Hooters restaurants continue to disappear across America, including several longtime locations in Florida — but the iconic chain's CEO insists the closures aren't a sign that the brand is losing its appeal.Neil Kiefer, CEO of Florida-based Hooters Inc., told Fox News Digital the company is focused on rebuilding the restaurant chain after its original founders regained control of the brand following its 2025 bankruptcy."The number of stores will go up and down, but the longevity of our commitment will not," Kiefer said."These store closures are not an indication of brand strength."HOOTERS RESTAURANTS KEEP DISAPPEARING AS ICONIC CHAIN LOSES LONGTIME LOCATIONS IN FOUNDING STATEHis remarks come after Fox News Digital reported that Hooters closed its last remaining restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida, ending a 40-year presence in the city.The closure followed the September shutdown of a Hooters in Panama City Beach, which had operated for more than three decades.Hooters restaurants continue to disappear across America, including several longtime locations in Florida — but the chain's leadership insists the closures aren't a sign the brand is losing its appeal.
(Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)Other longtime locations have also disappeared, including a Hooters in Boca Raton, Florida, which closed earlier this year after 16 years when its landlord declined to renew the lease.But Kiefer said the recent closures need to be viewed in the context of the company's ownership changes."In March 2025, Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy," he said.HISTORY OF HOOTERS: 5 FACTS YOU LIKELY NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE RESTAURANT CHAIN"Hooters of America was a separate corporate entity from the original Hooters team that first founded the brand and their first restaurant in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983," he went on. "While these two groups may have shared a name, they shared nothing else.The original founders saw an opportunity to step in and reclaim their brand, integrity and legacy.
Si...