The Smartest Business Tactic: Hooters.

So if you haven't heard of Hooters I'm not sure what to tell you. It has become so popular, and so ridiculed, that I almost view a trip to Hooters as a rite of passage. Everyone should go; even if you do not like the idea, you should go just to understand what all the talk is about. Now, I repeat myself, if you don't know what Hooters is nor why it is such a big deal I shall explain:

Hooters is a "family restaurant." This means that it is appropriate to bring children of all ages to eat here. So why would this be an issue that the chain would actually have to label themselves as a "family restaurant"? Well the restaurant is known for employing waitress who are 1) beautiful, 2) rather thin, and most importantly, 3) they have HUGE hooters. Yes, waitresses are pretty much picked and employed by their physical stature and fat deposits on their chestal-region.

So today, for the first time, I stopped into Hooters. I must say, their burger was quite good, but we aren't here to talk about that.

Continuing on:

Obviously it isn't good for the mental health and personal image for the average woman. She walks into the restaurant and sees these women in uniforms that consist of booty-shorts and a tank top. The women are all young, and they all seem perfectly beautiful; hair, eyes, legs, butt, waist, and unnaturally bouncy boobs. I was comparing myself to them and I'm only 19, what does a 55 year old woman having a mid-life crisis see? Ordering from these waitresses gave me this awful sense of self and how I'm looked at. I was questioning whether or not I was good enough, beautiful enough, to be one of these girls. Plus, I knew that there are tons of these restaurants around which made me feel even more insignificant as a female. How is it possible that they have this body? This hair? This face?

Plus, these women are almost being objectified. I mean not really because they aren't being bought, but this restaurant is world famous because of the women who serve the food. Men flock to this restaurant so they can oogle the waitresses. Today I saw a guy look a waitress up and down while ordering, and when she walked away? He just looked straight at her butt without a sense of embarrassment. Granted, this is what these girls sign up for when they chose this job, but still! The women are admired for their fat sacks being in the right place more than their kindness and wit.

But, at the same time, I know a few girls who work at Hooters and they really like it. They are encouraged to be "curvy," to have a little extra fat, and they like that aspect of the restaurant. They also say it gives them confidence. Even though they are gorgeous and that is why they got the job, they have self esteem issues and working there makes them feel good about themselves. They can compete with the guys when it comes to anything. They don't have to hide their love of sports, beer, or whatnot that is considered "manly." They also say the atmosphere is really fun; it's just a whole bunch of people hanging out; it's an awesome place to work.

However, the "manliness"of loving beer and sports only goes so far. Even though they talk the talk, every waitress still has the typical "girly" handwriting. My waitresses' name was Melissa; in the beginning of our meal she wrote her name down on a napkin to remind us. So how was her calligraphy? Large, loopy, and spotted with hearts. Every girl's handwriting is extremely "feminine" and "cutsy" like they are expected to still maintain their ditsy "dumb blonde-ness." It's even a sign on the wall "CAUTION: Blondes thinking." Rude.

Now as I said, I questioned the idea of whether or not I could qualify as a Hooters girl, so I looked up their application process, and honestly, I'm a little disturbed... there are standards when it comes to their appearance. Now again, I understand this, every restaurant has a dress code, and Hooters has to have an especially strict one since most of their customers only come for the visuals, but I didn't realize how extensive it was. There are articles on the sight that describe the rules for hair, skin care, make-up, eyes and lips, and exercise.

So I clicked on the hair link. THERE'S A WHOLE PAGE, A WHOLE PAGE. Every single one of these links takes a few paragraphs to describe the physical upkeep these waitresses have to go through. There is no article on experience or how well you can serve, but how well you can maintain your boobs, butt, and gut. Hooters also puts on a "Pageant" for their girls, as if they didn't have enough judgment on their beauty before hand.

So I guess this is what I have to say: while it would be a quirky experience (because they do make fun of themselves for their ridiculous business antics) I would never feel comfortable in my own skin. I would have to constantly prep myself for work, I could never be the nerdy female I am naturally. Even in my uniform, I would feel judged by my customers and other waitresses. So while my girl friends who work there say it boosts their confidence, it's really only because they had been brought down from negative comments before. Men and women had judged these girls on their beauty and their "physical femininity," lowering their self esteem as a result. In order to get rid of this disappointment, they search for approval elsewhere, rather than looking at themselves for who they are. If these girls hadn't been judged in the beginning, they would never have had the need for approval and wouldn't be in this destructive web.

Now what is wrong with concentrating on your outer beauty? Nothing. Love what you have and embrace it while you can. But this only stands unless you base your self worth on your physical appearance. If you never follow anything else in your life, never develop a skill or love, then there will be nothing to look forward to in the future. Everyone ages and beauty disappears, but wit and passion do not diminish with time. If outer beauty is the only thing you love about yourself, then what will you have when your skin has wrinkled, hips have expanded, and metabolism has caught up to you? There must be something to live for beyond your physicality. Embrace that.

So restaurants like Hooters that attract men with beautiful women and attract beautiful women with approval is really just a recipe for future depression. How about we hire someone who can add a talent to their service? A girl who can croon your order? A woman who can introduces herself in sonnet? A female who can deduce the total cost of anything on the menu without a calculator? Something that gives these waitresses some acknowledgment of a passion they have rather than the passion from the loins of men. Let's find that.

"If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you."

-T. Alan Armstrong