I work at Hooters – we have strict uniform rules including ‘photo ready’ makeup & how much butt can show under shorts
A HOOTERS waitress has revealed the strict uniform rules that she and her fellow servers are required to follow.
Cami Buell, a Hooters girl and college senior in Texas, says that they must follow the rules for every shift – and they govern everything from their clothes to their jewelry to their nails.
“Here are some rules you have to follow as a Hooters girl,” she says in a viral TikTok video.
First, shoes must always be clean and tights can never have a run.
If they do get a run at work, “we have to buy $5 tights from this machine,” she says, gesturing to a tights vending machine at the restaurant.
Uniforms must always be clean, and shorts must cover each woman’s butt.
read more hooters stories
However, “cover” seems to be a relative term, since the bottoms of Cami’s cheeks are visible in her shorts.
Cami says clothes must have no wrinkles in clothes and the name tag must be on the left side.
There are even rules for jewelry: The servers are allowed just one ring per hand and only one earring per ear.
“Hair and makeup must always be glamorous and super cute and picture-ready,” she says, noting that Hooters girls are considered models and entertainers, not servers.
Most read in Fabulous
“Your hair has to be a natural color,” she goes on, saying that reds, pinks, or other unnatural hues are off-limits.
Nails also always have to look good, if not polished.
“They don’t have to be done but they have to be nicely manicured, or at least nicely clipped,” she says.
Some TikTok commenters have been outraged by the rules, with one wondering “how places like this still exist” in this day and age.
“The fact you have to pair for your own tights which is a requirement for uniform should not be allowed they should supply,” wrote another.
“There’s no way they pay their employees enough to expect all this,” said one more.
Cami recorded her video in early 2021, and the covered-butt rule she mentions seems to have since gone out the window.
Later that year, Hooters unveiled new uniforms that received so much backlash from employees and social media users that they were forced to backtrack.
In October 2021, the uniform changed from a short white crop top and orange shorts to a black or orange tight T-shirt and “crotch string” uniform shorts.
According to a memo, Hooters supplied each staffer with three pairs of the new bottoms in both black and orange.
In the uniform policy update, Hooters warned that staff members who felt uncomfortable about the update were welcome to quit, reported the New York Post.
“Starting Oct. 4, all Hooters girls should wear the new shorts when working once they arrive to stores,” the policy note read. “The old shorts should not be worn.”
“We would ask that you try them out and, if after two weeks, you are still hesitant to wear the new shorts you may transfer to a non-image based position or resign your position as a Hooters Girl,” the company continued.
Waitresses quickly took to TikTok to hit back at their new uniform.
“Oh look, a wedgie!” exclaimed Hooters waitress Kristen Songer in one trending TikTok video.
“This s*** is rated porn,” said Alabama waitresses Easten Brewer and Katherine Nicole.
Giselle Nguyen, a waitress from Texas, took to TikTok to declare: “I know it ain’t my new uniform shorts. What’s that supposed to fit?!?”
“There’s no longer anything covered by these shorts,” a University of North Carolina student told her 140,000 TikTok followers.
“This is why all the Hooters girls are upset – because this is not what I agreed to wear a year ago when I was hired.”
The backlash made headlines, and soon Hooters backtracked, releasing a statement saying their employees were able to choose whether or not they wanted to wear the new uniforms or continue wearing the old ones.
“As we continue to listen to and update the image of Hooters Girls, we are clarifying they have the option to choose from traditional uniforms or the new ones,” the statement read.
“They can determine which style of shorts best fits their body style and personal image.”
Read More on The US Sun
The statement continued: “Our Hooters Girls are providing input at every stage including future clothing items and accessories.
“We remain committed to empowering our most valuable asset, the Hooters Girls, and working together to provide the best Hooters experience for our guests and employees.”