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Hooters has quite the reputation among customer and skeptics alike. But the kitschy, and sometimes even tacky, restaurant chain known for its wings, orange short shorts, and—of course—lots of cleavage has a number of little-known facts that you need to know before you cast judgment. And also before you head out for your next hot wing binge.
1. It all started in Clearwater, FL.
On October 4, 1983 the very first location opened in the Sunshine State. The theme revolved around beachy, laid-back surfer culture—which is why Hooters Girls are meant to represent the "All-American Cheerleader" and "Girl Next Door."
2. There are locations in 28 countries.
Globetrotting wing lovers can pop into one of over 430 Hooters restaurants in countries like Australia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Taiwan, Germany, Colombia, Russia, Switzerland, Mexico, and more.
3. The name was inspired by Saturday Night Live.
Steve Martin hosted the May 17, 1980 episode of SNL and his monologue titled "I Believe" included a line saying "I believe it's derogatory to refer to a woman's breasts as 'boobs,' 'jugs,' 'winnebagos,' or 'golden bozos…' and that you should only refer to them as 'hooters.'"
4. Krysten Ritter was a Hooters Girl.
Well, sort of. She and She's Out Of My League co-star Alice Eve became honorary Hooters Girls back in 2010 at the Atlanta, GA location. They were the first to be bestowed that status. Ritter even told Page Six: "For [Hooters] it was a publicity stunt, for me it was a lifetime achievement."
5. You can score deals after dark.
At Hooters, there's a food-friendly happy hour that runs from 10 p.m. until close every day. During that time, you can scarf down half-price appetizers.
A photo posted by Rheanna O'Neil Bellomo (@rheannaoneilbellomo) on Feb 15, 2015 at 2:17pm PST
6. Hooters Girls are very proud of their jobs.
"The women who work there are super empowered badasses," one former Hooters girl told Cosmopolitan.com. The brand's site even goes to far as to say: "Much more than just a pretty face, Hooters girls have game. They're intelligent and attentive, using their energy, experience and personalities to serve guests everywhere to live in the moment and take a break from the outside world."
7. Wings are, by far, the top seller.
And yes, people do go for the food—not the girls.
8. The uniform is deceptively strict.
Hooters Girls are technically hired as entertainers, which means the company can make stringent rules about their appearances. Each girl must wear "suntan" pantyhose, white sneakers and white scrunched socks, a branded tank top or t-shirt, and the iconic orange Soffee shorts. What's more, their hair must always be down—never in a ponytail or braid—and make-up is required every day.
9. Hooters Girls can only wear black on Fridays.
As seen in Delish.com social media assistant Sam Gutierrez's amazing graduation photo, "entertainers" are allowed to wear black as part of a casual Friday type of thing.
10. The employee benefits are actually really awesome.
Hooters offers tuition assistance for students, pays if you participate in a calendar shoot or compete in a swimsuit contest or pageant, and the scheduling is very flexible. Some restaurants also offer discounts on tanning and gym memberships for their Hooters Girls.
11. It's surprisingly family-friendly.
On Sunday nights especially, families come in for the affordable meals. According to one former server there, it's a combination of the inexpensive meals, the fact that families are allowed to be loud and messy, and everything is plastic and therefore not breakable that makes Hooters so family-friendly.
12. Booze wasn't on the menu until 2006.
Shockingly, Hooters spent 23 years without serving liquor. Sure, there was always beer to accompany the wings but hard alcohol wasn't an option for a long time. Today, liquor sales account for 28 percent of the company's revenue.
13. Hooters Nation will really reward you.
Subscribe to the company's mailing list and you'll be the first to know about deals, special events, discounts, and exclusive coupons.
14. Every year there's a massive wing-eating competition.
Hooters is serious about its wings. Recognized as an official competitive eating challenge by Major League Eating, the Hooters Worldwide Wing Eating Championship is hosted in the brand's hometown of Clearwater, FL every year. Last year, the winner scarfed down 241 wings in 10 minutes. Holy cow. (Or should we say chicken?)
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