Is Hooters closing because millennials don’t like boobs?

He doesn’t really like breasts.

A viral tweet fueled the rumor mill this week after it falsely claimed the closure of some Hooters sites was due to millennials no longer being ‘in the boobs’.

Several users perpetuated the hot gossip, including viral news account Daily Loud, which wrote: ‘Hooters is shutting down and ‘rebranding’ after new study shows millennials’ don’t really like breasts « . » the tweet had over 33 million views, 74,000 likes, and 21,000 retweets and tweet quotes.

The « new study » in question came from a 2017 Complex article, which cited data from PornHub. The adult video site found, at the time of the study, that millennial users were 19% less likely to search for boobs than other age groups.

Complex took the sexy stats and ran with them, attributing the updated aesthetic of Hooters and its 2012 spin-off restaurant Hoots to a desperate grab for millennial patronage. The article also speculated that the closure of some locations between 2012 and 2016 was due to the changing tastes of a younger audience.

The raunchy restaurant chain – whose orange athletic shorts and low-cut 80s-inspired tees are the secret to success – has been forced to deny the rumours. Stephen Brown, a company spokesperson, told The Associated Press that the outlandish claims had « no validity » and promised that the iconic sheep, and her busty waiters, « is here to stay ».

One of the channel’s Twitter accounts even addressed the Complex article on Wednesday, Tweeter“this is the most fake news ever,” with an eye-rolling emoji.

Worried fans of the brave restaurant expressed relief after being reassured that Hooters would remain open.

“THANK GOD,” replied one user.

« Boobs are universal, » agreed another, to which the Hootie account replied, « It’s beautiful. »

« Millennials may not like boobs, but I do, » someone else wrote.

Straight from the source, Hooters’ daughter Sloan Miavitz posted a ‘gram in her skintight uniform with the caption, « New study shows millennials still 100% love boobs and hooters are booming . »

But as Hooters celebrates its 40th anniversary in the new year, more and more sites have closed. While that has nothing to do with generational preferences, the chain has gone from its peak of 430 locations in the United States to a meager 312 in 2022.

According to Eat This, Not That, the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on Hooters, which was the icing on the cake in an already mountainous pile of obstacles the company was facing. In addition to an outdated menu — despite wings and beer being the staple meal for American sports watchers — the chain’s multiple failed ventures and change in ownership may have hurt its prospects for success.

Unfortunately, the thrilling customer experience might not be enough to sustain the chain’s runaway success over the past few decades, especially not when its servers are disgruntled.

A 2015 study from the University of Tennessee found that the sexual objectification of waitresses at restaurants like Hooters led to body shame and subsequent depression, all thanks to revealing sets.

Servers have even taken to TikTok to expose « creepy » customers and criticize the ultra-strict dress code, outfits that have been criticized for satisfying the male gaze. Hooters’ notorious uniform, which quickly rose to fame due to the eye-catching beauty donning the outfit, is now considered « offensive » by some, according to a 2018 Vox report. Last year, the chicken spot introduced skimpy new shorts – if you could even call them that – that laid bare more resemblance to the underwear and caused an uproar from the waitress.

But no amount of attire is going to stop customers from leaning into Hooters’ lewd aesthetic. As long as there’s chicken and beer involved — and breasts, too — loyal customers are sure to flock through the chain’s front doors.

« Customers are enjoying this week’s televised sporting events at our restaurants across the country and around the world in record numbers, complete with mouth-watering menu items, cold beer and iconic hospitality, » Brown told AP. . « Our concept is here to stay. »