Hooters eating places proceed to disappear across America, including several longtime areas in Florida — but the iconic chain’s CEO insists the closures aren’t a signal that the model is shedding its appeal.
Neil Kiefer, CEO of Florida-based Hooters Inc., informed Fox News Digital the company is targeted on rebuilding the restaurant chain after its unique founders regained control of the model following its 2025 chapter.
“The number of stores will go up and down, but the longevity of our commitment will not,” Kiefer said. “These store closures are not an indication of brand strength.”
His remarks come after Fox News Digital reported that Hooters closed its last remaining restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida, ending a 40-year presence in the metropolis.
The closure adopted the September shutdown of a Hooters in Panama City Beach, which had operated for more than three a long time.
Other longtime areas have also disappeared, including a Hooters in Boca Raton, Florida, which closed earlier this 12 months after 16 years when its landlord declined to renew the lease.
Hooters eating places proceed to disappear across America — but the iconic chain’s CEO insists the closures aren’t a signal that the model is shedding its appeal. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Neil Kiefer, CEO of Florida-based Hooters Inc., said the company is targeted on rebuilding the restaurant chain after its unique founders regained control of the model following its 2025 chapter. Fox News Digital
But Kiefer said the current closures need to be considered in the context of the company’s possession adjustments.
“In March 2025, Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy,” he said.
“Hooters of America was a separate corporate entity from the original Hooters team that first founded the brand and their first restaurant in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983,” he went on.
“While these two groups may have shared a name, they shared nothing else. The original founders saw an opportunity to step in and reclaim their brand, integrity, and legacy. Since these acquisitions, we’ve learned some stores were in various stages of need.”
The closure adopted the September shutdown of a Hooters in Panama City Beach, which had operated for more than three a long time. Stephen Yang for NY Post
Kiefer also emphasised that the closures should not be considered as a reflection of the restaurant chain’s “beloved staff, community or sisterhood of the orange shorts.”
The restaurant chain has been working to reinvent itself under its new possession — with a renewed emphasis on food, hospitality and attracting households.
Kiefer beforehand informed Fox News Digital that Hooters had become overly sexualized under its former company management and that he needed to restore the model’s unique id.
The restaurant chain has been working to reinvent itself under its new possession — with a renewed emphasis on food, hospitality and attracting households. Stephen Yang for NY Post
That strategy has included opening new eating places, including a location in The Villages, Florida, in July 2025, while another location in Lutz, close to Tampa, is coming soon, according to its web site.
The Villages restaurant has also attracted consideration for its recognition among retirees, demonstrating how the model is making an attempt to appeal to a broader buyer base.
For now, however, the restaurant chain’s shrinking footprint stays seen in elements of its founding state.
For now, however, the restaurant chain’s shrinking footprint stays seen in elements of its founding state. Stephen Yang for NY Post
Following the Jacksonville and Boca Raton closures, giant stretches of the state’s Atlantic coast are without a Hooters restaurant.
Kiefer maintains that the company’s dedication to its prospects and workers stays unchanged.
“Instead, we are concentrating our efforts on what has always made us successful: our community, our staff, our food and our unshakeable dedication to all three.”
