Hooters with kids (long)

[mogwoi]

I have "won" a certificate for Hooters on ibidusa. Now I have seconds toughts about going there. I have two kids (age 4 and 6) and I want to know if Hooters is a place where you can go with them. I am not a prude and I know that guests in the theme parks will be dressed about the same as the employees in this restaurant (we are going in the summer). I just want to know if I can send a wrong message to my kids about women who have to dress sexy to work or it is done in a good spirit, like it is a fun place to go and the way the employees have to dress is irrevelant, it is just to go with the cheerleader theme of the restaurant?

[worm761]

hooters is supposedly a family style restaurant. i wont personally take my son (age 5) in there but know plenty of people who take their kids. i wont take mine because of the alcohol. everyone i know goes to drink, not eat. although i hear they have some of the best wings around!! just my opinion. go with how you feel. go and if you dont feel it is appropriate for your children then leave. but have a good time. when are you going to disney?

angela

7/01-offsite

[mogwoi]

Thank you for your reply, Angela. I am going to Disney august 17-25. I can't wait!

[OrlandoInfo]

The verdict on their wings: you either love them or hate them. Their wings are breaded and dry. I prefer the them hot and wet.

[PattiPB]

My kids are 6, 4 & 2. They have never noticed or commented on how any of the cocktail waitresses dress in this town. The closest they have ever come was in the food store when a cocktail was in line in front of us and my daughter said "excuse me" and the girl turned around, and Shirl said "I like your earrings. They're pretty."

IMO it's not about what they're wearing. It's more about how YOU react to what they're wearing.

Patti

[LeahA]

My husband and I have been there several times with our almost 4 year old and his baby brother.

The food is good and although my son is young, has never commented on their outfits, which I don't think our revealing in any way. I agree with you that some people at the parks and the pools will have way less on that that.

I would go and have fun, if your kids say anything, just say their outfits are their uniforms. They will react more if you react.

Have fun!

[eeyore0662]

We have been taking our daughter to Hooters since she was about 2. She loves the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the curly fries :) Although I personally wouldn't wear, or rather, couldn't wear the "uniforms" worn by the Hooter's girls, it doesn't bother me to go in there with my husband and daughter. Where we live many of the Hooter's girls are Med students trying to earn enough to get through med school--the Hooters is very near one of the Medical colleges. The Hooters girls are always very nice, and pay extra special attention to the children---one even let my daughter go help her pay the check---my daughter loved that :D So, to answer your question, Hooters is family oriented, and I guess it just goes to show you that you can't judge a book by it's cover (or a waitress by her uniform) ;)

Have a Wonderful day, Eeyore

[mogwoi]

Thank you all of you who did take time to reply.
I am feeling a lot better about going there now. I did not know anything about that chain of restaurant (we don't have Hooters where I live) and I was trying to figure out if kids were out of place. I guess my children won't be the only kids there!

[robinb]

To each their own, I guess.

I would never set foot in a Hooters, so I would never bring my daughter in one either. While I do not consider myself a prude, I do consider myself a feminist. In my opinion, the Hooters crop tops and short shorts are demeaning, no matter how much "in fun" they are or how smart or nice the women are who wear them. They objectify the women who wear them. They are meant to be titillating. Period.

Now, it's a free country ... you can go into there and bring your young children, but what kind of a message do you think you're sending them? Do you really think that the name is about owls?


-- Robin

[staylor]

Hooters is really no big deal. My DH and I go eat there and watch sporting events and we take our two sons 5 and 18 months. Actually my 5 year old loves to play their basketball game. He has never commented on the girls. I personally love their HOT wings and salad. My DH usually gets wings or a fish sandwich. The boys like the grilled cheese or chicken strips. It's not like you are going to a strip bar, the girls just wear t-shirts and shorts. If you have an insecure friend, you probably shouldn't take them. Otherwise, it is just a restuarant.

1980, 86,91,96,98 - off site
2000 - 7 day Cruise
May 2001 Cypress Harbour

[pomcoach]

I suppose I'm a prude. I'm also a Kindergarten Teacher. I wouldn't ever go to a Hooters or take my children, and if that certificate were mine, it would be in the trash bin. It just offends me that women are looked upon that way. I don't like guys oggling women. To me, it's just distasteful. But then, I don't go to bars either. I'm just kind of the wholesome type, which fits for me. I guess it just depends on how you feel about going there. Probably a lot has to do with how your children see you react to the environment while you're there, and how the other customers act while you're there. It all boils down to how you feel. Please don't take offense, anyone, to my comments. I just felt it was best to be honest. Have a good time, no matter what you decide! :)

[PattiPB]

People dressing provocatively is not the exclusive domain of certain establishments. I think it's easier to explain in the context of it being a "work uniform" than some of the outfits I see on the street!

BTW---DH is a Kindergarten teacher and I was a HS teacher, but I don't understand how that is germaine to this topic.

Patti

[LeahA]

I potentially see this as a very hot topic.

Mogwoi, do what you feel your comfortable with. You will hear many different opinions. But, in the end you have to do what's best for you and your family.

[Kevin]

Everyone gets uptight over "Hooters" it is not any worse then any other Pub Style place I have been too. I have brought my son and my wife and we have never had any problem with what they wear. If you go to the pool you see a whole lot more then at Hooters. I would not bring my son there after say 8 or 9 but that is true with any pub style place. If you go for Dinner or Lunch at normal times you will see other wives, husbands and children in there. By the way the wings and fries are great....have fun and relax. If people have personal objections about Hooters how do they fell about going to the beach and seeing those outfits????????????

