I’m a Hooters girl – I left college debt-free thanks to the job, we’re more than just servers in orange shorts
HOOTERS girls often boast online about their impressive tips, but there are some lesser-known financial perks of working at the popular chain.
Thanks to her part-time job, Emily Johnson, 24, achieved the improbable and graduated from college debt-free.
Emily started working at Hooters in 2017 after graduating from high school.
She is now a four-time calendar model, Miss Hooters finalist, and national spokesperson for the brand.
Emily was also voted Hooters Girl of the Year in 2022, an honorary title given to one server annually.
The biggest blessing of winning the title was the large financial contribution towards her college fund, in addition to the tuition reimbursement scheme Hooters offer everybody.
Emily graduated with an occupational therapy assistant license last year and now works 35 hours a week in acute care, with part-time shifts at Hooters to top up her income.
According to the Education Data Initiative, the average student borrows over $30,000 to pursue a bachelor’s degree, but Emily doesn’t owe a single cent.
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, she said: “The better grades you make, or the more hours you give, the bigger Hooters contribute.
“It doesn’t matter what position you are in,” she added, referring to the difference between management or serving roles within the company.
“It’s nice to be able to work in the [medical] field, and go back to school in six months, without having any stress from financial responsibilities.”
Emily – who won’t reveal the exact sum Hooters gave her – plans to get her doctorate in occupational therapy and has about three years of school left.
When she’s not working in healthcare, Emily said: “I tend to spend my time off with Hooters.”
That doesn’t mean just at the local store where she works in San Jose in Jacksonville, Florida.
“I still do a lot of the national campaigns and regional bikini contests. I have a very, very busy work schedule,” she said.
Emily’s chosen career path was inspired by her brother’s health scare when he was a teenager.
She said: “I actually started at Hooters before I got into college.
“Then my brother went in for a regular check-up at his doctor’s office. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor.”
At the same time, Emily was deciding what to study at college.
She said: “They were able to remove the brain tumor, and he was able to get therapy throughout his treatments.
“So I got to see occupational therapists work with him.
“It spoke volumes to me, and it became a passion of mine. I looked into the career path and the different credentials I would need. So I ended up applying to university.”
Although Hooters and a degree in healthcare might seem like an unusual mix, Emily insists her fellow students don’t judge her.
“A lot of my peers were very, very supportive,” she said.
“It was nice to show them that there was a lot more than just the iconic uniform and the orange shorts behind the scenes.”
Emily was drawn to Hooters specifically for the college reimbursement incentive.
“I’m able to be debt free from college, and they offered a lot of amazing opportunities for me as well,” she said.
“I was really shy when I first graduated [from high school].
“And I was able to travel, meet a ton of people, and give back to my community with different local fundraisers.
“It’s just really been a very amazing experience all the way around.”
When asked what her favorite uniform of all time was, Emily couldn’t help but gush over OG Hooters girl Lynne Austin, who was the face of the food brand for 15 years.
She said: “I looked up to Lynne Austin ever since I started and she’s been the icon of Hooters, like she’s marked her spot with the brands, and it made me want to do the same.”
Emily was also able to do a throwback shoot with American race car driver Chase Elliot, who is sponsored by Hooters, complete with big scrunchie-style socks and mesh old shorts.
“I was wearing the old retro Hooters look. It made me feel like I was a million dollars.”