Why working for Hooters 'isn't worth the 'psychological risk', professor claims

The world famous diner went bust last week after decades of scantily-clad waitress serving fried chicken wings to leery customers, but no, a psychologist has revealed the mental toll on workers

Women working at iconic restaurant chain Hooters suffered psychologically, an expert says.

Staff at the world-famous diner chain – largely scantily clad women known as 'Hooters girls' – are said to have sometimes earned thousands of dollars per shift in tips.

But researchers found they were often subject to sexual harassment from customers and bosses were controlling over their looks.

Psychologist Dawn Szymanski studied the restaurant chain – which went bust last week – and concluded the financial rewards "aren't worth the potential psychological costs".

And she found servers working in "sexually objectifying restaurant environments" reported more symptoms of depression, anxiety and disordered eating than those working in other restaurants.

Writing in the Conversation, she said: "As a psychologist, I was originally interested in studying servers at breastraurants because I could sense an interesting dynamic at play.

"On the one hand, it can feel good to be complimented for your looks. On the other hand, I also wondered whether constantly being critiqued might eventually wear these servers down."

Ms Szymanski, a psychology professor at the University of Tennessee, interviewed 11 women who worked in "breastraurants" like Hooters.

And she found managers would "strictly regulate how their employees look and act" and women were told to be "camera ready" at all times.

She said one woman even described being given a booklet outlining her expected appearance, down to “nails, hair, makeup, brushing your teeth, wearing deodorant".

Bosses told her she had to promise to stay the same weight and height, wear makeup every shift and not change her hairstyle, it was claimed.

And the servers were expected to be happy and charming at all times and instructed to be “personal cheerleaders" of male customers, leaving them emotionally drained.

Professor Szymanski added: “It probably won’t come as a surprise that Hooters servers often encounter lewd remarks, sexual advances and other forms of sexual harassment from customers.

“But because their managers often tolerate this behaviour from customers, it created the added burden of what psychologists call 'double-binds' — situations where contradictory messages make it impossible to respond properly.”

Workers also told her the girls were treated like they were "a dime a dozen" and had little support from managers or co-workers.

The prof added: "Rather than standing in solidarity, the servers tended to compete for favouritism, better shifts and raises from their bosses. Gossiping, name-calling and scapegoating were commonplace."

Despite the issues, jobs at Hooters were high in demand due to the possibility of big tips and flexible shifts. One interviewee told Prof Szymanski she had "walked out with hundresds of dollars in one shift".

She revealed all the women interviewed for her study were in college or were mothers and enjoyed the high degree of flexibility in their work schedule. And many of them had "previously experienced objectification" as cheerleaders or participation in beauty pageants.

But she concluded: "Even so, our research suggests that the financial rewards and flexibility of working in breastaurants probably aren’t worth the potential psychological costs."

Parent firm Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy protection last week as it seeks to strike a deal which would sell its company-owned restaurants back to a group including its founders.

It directly operates 151 restaurants but its other 154 sites run by franchisees - including two UK sites in Nottingham and Liverpool - are not impacted. The US parent firm told investors it intends to resolve its troubles within months.

The Daily Star has approached Hooters for comment.

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