News

Hooters entering fast casual market

February 2, 2017

Hoping to grab a piece of the thriving fast casual industry, Hooters is opening a sister brand — hoots Ahooters Joint.

The first location opens next month in the Chicago suburb of Cicero and will feature the most popular signature items now on Hooters' menu, Hooters Management Corporation President and CEO Neil Kiefer, said in a company press release.

"A smaller footprint allows us to bring America’s favorite wings to more and smaller neighborhoods," he said. "We see it as a logical complement to the traditional Hooters format, which remains extremely popular. We selected Chicago as our launch market largely due to the success of our carry-out business in the Chicagoland area."

The  2,800-square-foot location will have 75 seats featuring a full-service bar in addition to counter service for dine-in or takeout. It will employ roughly 30 people.

"We are very supportive of this initiative," said Hooters of America CEO Terry Marks. "It is a logical extension of the brand and will provide more people with more opportunities to enjoy our world famous wings," he said. "We have a lot to learn, but we are excited about the potential." 

Technomic data indicated that the fast casual sector grew at a rate of 12.4 percent from 2010 to 2015, outpacing the 2.9 percent rate for casual dining.