Hooters has officially filed for bankruptcy. After signing a Chapter 11 motion in Texas on Monday, the restaurant chain company vowed to “remain open to serve customers and will continue to operate in a business-as-usual manner” as it undergoes an extensive restructuring, in which all of its 100 company-owned restaurants are sold to a group including the founders of Hooters. Known for its chicken wings and “Hooters Girls,” the chain has been in trouble for some time over mounting debts which stand at over 370 million, according to Reuters. In 2019, it sold its hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, and was dropped as a sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports last year after the NASCAR team said the chain couldn’t meet its financial commitments. “Our renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay,” CEO Sal Melilli said in a statement after the bankruptcy filing. “Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in our efforts to reinforce Hooters’ financial foundation and continue delivering the guest-obsessed hospitality experience and delicious food our customers and communities have come to expect.”
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