The phenomenon of Hooters began with an effort by six menthe Hooters six-to create a restaurant that they would not get thrown out of. From this idea, which launched the original Hooters restaurant in Clearwater, Florida, 250 restaurants in forty states and nine foreign countries have been founded, creating a chain worth $325 million in sales. Each Hooters restaurant has the same interior details: jukebox music from the 1950s and 1960s, televisions broadcasting sports events, finger foods and chicken wings, and wooden walls, floors, tables and bars. Although this decorative and culinary uniformity makes Hooters a distinguishable presence in every location it chooses, these are not the characteristics that bring it the most publicity. Instead, it is the waitresses, known as Hooters Girls, that have brought the restaurant most of its publicity and fame, both positive and negative.

Hooters Girls, who serve as waitresses, are recognizable by their uniforms: short orange shorts, tight Hooters tanktops or T-shirts, flesh colored pantyhose, and white sneakers. In hiring these waitresses, the company looks for what they describe as All-American, surfer-girl, cheerleader, fun-loving, girl next door types. Hooters Girls must keep their hair, makeup and nails neatly done. Hooters Girls are not just famous for their waitressing work; they have also gained much recognition for their annual calendar and their publicity appearances at sports tournaments and charity events.

The implied meaning of the name Hooters-a slang term for breasts-and the intended emphasis on the physiques of the Hooters Girls is not obscured, even though the restaurant's logo is an owl. The media statement issued by Hooters of America,Inc., the operator and franchiser or all the Hooters restaurants worldwide, acknowledges the duality of interpretations of the word hooters and states that the chain enjoys this dual meaning and thrives from the speculation and publicity it provokes. Despite the double meaning of the restaurant's title, the majority of its image relies on manipulating the name Hooters as a way of referring to breasts. Waitresses wear T-shirts that read "More than a mouthful" and an advertising campaign for Hooterade,a sports drink, featured a woman in a sports bra with the slogan "Just Grab One." Additional restaurant mottos are "How do you like our Hooters?" and "You'll love our Hooters." Although the available history and literature released by Hooters emphasizes the restaurant as a place for fun and good food, the tone is often exaggerated and clearly intentional, more to protect the company from attacks by women's groups than to accurately capture the theme of the restaurant. It is fair to say that mention of Hooters brings to mind women and breasts, rather than food and owls.

Hooters appeals to a consumer base that is largely male. This male majority in the clientele is due to the restaurant's emphasis on the Hooters Girls as an essential element of the Hooters experience. The emphasis on the female body deters, and often repulses, potential female customers who think that the use of Hooters Girls as a selling point is degrading, exploitative, even pornographic. Although Hooters does offer a children's menu, its practice of hiring of attractive, idealized women and dressing them in tight clothes has led many people to deem the restaurant inappropriate for children and families. Many communities, such as Santa Monica, California and Peoria, Illinois, have had public struggles against the opening of Hooters franchises in their tourist and historical districts because of the prevailing notion that the chain is indecent and not fitting for popular, respectable commercial areas.

Thus, consumption at Hooters is aimed at young to middle-aged men. Not only are women largely put off from being customers at Hooters, but their participation in the franchise is dictated by their physical appearances. Hooters hires women on the basis of their physical traits and appeal, and their conformity to the mold of All-American. This policy excludes many women, for reasons of ethnicity, weight, body shape and unconventionality. Additionally, Hooters has twice been ruled against in lawsuits in which women were fired because they were pregnant. Furthermore, there have been several lawsuits by men, who claim that they were subject to sexual discrimination by Hooters after not being able to obtain employment as bartenders and waiters. In these ways, Hooters creates a very narrow and exclusive niche in employment, in addition to targeting a specific consumer audience.

The entrepreneurs of Hooters assume the universality of appeal of the All-American girl concept, and they have successfully expanded their idea to foreign markets. The symbols of Hooters, the Hooters Girls, have been marketed as an integral, interactive part of the Hooters experience. By using women as the selling point, distinguishing Hooters from other restaurants that sell chicken wings, the Hooters chain has carved out a unique place in the food and service economy. In this way, the symbolic importance of Hooters Girls has been instrumental in creating economic success for the chain.

Hooters claims to be a place for good food, neighborhood friendliness and fun. Despite these claims, what is foremost in the common conception of Hooters is the image of the Hooters Girl. As a symbol of Hooters, the Hooters Girls have redefined the purpose of the restaurant at great profit to its entrepreneurs. Although the history of Hooters and the information made available by Hooters of America attempt to promote the culinary and atmospheric attributes of the company's franchises, a semiotic analysis of the restaurant reveals the paramount importance of the most visible symbol, the Hooters Girl, in creating a place and name for Hooters in the national and international restaurant arena.

Political and Economic Interpretation
Concluding Analysis