(NEXSTAR) — Two months after filing for bankruptcy protection, Hooters has reportedly shuttered several locations.
In late March court filings, HOA Restaurant Group said financial woes for Hooters had weighed on the company but that it intended to keep restaurants open as it navigated through the bankruptcy process.
“Our renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay and we are taking action to strengthen our business to better serve our valued customers over the long term,” the company said in a notice on its website.
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That has, apparently, changed.
Hooters locations in Rockford, Illinois, and Memphis, Tennessee, abruptly closed this week, according to reports from Nexstar’s WTVO and WREG. In a statement obtained by WREG, the company said the Memphis closure came “after careful consideration of what is needed to best position our company for the future.”
A statement shared with Nexstar echoed the same sentiment:
“After careful consideration of what is needed to best position our company for the future, Hooters made the difficult decision to close certain Company-owned locations, effective June 4, 2025. Importantly, Hooters is here to stay, and by optimizing our business in support of our long-term goals, Hooters will be well-positioned to continue our iconic legacy under a pure franchise business model. We are committed to supporting our impacted team members throughout this process and are incredibly grateful to our valued customers for their loyalty and dedication to the Hooters brand.”
Nexstar confirmed more than two dozen Hooters locations, first identified by USA Today, have closed. Automated messages played when each restaurant’s number was called, stating, “This Hooters location has permanently closed.”
Alabama
Tuscaloosa (Oscar Baxter Drive)
Florida
Jacksonville (Southside Boulevard)
Kissimmee (Osceola Parkway)
Melbourne (Babcock Street)
Orlando (Kirkman Road)
Sanford (Towne Center Circle)
Tallahassee (N Monroe Street)
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Georgia
Atlanta (Peachtree Road)
Douglas (Douglas Boulevard)
Duluth (Gwinnett Place Drive)
Valdosta (Club House Drive)
Illinois
Rockford (Argus Drive)
Indiana
Evansville (Lincoln Avenue)
Greenwood (US-31)
Lafayette (Sagamore Parkway)
Kentucky
Newport (Riverboat Row)
Michigan
Flint (Miller Road)
Taylor (Eureka Road)
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Missouri
St. Louis (N 7th Street)
North Carolina
Charlotte (South Boulevard)
South Carolina
Columbia (Fernandina Road)
Rock Hill (Riverchase Boulevard)
Tennessee
Memphis (Peabody Place)
Murfreesboro (Broad Street)
Nashville (Largo Drive)
Texas
Grapevine (Crossroads Drive)
Houston (120 FM 1960 W)
San Marcos (I-35 South Frontage Road)
While automated messages did not play when the Hooters locations in Madison, Wisconsin, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, were contacted, the restaurants are no longer listed on the company’s website.
Webpages and social media accounts for these Hooters locations have also been taken down, according to a review by Nexstar.
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Hooters, founded in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida, has struggled in recent years. In 2021, the company sold roughly $300 million in asset-backed bonds, Bloomberg reported. Last summer, Hooters closed several underperforming locations across more than a dozen states.
Hooters now has slightly more than 200 locations across 34 states. The company declined to comment on whether any additional closures are planned.
