Skimpy uniforms are out, modesty is in as Hooters founders take back control of chain

The Florida businessmen who created Hooters more than four decades ago have taken back full control of the chain, vowing to restore its 1980s beach-bar vibe and replace the current, revealing waitress outfits with the iconic eatery’s original — and more modest — server uniforms.The founders’ group, operating as Hooters Inc., said Monday it finalized the purchase of Hooters of America on Friday, ending months of bankruptcy turmoil that left dozens of restaurants shuttered.Neil Kiefer, the 73-year-old lawyer now running the brand, said his goal is simple: “I don’t think you’re going to see a bunch of butt cheeks hanging out.”He told the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that the chain will scrap the bikini-style shorts adopted under prior ownership in favor of the orange jogging shorts that made the restaurant famous.“We’re not just acquiring restaurants — we’re taking back the Hooters name to show the world who we really are,” Kiefer said in a Monday statement.“Our vision is about more than great food and service.It’s about bringing people together, making memories, and ensuring that Hooters remains a place where everyone feels welcome.”The founders — who opened the sports bar chain in 1983 — are calling their turnaround plan a “re-Hooterization” of the brand.The strategy focuses on simplified menus, upgraded ingredients and a return to the chain’s family-friendly origins, the investors said.Hooters Inc.

and its partner Hoot Owl Restaurants LLC will control about 140 of the 198 domestic restaurants, plus 60 overseas locations, according to Monday’s announcement.All told, the joints “represent approximately $700 million in systemwide sales,” the owners said.The group added that it has already begun equipment upgrades and remodeling work at its locations nationwide.The new owners’ plans appear to mark a major shift for a brand that once peaked at $1.2 billion in sales but was hobbled by inflation, high debt and sh...