Hooters Inc., the original founder of Hooters, and Hoot Owl Restaurants have finalized their acquisition of Hooters of America, according to a Monday press release. The transaction was completed on Oct. 31.
Hooters of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections in April after closing dozens of restaurants since 2024.
The new owners plan to revitalize the 111 restaurants it acquired with upgrades, equipment enhancements, a streamlined menu with better food ingredients and enhanced customer service.
Post-bankruptcy, Hooters has 198 domestic restaurants, including 140 owned by the two owners. Including 60 international locations, Hooters has about $700 million in systemwide sales. In June, the chain closed an estimated 30 restaurants.
Among the biggest focuses for the new owners is a refreshed menu that will include returning fan-favorite dishes like its hand-breaded wings and wing sauces, and offering wild-caught fish options, fresh-cut salads and ranch and blue cheese dressings made in-house daily, among other refreshed ingredients. Servers will also wear uniforms representative of the original Hooters’ “beachy vibe and heritage.”
“The restaurants will feature a renewed focus on family and community brought to life through events, local partnerships, sponsorships and initiatives that connect with the neighborhoods and locals they serve,” the press release said.
Other full-service brands that emerged from bankruptcy have seen significant turnarounds following revitalization efforts. Red Lobster has been using $60 million in financial backing to develop a long-term plan to revitalize the brand and is already seeing early success. The chain added a happy hour late last year and integrated SoundHound’s voice automation to handle phone takeout orders in September. TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette told Restaurant Dive earlier this year that the brand is ready to grow again after it restructured.
