The Hooters restaurant chain, famous for its scantily clad waitresses, has been involved in political and economic controversies since its conception. From sexual discrimination charges to opposition by town boards, Hooters has fought numerous battles in order to maintain its selling image of beautiful women and delicious finger foods. The majority of Hooters controversies have surrounded the issues of its employment policies, its required uniform and the sex appeal that it sells. However, as the chain enters areas in which businesses have typically been independently owned, such as Manhattan, issues of globalization and the accumulation of global wealth come into play.

The first Hooters restaurant opened on October 2, 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. The chain's web site Hooters.Com explains how the establishment got its name: "What else brings a gleam to men's eyes everywhere besides beer, chicken wings and an occasional winning football season? Hence the name Hooters." The plan for the restaurant was to "combine their favorite 'manly finger foods' with the 50s and 60s music they felt best exemplified a happy nostalgic time in most American's memories." Hooters is self-described as a "casual beach theme establishment." Its menu includes seafood, sandwiches, salads and spicy chicken wings, served only by female waitresses, called Hooters Girls, who embody the All-American cheerleader ideal.

In 1991 and 1992 Hooters was rated the nation's fastest growing restaurant chain and has continued to rank among other growth leaders. Its advertising strategies include the Hooters magazine, Hooters Girls billboards and television ads. Hooters also gains publicity and recognition through sports partnerships such as the National Golf Hooters Tour and the United Speed Alliance Hooters Pro-Cup Racing Series. There are now over 230 Hooters restaurants in 41 states, Asia, Canada, the Caribbean, England, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.

On September 8, 1997, the first Hooters in Manhattan opened its doors at the prime location of West 56th Street between 7th and 8th avenues, in Midtown. The restaurant is housed in a 6,000 square-foot space with underground parking and outdoor seating. Though its opening was heralded with a V.I.P. party and an "on-air order Togo" by David Letterman, other New Yorkers were not as enthusiastic. Hooters' arrival was accompanied by protests of the National Organization for Women (NOW), which believes the waitresses' tight tank tops and skimpy orange shorts are degrading. This is one of numerous examples of how Hooters has forcefully entered the arena of political debate. The protesting of Hooters in Manhattan is far from an isolated event for the franchise. Kelly Griggs, Hooters' public relations manager, estimated that 20% of the company's launches are met with protests from feminists or community groups. For example, after a local Santa Monica, California newspaper ran an article announcing the future opening of a Hooters restaurant, the newspaper received dozens of angry responses, which included statements such as "It reinforces the icon of women's breasts as emblematic trophies of the conquering male" (Donna Erikson, Los Angeles) and "I believe Jerry Springer and Hooters share the same clientele." (Jan Bartlett, Winnetka)

In the past year, Hooters again met controversy in Peoria, Illinois when city officials attempted to block development of a Hooters franchise on their highly visible waterfront, an area which is supposed to be the showplace of the city (related short article). City officials allegedly tried to disguise their moral opposition to the restaurant with legal arguments such as the insistence that under the current parking code there would not be enough spaces to support another restaurant. They felt that Hooters was not of the esteem and character with which they wanted to represent their town.

Moral protests have not been the only form of opposition that has been voiced in response to the Hooters location in midtown Manhattan. Economic issues surrounding the big-chain franchise have been of concern as well. Historically, New York City's restaurant market has been composed of fast food chains, immigrant mom and pop stores and well-capitalized independent enterprises. The addition of big restaurant chains, such as Hooters, to this market has been taking its toll on local food retailers who wish to open their second, third or fourth stores. During the year that Hooters opened in Manhattan, there was a 15% increase in the price of a restaurant lease in the area. At the time, rates ran from $150 to $175 per square foot.

Much of this price increase is due to the "cleaning up" of midtown that has been occurring since the start of the administration of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in 1994. The area which was once abundant with peep shows, adult video stores and prostitution has now become a popular tourist site. Most of the adult entertainment establishments have been replaced by big-name commercial corporations such as Disney and MTV. Thanks to neighbors like the Hard Rock Cafe, the Motown Cafe and Harley Davidson, Hooters enjoys high pedestrian traffic. The location of Hooters in this transforming area has very different economic and political effects than it would in other, less dynamic locations. For one, the sex appeal that Hooters is selling is much subdued compared to midtown's previous adult businesses. Therefore, the issue of selling sex is not as big a concern as it would be in a quiet town. Secondly, rather than targeting their usual predominantly male clientele, Hooters of Manhattan is geared towards tourists seeking familiar food and a recognizable name. In a sense, Hooters fits in better with its new neighbors that it would have before the neighborhood's transformation into an area of big chains, big names, and big gains.

In other towns, such as Peoria, city officials have seen the development of a Hooters establishment as negative, especially if they are looking to convey a wholesome image. But to many New York City officials, Hooters is just another money-making addition to its renewed midtown tourist center. With rising real estate prices, more tax dollars are being generated for the city. Yet the profits which are being generated from Hooters benefit neither the city or its residents. The Hooters chain is owned by Hooters of America, Inc., a firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. The six founders of the original Hooters restaurant receive 3% royalties on all sales. Hooters is not specifically urban, for it is located in a variety of locations throughout the country and world-urban, suburban and rural. Each restaurant is essentially the same as the next. As the chain follows the trend of globalization, the wealth created is not specific to any one city or place. Despite the salaries received by Hooters of Manhattan's Hooters Girls and other employees, the money the restaurant is generating is essentially leaving the city. If local business owners had the economic capacity to fight for the spaces now occupied by these globalized chains, New York City would be keeping all of the profits made in the area, rather than exporting them to Atlanta and beyond.

As a Multinational cooperation , Hooters has both the political and economic clout needed to battle community protesters and to gain popular real-estate for the location of its restaurants. Also because of its position and sexual theme, Hooters has the ability to affect the political economy and character of the places in which it chooses to locate. Hooters development in midtown Manhattan has brought an element of the "familiar", thus attracting tourists looking for a name that they know.

Location Information of Hooters Manhattan
Semiotic Interpretation
CONCLUSION