Hooters has all the trappings of a great institution: good food, low prices, attractive women. The sudden closure of more than 40 branches of the chain in the US is perhaps one of the surest signs that America in 2024 occupies a different universe to the one Hooters entered into in the 1980s.
This looks like the beginning of the end of the American “breastaurant” dream. Rising food and labour costs are eroding the fast-casual dining sector’s reputation for affordability. “Like many restaurants under pressure from current market conditions, Hooters has made the difficult decision to close a select number of underperforming stores,” a company statement read. Fox News blamed its usual suspect: “Bidenomics hits Hooters.” The chain is truculent, arguing that it remains both resilient and, er, “highly […] relevant”.
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