In response to outcry from employees online, Hooters has announced that it has reversed a new uniform policy featuring super-skimpy shorts.
The scandalous bottoms were introduced to the dress code earlier this month by the risqué restaurant. Almost immediately, the ‘underwear’ like shorts caused backlash on social media after waitresses spoke out against the new uniform.
"Soooo Hooters got new panties. I mean shorts," wrote one TikToker while showing how the revealing short shorts looked on her.
A waitress from Texas filmed herself sharing a before and after video that displayed the difference between the old and new Hooters uniform. While the previous dress code also included tight-fitted shorts, the old version fully covered their buttock — the new style does not.
Another employee shared a video on the platform claiming that the outrage over the bottoms caused ‘half the Hooters girls’ wanting to quit. “Love my job but dont love wearing undies to work,” read the caption.
According to a spokesperson for Hooters of America, the revealing shorts have now been made an optional part of the uniform. Waitresses will now be allowed to choose between the previous longer-length shorts or the new ones.
“As we continue to listen and update the image of the Hooters Girls, we are clarifying that they have the option to choose from traditional uniforms or the new ones. They can determine which style of shorts best fits their body style and personal image,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Indy100.
The statement said that the new uniform style was actually a result of a collaboration with Hooters Girls and has “been worn for months in several Texas markets with overwhelmingly positive feedback.”
The Hooters of America representative shared that the chain "appreciates the feedback, both positive and negative” and is “excited to see a national trend toward self-expression and inclusivity that bodes well for our marketplace.”
Going forward, the statement said that the restaurant’s employees will continue to provide feedback “at every stage including future clothing items and accessories” and that they remain committed to empowering their “most valuable asset” —the Hooters Girls.
Hooters was founded by six men in 1983 and became a popular place known for female employees serving predominantly male customers in modeling cleavage-baring tank tops and T-shirts.
