Hooters employees have been turning to TikTok to literally show why a recent uniform change
has upset them. Video after video has revealed that at some Hooters restaurants, the already
quite short shorts have been reduced to what workers described as a pair of underwear.
A TikTok video by gracie.herrick showing off the new uniform playfully implied that the
employee might quit over the change. And she's not the only Hooters worker who's been publicly
cracking jokes about quitting.
"Some Hooters employees are taking to TikTok to share their frustrations over a recent
uniform change."
In case you're wondering how much shorter the new shorts are, a TikTok post by theflathootersgirl
demonstrated that the previous shorts "covered everything they needed to cover," albeit with
a slight cheeky reveal. However, the new version failed to cover her backside at all despite
being larger than the pair she was technically supposed to wear "based on [Hooters'] size
chart." After trying the recommended size, she declared, "I hate it."
In her own video about the new uniform, directly comparing the old shorts and the strip of
cloth that replaced them, ggnguyen wrote, "What's that supposed to fit?!?"
An anonymous employee told NBC News that for certain Hooters workers, the new garment,
quote, "kind of just rides right up. You have a wedgie all the time."
"What?"
"Shut the front door."
"That's just crazy talk."
The source also said the reception to the uniforms has been mixed. According to her,
both she and employees who wore the shorts during a trial run appeared not to have a
problem with them. But as they reached other places, complaints began to surface — and
the backlash put Hooters on its heels.
However, the new uniforms are reportedly not a brand-wide change. As NBC News points out,
two separate companies run their own Hooters restaurants: The Original Hooters Group and
Hooters of America. Hooters of America made the decision to alter the uniforms. The Original
Hooters Group explained in a statement that its dress requirements will remain unchanged.
Hooters of America defended its decision, claiming that both customers and workers gave
"overwhelmingly favorable reviews" when the uniforms were tested in Texas. However, TikTok
is providing reactions to the contrary, at least where workers are concerned. And commenters
also seem unhappy on the employees' behalf.
Not everyone had a sympathetic reply, suggesting that Hooters' track record of objectifying
workers meant they shouldn't be surprised. But many seemed to agree the new uniforms
went too far. As one TikTok user put it,
"Those are underpants. I love a cheeky short, but they're not cheeky. They're full moon."
Some raised concerns about harassment. Another person wrote,
"This is so beyond not okay ... They are sexualizing their staff even more now, and putting them
in real danger."
Then, on October 17, Hooters of America reached out to Business Insider to announce an adjustment
in their policy: all Hooters girls will be allowed to choose the shorts they want to
wear. The company said in a statement that employees will be able to "determine which
style of shorts best fits their body style and personal image." The spokesperson added
that the company has also received plenty of feedback about its inclusive image policy
regarding tattoos, nails, and hairstyles.
While the recent backlash has been apparently smoothed over with the uniform policy adjustment,
it did raise the issue of how Hooters built its brand upon objectifying workers. It's
not the only one, either, a rundown by Delish pointed out 11 other restaurants that have
used the Hooters model by requiring employees to wear revealing uniforms.
One might imagine that such consistent ogling creates a toll on one's mental health. In
fact, two psychological researchers at the University of Tennessee published an article
in The Conversation in 2015 that explained that waitresses at Hooters and similar places
were more likely to experience depression than waitresses in less sexualized workplaces.
The pressures of voyeuristic customers and the strict control the companies place on
workers' appearance increased feelings of "body shame," the researchers found during
a national survey.
As NBC News pointed out, not every Hooters worker is unhappy with the new uniforms -- but
some clearly are, and allowing the workers to choose which uniforms they wear is certainly
a step in the right direction.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Mashed videos about the latest
restaurant news are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so
you don't miss a single one.