We worked at Hooters – staff secrets from padded bras to the strictest uniform rule

MANY people aren’t aware of the strict rules Hooters employees have to follow and the secrets associated with being an insider.

Numerous former Hooters employees, from waitresses to bartenders, shared their secrets among the staff that only come from knowledge of the franchise and its inner workings.

From the lengths waitresses go to pad their bras to the strict uniform rules, the Hooters franchise holds a plethora of complex dealings that are mostly unknown to the public.

Founded in the 1980s, Hooters is a cultural icon that once oozed sex appeal but now wields a more family-friendly crowd.

With locations in several countries, the casual dining chain has some business practices that they would rather keep on the down low.

In turn, the food brand has been affected financially and professionally, which has caused former and current .

The first thing people don’t know is that waitresses have to sign an interesting contract.

In the contract that new hires have to sign it reads, “I hereby acknowledge … the Hooters concept is based on female sex appeal and the work environment is one in which joking and innuendo based on female sex appeal is commonplace.”

While sexual harassment is definitely not allowed and should be reported, management expects waitresses to tolerate a certain amount of sexual innuendo and do some light flirting while on the job.

The next “secret” is pretty obvious and it’s that the restaurant reserves the right to hire a certain type of girl that correlates to a specific look, like an All-American Cheerleader, Surfer, or Girl Next Door,” according to the .

Another note Hooters corporate may not want people to know is that Hooters Girls can be fired for gaining weight and changing their body shape.

“They weigh you, take pictures of you. And if they notice a change in your physique—it doesn’t matter if it’s five pounds or 20 pounds—you have 30 days to lose it, or you’re fired,” a in 2015.

In addition, not many people know the extent some Hooters Girls will go to pad their cleavage which hopefully will help them get better tips.

Hooters may not necessarily hire servers for their all-female wait staff based on their bust sizes, but some waitresses say that it does matter and go to lengths to expand their cup size.

One of the harshest rules the waitresses have to follow is not showing their uniform outside of work and must come in casual clothes and change before starting their shift. 

Though not many people know that the uniform is so sacredly tied to the Hooters restaurant that breaking this rule could cost a server their job.

Have you ever purchased a few items from Hooters while having a bite at your local restaurant?

Well, it’s a low-key trick of the trade that this reflects very highly on the waitress serving you, who then may get better shifts as a result of bringing in money to the food establishment.

Though this next claim seems self-explanatory, apparently not many people see it that way.

Hooters Girls are now allowed to hug their customers and vice versa.

There is one way to get a quick hug and that’s by taking a picture with her.

So, make sure that it’s a good one and be sure to tip her well as a result.

Though this last Hooters secret is up for debate, multiple former and current employees say that the charm of the casual dining franchise seems to be fading and failing to be receptive among a younger audience.

The company shuttered more than 7% of its locations between 2012 and 2016.

In 2020, Hooters Corporate  in states like North Carolina, Missouri, Michigan, and Indiana due to pandemic-related financial real-life concerns.

The U.S. Sun reached out to Hooters for a comment and has yet to hear back.