that Kiefer was leading an effort to restore the chain’s original identity. Kiefer also told PEOPLE that stores in Florida and Chicago under original ownership were performing better in sales.
What is staying the same?
Kiefer told Fox News Digital that the swimsuit calendar and the Miss Hooters International Pageant will remain.
That matters because Hooters has long been defined by both food and image. The company is now trying to keep the recognizable parts of the brand while broadening who it says can feel comfortable walking in the door.
For South Florida locations, the employees quoted in the reporting say that broad base already exists. Their view is that Hooters has long been a place for beachgoers, couples, older customers and families — not a brand that suddenly discovered them.
What should customers expect next?
The reporting does not show a complete list of menu, staffing or design changes. What it does show is a company trying to reset its message after bankruptcy and ownership changes.
For now, Hooters is pitching itself as a more family-friendly neighborhood restaurant. In South Florida, workers say that description fits what their stores have been all along.
