When I was 21 years old, I got a job working as a Hooters Girl.
I still remember the day I marched into my local Hooters to apply for the waitressing position — nervous as heck for the opportunity to serve chicken wings in orange booty shorts and nude nylons.
But the truth was, becoming a Hooters girl wasn’t something I was proud of. In fact, after I got the job I kept it completely off of social media and hid it from my family for months.
Like many of the girls that work at Hooters, I had much higher aspirations.
I was in college. I wanted to start my own business someday. I wanted to compete at Miss Universe. I wanted to be a role model for young girls. And I didn’t want my experience working as a Hooters Girl or the bad reputation some people have of Hooters to follow me into the future.
But I didn’t have well off parents to fund my higher education. Heck, I didn’t even have student loans to lean on. I was just a broke college girl looking for an easy way to earn quick cash and support myself through school.
Working at Hooters helped me to do just that.
If you’re considering applying and getting a job working at Hooters, this article is for you. Here’s my story, the truth about my personal experience working as a Hooters Girl.
Starting as a Hooters Girl.
While attending college, I interviewed and initially worked at Hooters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I worked there for several months before transferring to what was at the time the number one selling Hooters in the entire country. Hooters of Doral in Miami, Florida.
How did I get the job at Hooters?
As I mentioned, I was looking for an easy job that I could make some extra money on the side while paying my way through school.
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There was a Hooters just down the street from where I went to high school that I was already familiar with. And for some reason, I had the impression that the girls at Hooters must make a lot of money (after all it was better than working at a strip club, and I didn’t have to take my clothes off or do anything shady), so why the heck not I thought.
I marched into my local Hooters one weekday afternoon, when I knew they wouldn’t be too busy, and asked the hostess if they were hiring. She went to the back office to grab the manager who immediately came out, undoubtedly to check me out, and decided to interview me on the spot.
We sat down at one of the tables in the dining room, where he asked me some pretty generic interview questions. He offered me the job on the spot.
A couple of days later I was to return to pick up my uniform and officially started working as a Hooters Girl the following week.
Tips on getting the job
I’m not sure if Hooters has an online application process available today (you can check their website here), but if they do, forget about it. Dress up, put yourself together, bring a resume and walk right in to apply.
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If you look great, are friendly and professional, don’t be surprised if management asks to sit and interview with you right then and there.
If that doesn’t happen, and you haven’t heard back re your application or interview, don’t be afraid to flow up and follow through!
Do Hooters Girls have requirements for appearance?
Contrary to popular belief, Hooters (as far as I’m aware of) does not have a weight limit or similar appearance requirements to work there as a bartender or waitress Hooters Girl.
However, it’s no secret that Hooters does place a lot of importance on the appearance of the girls.
Hooter Girls definitely tend to be slimmer (as opposed plus size), look put together, and fit a certain “image.
Also contrary to popular belief, I also don’t think breast or bust size matters much. The girls I worked with ranged from the itty bitty tittie committee to extra-large double D implants.
How much do Hooters Girls make?
If you think Hooters pays girls some extra special waitressing salary to be scantily clad, you’re sadly mistaken.
Hooters Girls are paid the same hourly wage or base salary as any other waitressing position at any other restaurant. The actual numeric value varies from state to state.
In the state of Florida, for example, Hooters Girls are paid about $5.60 per hour plus what they make in tips.
Unfortunately, there’s no additional incentive for looking cute in your padded push bra and a tiny tank top.
No special incentive in your base salary that is…
How much do Hooters Girls make in tips?
How Hooters Girls really make their money is with tips.
On a regular good night, Hooters Girl waitresses can make $150-250. Bartenders can bring home from $200-$300. Of course, this depends on what location you work and if it’s a game season or not.
The truth is, people aren’t just throwing money at Hooters Girls because they have Hooters written across their chests. Hooters Girls gotta work for that money honey!
The average customer will tip the standard 15-20% for standard service — just like any other restaurant. If you want to make the big tips, you’ve got to hustle.
Hooters Girl tips on tips.
