Hooters Shuttering Restaurants In NJ, Other States

NEW JERSEY — Popular international sports bar Hooters, with at least six New Jersey locations, is reportedly abruptly closing dozens of restaurants deemed underperforming across the U.S.

While Hooters did not specifically announce which locations were closing or share a timeline for the closures, Patch found at least one New Jersey location was listed as temporarily closed on Google and was removed from the company website.

The temporarily closed Hooters site was in Wayne.

"Like many restaurants under pressure from current market conditions, Hooters has made the difficult decision to close a select number of underperforming stores. Ensuring the well-being of our staff is our priority in these rare instances," Hooters said in a statement to Nation's Restaurant News, which first reported the news of the closures.

"With new Hooters restaurants opening domestically and internationally, new Hooters frozen products launching at grocery stores, and the Hooters footprint expanding into new markets with both company and franchise locations, this brand of 41 years remains highly resilient and relevant. We look forward to continuing to serve our guests at home, on the go and at our restaurants here in the U.S. and around the globe."

An increase in food and labor costs factored into the shutterings, CNN reported.

Aside from New Jersey, Hooters closures have also reportedly impacted Kentucky, Florida, Rhode Island, Texas, Georgia, and Virginia.

The company ended 2023 with 293 sites globally, a 12 percent decrease from 2018 when Hooters operated 333 locations worldwide, Nation's Restaurant News reported, citing Technomic Ignite.
Hooters is the latest restaurant chain to announce closures in at least the past year due to the economy.

Related: Red Lobster Abruptly Closes 50+ Locations, Including 4 In NJ: See List

Red Lobster recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and began shuttering dozens of its restaurants nationwide, including at least four in New Jersey.

The majority of New Jersey restaurants remained open earlier this year. Various media reports put the number of temporary closures nationwide at 80 in mid-May.

Applebee's, TGI Fridays, Boston Market and California Pizza Kitchen have also closed restaurants, CNN reported.