Breastaurant Explained
A breastaurant is a restaurant that requires female waiting staff to be skimpily-dressed. The term dates from the early 1990s, after restaurant chain Hooters opened in the United States.[1] The format has since been adopted by other restaurants, including Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, Twin Peaks, Ojos Locos, Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, The WingHouse Bar & Grill, Redneck Heaven and Bombshells Bar & Grill.[2] [3] [4]
These restaurants often use a sexual double-entendre brand name and may also have appropriate themes, both in decoration and menu. The restaurants may offer perks for customers, such as alcoholic drinks and flirty servers.[5]
History
Hooters is credited as the first breastaurant, having operated since 1983. Other companies soon adopted the format.[6] According to food industry research firm Technomic, the top three breastaurant chains in the United States after Hooters each had sales growth of 30% or more in 2011.[7]
In October 2012, Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill successfully registered the term "breastaurant" as a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office; but as of May 24, 2019, the trademark lapsed under section 8, "Continued use not filed within Grace Period".[8] Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill had closed its last restaurant on December 23, 2018.[9]
Male variations
Restaurants staffed by males, with a similar focus on server appearance, include Tallywackers, featuring scantily clad men, which opened in Dallas, Texas, in May 2015 and closed in August 2016.[10] [11] In Japan, there are pop-up establishments such as Macho Cafe[12] and Macho Meat Shop,[13] where brawny men serve food and drinks.
Criticism
Breastaurants have been criticized for sexually objectifying women.[14]
See also
Notes and References
- Hostess of the Week, 'Breastaurant' Edition . 2012-06-28 . Mikin, Mark . 2011-06-27 . Esquire .
- Web site: The 'breastaurant' boom: Why Hooters knockoffs are thriving . 2012-06-28 . The Week's Editorial Staff . 2012-06-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120629091924/https://news.yahoo.com/breastaurant-boom-why-hooters-knockoffs-thriving-110500797.html . 29 June 2012 .
- Web site: Breastaurant Boom: Hooters-style eateries experience a mini-boom. Fox News. March 25, 2015.
- Web site: 11 Hooters Copycat Restaurants You Never Knew Existed. Tanya. Edwards. 13 December 2022. Eat This, Not That!.
- Web site: "Breastaurants" are Hooters 2.0 . 2012-06-28 . Doctorow, Cory . 2011-06-08 . Boing Boing .
- Web site: 'Breastaurants' with 'view' booming in struggling US dining industry. June 27, 2012. . June 27, 2019.
- News: Yglesias . Matthew . June 25, 2012 . The "Breastaurant" Business Is Booming (Sort of) . Slate . March 6, 2022.
- Web site: Breastaurant Trademark Information. Trademarkia. June 27, 2019.
- Web site: 'Breastaurant' chain Bikini's shuttering last remaining location, rolling out new concept. Dinges . Gary . December 13, 2018. Austin American-Statesman. June 27, 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20181213121636/https://www.statesman.com/news/20181212/breastaurant-chain-bikinis-shuttering-last-remaining-location-rolling-out-new-concept/1. 13 December 2018.
- News: Tallywackers, Dallas' male Hooters, has closed GuideLive. 2016-08-10. GuideLive. 2017-05-13. en.
- News: There's finally a Hooters-style restaurant featuring men. It's called Tallywackers.. Peter Holley. 2 June 2015. Washington Post.
- Web site: Japan's Macho Cafe Is Like Hooters in Reverse. Brian Ashcraft. Gawker Media. Kotaku. May 15, 2015 .
- Web site: Japan's Macho Restaurant Serves Up Real Beefcakes. Brian Ashcraft. Gawker Media. Kotaku. November 4, 2015 .
- Web site: Is There a Place for Hooters in 2018?. Jaya. Saxena. 19 June 2018 . GQ. 18 September 2018. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201129141001/https://www.gq.com/story/is-there-a-place-for-hooters-in-2018 . November 29, 2020.
