Hooters: First and Last Experience

After trying out Hooters for the first time, my experience meant that it would be my last time. Let me tell you, for me, it was such a disappointing & frustrating experience that I felt COMPELLED to write to Hooters Corporate. This is what I had to say:


Hooters Corporate,

I have always heard good things about Hooters but never actually went to patronize your establishments. Imagine my disappointment as my first experience with Hooters will be my last experience. Let me explain:

My friend & I decided to go to Hooters, Fresno for dinner this evening and were promptly seated, as your restaurant was only about 25% full. After we were seated, we had to wait 15 minutes before anyone actually asked us if we had been served. Let me say that we were quite hungry at this time so watching waitress after waitress pass our table over and over again was not a welcome sight.

During these 15 minutes, I had the vantage point of actually facing the cash register portion of the restaurant where at multiple times, 4-5 waitresses were just standing around and yakking it up. That's right. While my friend and I had not even been offered a drink or appetizer in a nearly empty restaurant, we were rewarded with seeing waitresses standing around, doing pretty much nothing.

After said 15 minutes, one of the waitresses actually came over and asked if we had been served. We said no, and that we had waited about 15 minutes without service (This being in a restaurant with only 25% of the tables occupied). She then said "oh, well your waitress is getting ready in the back, she'll be here soon" and just about walked away. We had been sitting for 15 minutes and the first contact is treated as a "blame game". I was stunned that no one was willing to help pick up the slack or "serve the customer". Instead, we got excuses.

Luckily she came back and offered to get us drinks and an appetizer. I am not lying when I say I was on the verge of walking out of your establishment for unresponsive and slow service.

After we had ordered the appetizer, we had to wait another 20 minutes to get our food and actually have someone ask us what we would like to have for a main course. At this time, it was getting busier, so 1/3 of the tables were filled. 20 minutes for an appetizer after waiting an initial 15 minutes for no one to serve us. I would hate to imagine how service would be when your restaurant is operating at 100% seating capacity.

When we finally got our order of 20 chicken wings, our wait was rewarded by 15% wing drum sticks & 85% wings. 3 out of 20 pcs were drumstick portion of the wings. Isn't it standard to having a 50/50 split? Every chicken establishment that I've been to always gives a 50 -50 split. Even at other places like Chili's or Applebees, the split has always been consistently fair. I've never ordered a 12 pc chicken meal at KFC and received 10 chicken wings and a thigh & breast. Maybe this is the quality of standard served at your establishment, but it really left a sour taste in my mouth.

Now, I know, Hooters has been around a long time. Hell, you're part of American culture and heritage, and you've got an awesome gimmick that makes for a "nice" atmosphere. However, I really don't believe that your "perks" (read: pretty waitresses) justifies poor, unresponsive, and SLOW service.

As a company in the food service industry, I would think that Hooters would have a better reputation for stellar service. At least I believe service is what keeps a company from going bankrupt.

Take my comment for what you will, but the experience at your restaurant left such a bad taste and experience in my mind, that i felt compelled to write and let you know. Thank you for my first and last time at any of your establishments and for your time reading this letter.