What does hustling look like to make more money as a Hooters Girl? Here are some tips on tips from a former Hooters Girl.
Get to know the regulars.
You know the guys that practically live at Hooters and chat the girls up for hours on end. Get to know them. Although they will usually already have their favorite girls they like to sit with, those girls aren’t always at work.
Don’t be afraid to learn their names, say hello, and chat them up. Regulars tend to be good tippers.
Come to work, to work.
Seems like a no brainer right? But the truth is, a lot of Hooters Girls come to work to look cute. Some girls come to socialize. And some girls come just because, well, the manager put them on the schedule.
When you tie that buffalo sauce stained apron around your cute little waist, don’t forget to turn on your hustle mindset. That’ll put you at the head of the pack.
Deliver phenomenal service.
Looking cute in your Hooters uniform will only get you so far with customers. The fact is that people come to Hooters to yes, perhaps to look at the girls, but mostly to drink, eat, and enjoy themselves.
Make sure to deliver fabulous hospitality to your guests. Refill their cold beer. Make sure they have lots of napkins. Take care of your guests if you expect them to take care of you.
Hooters Girls rules.
Every Hooters location will have its own rules. There are the rules enforced by management like don’t huddle and gossip, run hot food when it’s up, and come calendar season sell sell sell.
There are also some requirements Hooters asks their girls to adhere to — your uniform and shoes must always be impeccably clean, there should be no runs in your pantyhose, take out crazy piercings and cover distracting tattoos.
Is being a Hooters girl worth the money?
The truth is working as a Hooters girl is almost the same as waitressing at any other restaurant in America.
Many families, young people, old petiole too, all sorts of people come to Hooters to drink beer or $5 margaritas and eat chicken wings and curly fries.
If you hustle and perform exceptionally well, there is an opportunity to make slightly more than the average server at any other restaurant with the same traffic and menu price points.
The major difference is going to be that Hooters is definitely a more of relaxed and playful working environment. And so you have the opportunity to make new friends too.
Is it worth the money? Id’ say after reading this article you should be able to weigh the pros and cons to make the best decision for you.
Have a plan. Of how you will use working at Hooters or anywhere for that matter as an opportunity to further yourself personally and professionally — and you’ll be just fine.
Hooters is a means to an end, a part of your journey, certainly not the destination. Just keep that top of mind.
Thank you. I am going to apply at Hooters. I thought it was all about men looking at your boobs but now I see it’s just like a regular restaurant.
It really is, I promise. Of course, men will look at your boobs sometimes. But from my experience, most of the time it’s a totally normal waitressing gig.
does one have to be servsafe food handlers certified or no? what about hooters having a hostess position?
Yes, I do believe you need to be servsafe if I remember correctly. They will make sure you have all the certifications you need once hired.
Did your manager not make you strip down at the interview? At mine I was told to strip down to my bra and undies. He then walked around me checking me out. I did end up getting the job. I do wonder though, did your manaher make you do that? Also, how many men did you go home with, if you know what I mean😉?
No my manager at the time did not strip down, nor any other girl to my knowledge. If that really happened, you should definitely take legal action because that is not ok. As for how many men I went home with… none.
Do I need to have EAD to work as server at hooters
Do you mean eat at Hooters? You get a discount on your food if you want to eat there or take food home.
SAKSHI, was talking about an
Employment Authorization Document “EAD”
Are you allowed to work at two hooters at once?
For me… it is not a waypoint. I used to be 305 pounds. I’m 125 now on my 5’8” frame. For me it’s a goal, one I hope to fulfill soon
if you go to hooters and pay a girl like say a 200-buck tip, are they allowed to go home and have sex with you? or is that only a strip club thing.
They are allowed to do whatever they’d like. However, they are not required to do so, even if you leave a generous tip.
Well I’m overweight. Trying to lose weight so I guess they won’t hire me. I applied long time ago, but I didn’t get the job. In my area, working at Hooters gives you multiple opportunities
You never know.. If at first you don’t succeed, try try again!