New Jersey Hooters’ fate in the air with bankruptcy filing

In 1983 six businessmen got together and opened Hooters in Florida. They wanted to open a restaurant that they “couldn’t get kicked out of.”

Turns out they can.

Hooters filed for bankruptcy this week in hopes of salvaging some of the decimated locations that will close. The bankruptcy and restructuring will be a sell back to well-performing franchise owners. Full details of the filing were not made public, but the statement from current franchise owners made it clear that they will be closing underperforming locations. Turns out there will be quite a few of them.

Hooters is yet another restaurant chain that has filed bankruptcy. Last year, restaurant chains including TGIFridays, Red Lobster, Buca di Beppo and this month, On the Border all filed for bankruptcy.

The excessive food products and labor costs are at the heart of the troubles for Hooters. As of March 2025, a Hooters girl made on average $12.50 an hour plus tips. Rotating staff and less expensive alternatives like Shake Shack were also a factor in the Chapter 11 filing.

How will this new development affect the four remaining Hooters in New Jersey? Well, the Atlantic City Hooters location was named the most successful in the country. You would think that if the franchise continues, Atlantic City will be on its concise list to remain open.

East Brunswick, Flemington and Somerset Hooters are the three remaining New Jersey locations. No concrete word on those locations was published.

The novelty of attractive girls in hotpants and tight shirts serving chicken wings is about to go the way of Hooters Airlines.

There are some men here in New Jersey who will be wearing black armbands.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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