Another American business bites the dust thanks to our crazy culture wars. Hooters filed for bankruptcy in March with a whopping 376 million dollars in debt. The famous wing joint is now desperately trying to save itself by going “wholesome” instead of keeping what made them famous in the first place.
For years, Hooters has been run by two different groups pulling in opposite directions. One side wanted to keep the restaurant’s original appeal that built their success. The other side, backed by private equity, wanted to turn away from what customers actually came for.
Now the original founders are buying back control and promising a complete makeover. They want to ditch the “breastaurant” label and become more family-friendly. CEO Neil Kiefer says they need to “re-educate” everyone about what Hooters really is.
This sounds like another case of a company going woke and going broke. Hooters became successful because they knew their audience and gave people what they wanted. Now they are running scared from the cancel culture mob instead of standing firm.
The restaurant business is already brutal with inflation crushing family budgets. Smart business owners focus on great food and service, not virtue signaling to people who were never going to eat there anyway. Hooters built a brand that worked for decades.
They have already closed 48 locations since last year as customers walk away. The casual dining industry is getting hammered while corporate executives chase trends instead of profits. This is what happens when businesses forget who pays their bills.
Free market capitalism works when companies stick to what made them successful. The original Hooters founders understood this basic truth when they built the brand from nothing. Maybe getting back to their roots will save what is left of this American success story.
Hooters better hope their loyal customers will forgive this identity crisis and come back. Traditional American businesses need to stop apologizing for being successful and start fighting back against the woke corporate takeover destroying our economy.
