Hooters Experience

To celebrate my friend’s return to Japan, we visited Hooters, the American restaurant chain, which is famous for sexy waitress. I have been interested in this restaurant, but I felt somewhat ashamed to visit alone, but I could find the good reason to do that finally.

Yes, the waitresses there, Hooters Girls, are very sexy. To me, it sheds light on some of the values shared in American society: especially what is sexy to people here. The waitresses wear their uniform of a white tank top with the Hooters owl logo and the location name (Princeton! Isn’t it funny?) on the front paired with the short orange runner's shorts. In Japan, there is no such a restaurant chain which sell not only foods but also sexiness, with one exception, Anna Miller's. This restaurant is also famous for the waitresses’ “sexy” costume. Wikipedia explains that these consist of a white blouse; an orange or pink miniskirt jumper-style dress, with the waistline cut underneath the breasts; a matching apron; and a heart-shaped name tag (I haven’t visited there actually). Anna Miller’s were originally from Hawaii, but the costume in Japanese Anna Miller’s is different from Hawaii’s one. What is interesting to me is that this costume and the girls in Hooters seem to represent American males’ taste on female sexiness, and those in Anna Miller’s do Japanese taste, and they show sharp contrast. Hooters’ outfit is more scanty, and Anna Miller’s one is more elegant maids-like (but still sexy, I guess), which resemble to the costumes used in anime-inspired Maid Cafes in Japan. What I want say is that what is sexy to American (males, and females too) is much more open and casual than Japanese one.

Hooters sell many kinds of merchandises too. White T-shirts with the Hooters owl logo and the location name (Princeton! Again, isn’t it funny?) on the front is 10.99 dollars. Good price. They also sell a white tank top with the Hooters owl logo and the location name (Princeton! Again, isn’t it funny?) on the front, which waitresses wear. How much do you think is it? IT IS THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS! They are really doing good business. Their pricing is wise because they know that the simple fact that the waitresses wear them adds special value on these tank tops (I strongly believe that the cost of the tank top is not so different from T-shirts one). This tank top is the symbol of the enjoyable experience in the restaurant, and also fun communication with waitress (For example, they generously accept costumers’ requests to take pictures). Also, it could be good small topic to talk with your friends if you bring it to party or something. Some of T-shirts are for youngsters. Boys’ T-shirts come with the logo of HOTTERS LADIES MAN, and girls’ one has FUTURE FOOTERS GIRL. I’m not sure that parents here allow their children to wear them and they could be appropriate gifts for your nephews and nieces, but I like this kind of sense of humor.

So, I bought one T-shirts for myself (My friend also bought two! Good souvenir.). However, I guess wearing it in Princeton is a bit dangerous. I also got one tank top for my wife because today is her birthday. She is not Hooters Girls type (the opposite, I should say). I just hope that she will understand my sense of humor.