Hooters has taken its ‘delightfully tacky, yet unrefined’ mantra to new hemline heights after introducing skimpy new uniform shorts for its female staff – who are voicing outrage over the ‘tiny’ derriere-baring design, while comparing the style to ‘panties’ and ‘underwear’.
The new uniforms, which were introduced this month, have prompted fury among Hooters Girls, several of whom quickly took to TikTok to express their horror over the new ensembles, while showing off the ‘revealing’ hot pants to their followers.
Hooters’ decision to introduce the derriere-baring hotpants marks a major shift in focus for the infamous eatery – which was founded in 1983 and quickly built a salacious reputation on hiring ample-chested women who serve customers while modeling cleavage-baring tank tops and T-shirts.
While the chain’s previous uniform did also feature very short shorts, a number of the eatery’s staff members – who are known as Hooters Girls – insist that they always felt comfortable in the designs because they kept their buttocks covered.
On the other hand, the new skin-tight hotpants do quite the opposite courtesy of their very high-cut design, which some staff members have gone as far as to label ‘pornographic’.
‘So, this is what I’m supposed to be wearing… and I hate it!’ 22-year-old Hooters bartender Kirsten Songer said while modeling her new uniform for her followers.
Controversy: Hooters has sparked fury among female staff members after introducing a tiny new uniform shorts (pictured) that some are calling ‘pornographic’ and comparing to ‘panties’
The originals: Many Hooters Girls have taken to TikTok to show off the ‘revealing’ new design, while comparing them to the old style – which covered their buttocks (pictured)
Spot the difference! Texas-based Hooters Girl Giselle Nguyen, 20, shared a comparison video on her TikTok account, showing off the difference between the old (left) and new (right) shorts
‘The new black shorts, they do not have a bottom, they have a crotch string. So they sit like this… oh look, a wedgie!
‘There is no longer anything covered by these shorts. And this is what the problem with the new shorts is, this is why all of the Hooters girls are upset. Because this is not what I agreed to wear a year ago when I was hired.’
Kirsten – who earned viral fame in July when she posted a series of videos detailing how she fakes ample cleavage for her job, despite having AA-cup breasts – tried on both her old shorts and her new to make clear the differences in the design, noting that while the original pair could not be considered demure, they covered much more skin that the updated version.
‘As far as the shorts go, we have orange shorts and we have black shorts,’ she explained. ‘The orange shorts are if you’re waitressing on the floor and they tend to run a little bit bigger.’
The bartender then tried on her old orange shorts while turning around in front of the camera to show off the fit, before then putting on the new design.
In another video, the TikTok-famous Hooters Girl joked that she was tempted to quit her job over the uniform change, explaining in her caption that she ‘had seen [other] TikToks about the shorts’ but was still stunned to discover just how small they really are.
Upset: Some Hooters Girls – including Gracie Herrick – have joked that they were temped to quit their jobs after seeing the new uniforms
Barely there: The new shorts feature a very high-cut hemline at the back, which is designed to flash the wearer’s buttocks; all staff members are required to wear tights under their shorts
New direction? The uniform update marks a major shift for the infamous eatery – which is best known for hiring ample-chested female staff who flaunt their cleavage in low-cut shirts
Confusion: Kirsten Songer, 22, went viral in July for revealing how she fakes ample cleavage for work despite having size AA-cup breasts, and now her video about the shorts has gone viral
‘I hate it’: The University of South Carolina graduate tried on the new shorts for her followers, while saying that the high-rise style gives her a ‘wedgie’ no matter how she wears them
‘I got mine today and this is WILD,’ she wrote, before reassuring her followers: ‘I didn’t actually quit, don’t worry.’
Other Hooters Girls have been a bit more tongue-in-cheek about their new uniform requirements, with many posting joking videos set to humorous songs or sounds while flashing their high-cut hotpants for the camera.
Two staff members said that their new shorts have taken their uniforms from ‘PG’ to ‘porn’ while modeling them in front of the camera, joking that they hadn’t realized Hooters could actually make their skimpy uniforms ‘even shorter’.
Another waitress, Giselle Nguyen, 20, from Texas, filmed herself holding up her old and new shorts, while asking: ‘What’s that supposed to fit?!’
After being bombarded with requests from her followers, she then tried on both of the styles, revealing just how much more skin the new design shows off.