[This message was edited by Kevin&Becky on 03-28-01 at 02:01 PM.]

[mar3990]

If you really can't decide whether or not to eat there, why don't you see if you can get your food to go and eat it by your hotel pool. I have done this before just because I didn't feel like getting everyone out of their swimsuits and deal with the waiting for a table, ect.

[robinb]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>If people have personal objections about Hooters how do they fell about going to the beach and seeing those outfits????????????[/quote]

That's a good question. This is how I feel about it. What an individual wears (or not) to a beach or to a pool is an individual decision. Last I checked, it is not a requirement of Miami's South Beach to wear thong bikinis nor is it a requirement to take your top off in Nice. The "uniform" is a requirement to be a waitress in Hooters.


-- Robin

[jtopicz1]

....on the same comment, it isn't a requirement that they work there either. They chose the job, knowing that the uniform is required.


Jim

<A HREF="http://uoio.8m.com">Universal Orlando Information Overload</A>- Updates: Universal Chat every Sunday at 9:00pm!

[robinb]

You're right, they do choose the job knowing the "uniform" requirement. That does not make the uniform any less demeaning or the requirement any less repugnant. People make job choices for various reasons with money being one of the top reasons. I'm sure that the job pays quite well in tips. Let's face it ... sex sells.

Which brings me to another point. I don't believe that people go to Hooters for just the food. If they do then they also subscribe to Playboy for just the articles ;). IMO, the underlying theme to Hooters is the sexualization and objectification of the young women who work there. It would be easy to gloss over the "uniforms" as harmless, albeit abbreviated, t-shirts and shorts is it were not for the marketing of the restaurants. "More Than a Mouthful." indeed.


-- Robin

[Chris2597]

Hooter's is no big deal. We have eaten there on vacation a couple times and my 22 year old and 12 year old daughters don't even make mention of the skimpy outfits....now my 15 year old son is somewhat more observant and loves it when we have gone there. I personally don't care for their food, but the guys wanted to go and watch the game and have the wings....haha...and watch. I think they will see more if you take them to a popular fla beach.

[staylor]

Hey, if you think Hooters is bad (which I don't), did you see Jennifer Lopez' dress at the Oscars? I felt like that was something that didn't need to been seen during the 7:00 hour (cst). If your children saw this dress, than the Hooters Uniform really won't be a big deal.

1980, 86,91,96,98 - off site
2000 - 7 day Cruise
May 2001 Cypress Harbour

[Sharmaine]

Well, I mean, really. Its not like the outfits are the problem in themselves. Of course people wear these things all over the place. I swear there are young girls who work downtown here who dress not a whole lot differently in the summer.

I think the real "issue" is this. Being able to dress attractively (according to current social standards) in those uniforms IS a hiring requirment there, and its not supposed to be down here. It IS sometimes, of course, but at least its not supposed to be.

So, this place champions a normally unacceptable hiring practice. No, they aren't the only ones. But they are one of the few places to be so openly PROUD of it - like it doesn't and shouldn't matter.

I do think it matters. Don't really want be living in a society that rewards people as standard practice, especially in the job world, first and foremost on "sex appeal". There does seem to be a natural, instinctive tendancy to do just that, and I am quite pleased that in general, its against the law. As just an average kind of gal, I benefit alot from those laws and standards. Most of us - and that 99% of you guys reading this too - benefit in the same way.

For myself, I won't take my kids or myself into one of those places. I went once, and it WAS uncomfortable. I mean, if I stacked up like those girls, maybe I would. But honestly....I mean, if I was guy, I sure wouldn't volunteer to go play football with an NFL team while my wife watched...I'm SURE she'd notice....regarless of what she said (or didn't say)...and darn sure, if I was that awky scrawny uncoordinated guy on the field with the pros, I doubt I'd enjoy myself while I was PRETENDING not to notice or mind how pathetically I stacked up against the other scenery...

[mogwoi]

Thank you all of you who respond. I am not so sure I will go... I am kind of a feminist myself and I agree with a lot of what you think Robin. But some feminists may even be working for Hooters! Feminism can be view as the right to do whatever you want with your body and to express yourself in the way YOU think is the most appropriate for yourself. But the fact that the women working there HAVE to wear those "uniforms" bother me (by the way a restaurant with male employees in sexy clothes would make me as uucomfortable). So I guess it is not a all black or white issue, there is a lot of gray in that issue... I will probably either skip it or try taking out the food for a picnic in the park!

[Lewisc]

Consumers Reports recently did a review on theme restaurants. Hooters was classified as "beach theme" and the "uniforms" are supposed to be beach style atire. You'll see a lot more revealing outfits in the pools and beaches. They'll be plenty of kids and families there, but the choice is yours.

[Sandyincanada]

I also won a cert for Ibid and wasn't sure if we should go. They have good food and there were a lot of families there. My kids are 11 & 14. Its kind of a neat place, really. They wear shorts and t-shirts, no big deal see alot less in the mall and on the street. The waitress we had was great with the kids. Our 14 yr old daughter didn't want to go because of things we heard but would go back now. Most people who seem to be against it have never been ( I was one of them).

Go, its fine. By the way, as for selling sex, most of these girls were not that great unlike the commercials, lol. But it has a really neat bar area that I can see attracting a lot of people.

GO, its not what you think.

[DisneyObsessed]

Back on track here.....we have been bringing our kids to Hooters for years. If we don't make a big deal about how the girls are dressed, they don't figure there's anything to it. They (12 & 9) love the atmosphere, because they don't have to be as quiet and reserved as they would in another type of restaurant.