Hooters plans to make iconic orange shorts less revealing as part of brand rebirth

For decades, the orange shorts worn by Hooters waitresses have been a calling card for the American restaurant chain.

They've served as a beacon for the so-called original "breastaurant" establishment and are part of what makes Hooters, as its slogan claims, "delightfully tacky."

But to Neil Kiefer – the CEO now leading the group seeking to reclaim the Hooters brand – the uniforms aren't just fabric. They're ingrained in Hooters' identity, and he wants to dial them back from risqué to "athletic."

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"You don't want to have a butt cheek in your plate," Kiefer told Fox News Digital earlier this year.

Kiefer said he wants to take back a look rooted in the 1980s.

The Hooters shorts, originally designed to be sporty, have evolved since the 1980s. (Carsten Rehder/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Hooters shorts were originally conceived, he said, as dolphin shorts – a sporty, running-inspired style that men and women once wore.

Kiefer is the CEO of Hooters Inc., the Clearwater, Florida-based company that founded the Hooters concept in 1983.

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He told Fox News Digital this spring that his group, along with another franchisee, plans to take over the remaining corporate Hooters locations that were operated by Atlanta-based Hooters of America, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year.

That means changing the iconic orange shorts that "went to the more revealing" look under Hooters of America, said Kiefer. 

"The [shorts are] supposed to be sized to fit appropriately," Kiefer said. "They're supposed to be athletic, not so much sexual."

The CEO of the founder-led group behind the original Hooters concept wants to go back to their roots with the uniforms. (Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

The public perception of Hooters and what the founders believe is sustainable for its future are key to the chain's next chapter.

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The uniforms, Kiefer argues, are a nostalgic nod to Hooters' roots, tempered by what he calls the "youthful, athletic look of the female servers" that makes families, women and everyday customers feel comfortable.

‘They make sure everything’s good'

Alli Lamb has no complaints about the uniform. The 21-year-old Hooters waitress and bartender started working at the Boca Raton, Florida, location – which is independently owned and operated by the original franchisee – while she was in college.

Hooters did not provide Fox News Digital with its uniform requirements, but Lamb told Fox News Digital in an April interview that trying on the outfit was part of the orientation process. 

"They make sure everything's good and that you're comfortable in it," Lamb said.

Alli Lamb, who works at the Hooters in Boca Raton, Florida, said trying on the uniform was part of the orientation process. (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)

As far as the uniforms go, Lamb said, "nothing really came as a surprise to me." 

"This is kind of what I expected," she added.

She said she's heard from some who don't like the Hooters dress code, which includes no colorful fingernails or visible tattoos.

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"But honestly, I think it makes it a little bit more professional," she said.

Lamb also appears on the back cover of the 2025 Hooters swimsuit calendar. She said she likes the uniform.

"Everything's covered," she said. "Nothing's out that doesn't need to be out."

Lamb said she likes wearing the Hooters uniform. "Nothing's out that doesn't need to be out." (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)

Kiefer was quick to point out that the appeal of Hooters isn't just to young men.

"I can guarantee you there's a bunch of senior citizens there, male and female, at 2 in the afternoon," he said. 

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An indicator of that is the recent opening of a Hooters in The Villages, Florida, an age-restricted community about 45 miles northwest of Orlando.

Customers lined up outside the doors to the restaurant for the grand opening in May.

Seniors dine at the new Hooters location in The Villages, Florida, during its grand opening. (Alex Fowler/@thealtemlife)

For Kiefer, that mix of regulars proves Hooters works best when the attire feels approachable – sporty enough to be "delightfully tacky" but not so revealing that it alienates customers who are there for the wings, beer and camaraderie.

"There may be those still out there that are upset that the shorts aren't going to be as short, but that's just not what the brand is," Kiefer said. 

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"So, there may be some of those, but we're really not worried about that. This is not that type of drastic change."