Hooters goes bust
This April Fools’ Day brings the revealing news that Hooters, the instantly recognizable and “delightfully tacky” (their brand statement, not mine) restaurant chain is declaring bankruptcy (New York Times, gift link).
This bankruptcy will end the cleavage between franchises owned by a group of the original founders and locations owned by the company. The original founders will now take over the previously sagging company-owned locations.
Hooters may be the most recognizable brand name among the vast majority of Americans who will never actually admit to having been in one (I haven’t, honest).
The ever-buoyant brand was 42 years old. Some change in its shape was inevitable.
Whether or not this post is an April Fool’s joke, I can attest to Hooter’s phenomenal wings. A fellow where I used to work always brought those to the company potluck. They never lasted beyond the first two minutes.