Hooters, the sports bar and grill known more for its female waitstaff dressed in skimpy orange shorts than its signature chicken wings, has filed for bankruptcy.
The chain filed for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Dallas, reports The Wall Street Journal.
According to a press release, the company plans to sell all of its 100 company-owned restaurants to two franchisee groups that include the original Hooters founders. The two companies currently operate Hooters restaurants in Florida and Chicago.
Hooters has no plans to shutter all of its restaurants completely. Instead, the move puts dozens of Hooters restaurants back into the hands of experienced operators, the company said.
“For many years now, the Hooters brand has been owned by private equity firms and other groups with no history or experience with the Hooters brand,” said Neil Kiefer, the CEO of Hooters Inc., in the same press release. “As a result of these transactions, the Hooters brand will once again be in the hands of highly experienced Hooters franchisees and we will be well-positioned to return this iconic brand to its historic success.”
Another part of Hooters’ rebound strategy: rebranding its image to become more “family friendly,” including getting rid of its famous “bikini days,” reports the Montgomery Advertiser.