The right-leaning sports site OutKick reports, within its regular "Thursday Screencaps" column, that the restaurant chain Hooters has quietly shut its operations in several US states. The piece frames the closures through a partisan lens, using the term "LIB states" (a shorthand for Democratic-leaning states) and suggesting the brand is retreating from politically progressive areas. The item is presented as a light, opinion-heavy commentary rather than a straightforward business report.

According to the article, which cites MassLive, Hooters closed its final Massachusetts store in June and shut its last New York location after earlier closing its New York City outlets. States listed as no longer having any Hooters include Minnesota, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, while Michigan retains a single store. The author attributes the chain's difficulties to falling beer consumption, the rise of to-go sports-bar food models and competition from "lesbian sports bars," and notes that in April 2026 company leadership pointed to a planned Hooters movie and possible expansion in the West, alongside its strong presence in Florida.