Why Hooters' New Uniform Has Caused So Much Controversy

Restaurant chain Hooters has amended its uniform policy after a wave of viral videos by female employees criticizing the new shorts they were ordered to wear.

The chain—famous for putting female employees, who are known as "Hooters Girls," in revealing uniforms—unveiled new orange and black shorts for staff, to be worn with the company's familiar tight T-shirts.

However, the skimpy new shorts sparked a wave of negative reactions from female employees on TikTok.

What Do the New Hooters Shorts Look Like?

One Hooters employee and TikTok user, who posts as @sick.abt.it, shared a video comparing the new shorts with the old ones.

In her clip, which has been viewed over 15 million times and received 2.4 million likes, she suggested that many of her colleagues wanted to quit over the shorts, which she likened to underwear.

She captioned the post: "love my job but don't love wearing undies to work."

Another staff member and TikToker, @theflathootersgirl, shared a similar clip that has been viewed over 9 million times.

In a follow-up video, she tried on the old shorts and the new version over gray leggings to show the difference in coverage.

She clarified that the orange shorts are intended for waitresses while women who are bartending wear the black shorts.

Holding up the new black shorts she said: "They do not have a bottom, they have a crotch string … They probably do not cover a lot."

She first tried on the old orange shorts and said they "cover a lot" before she turned away from the camera and gestured to her butt, saying: "You can still see a little bit right here."

Trying on the old black shorts, she described them as a little "cheekier" in the back, before adding that "they covered everything they needed to cover."

When she put on the new black shorts over her leggings, they were so small they didn't even cover the waistband of the leggings.

She described the back as "a wedgie."

"There is no longer anything covered by these shorts, and this is what the problem with the new shorts is.

"This is why all the Hooters girls are upset, because this is not what I agreed to wear a year ago when I was hired."

She finally tried on the new shorts in orange and finished by saying: "I hate it."

In another TikTok user's video, text on screen reads: "When we get hired we are told to make sure our butt is covered yet they give this to us?"

Will Hooters Workers Have to Wear the New Uniform?

In a statement from Hooters of America seen by Insider, a spokesperson said staff would no longer be obliged to wear the new shorts.

Hooters of America is a franchisor and operates more than 420 restaurants across 42 states and 29 countries. A company called the Original Hooters Group owns 25 restaurants and uses similar branding, but it has not introduced new uniforms.

The spokesperson for Hooters of America said: "As we continue to listen and update the image of the Hooters Girls, we are clarifying that they have the option to choose from traditional uniforms or the new ones.

"They can determine which style of shorts best fits their body style and personal image."

In a subsequent video posted on TikTok by @sick.abt.it, she revealed she'd been personally contacted by the CEO of Hooters to say staff could wear the old shorts.