Hooters restaurants keep closing even as CEO says there’s more to the story
Hooters continues to close restaurants in Florida, including its last Jacksonville location, but CEO Neil Kiefer says the closures do not show that the brand is losing appeal. He says the company is rebuilding after its original founders regained control following Hooters of America’s 2025 bankruptcy.
Jacksonville’s closure ended a 40-year presence, while a Panama City Beach restaurant that had operated for more than three decades shut in September. A Boca Raton site also closed after 16 years when its landlord did not renew the lease. Under new ownership, Hooters says it is prioritising food, hospitality and family appeal, with a new restaurant opened in The Villages in July 2025 and another planned near Tampa.
- Hooters is closing long-running Florida restaurants.
- Its CEO says the closures reflect rebuilding after bankruptcy.
- The chain is trying to broaden its appeal.
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Hooters is an American restaurant chain known for chicken wings, casual dining and its distinctive uniformed service staff. It was founded in Florida in 1983 and built a large presence across the United States and abroad.
The company behind many of its restaurants, Hooters of America, entered bankruptcy in 2025. The original founders later regained control, and chief executive Neil Kiefer says the business is being rebuilt with a focus on food, hospitality and attracting families.
Restaurant closures can reflect local factors such as leases as well as wider business pressures. Hooters’ plans for new sites show that the owners are also seeking to maintain and develop the chain.
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The case for
The closures are part of a difficult rebuilding after bankruptcy and do not, by themselves, prove that customers have lost interest in Hooters. Some had specific causes, including a landlord declining to renew a lease, while new ownership is investing in restaurants and says it wants to strengthen the food and hospitality offer for a broader, family audience.
The case against
Repeated closures, including the end of a 40-year presence in Jacksonville and a long-running Panama City Beach site, can reasonably be seen as signs that the current business is struggling to sustain locations. Plans for new restaurants and a change in emphasis may show ambition, but they do not yet establish that the brand can attract enough customers to reverse that pattern.