Several longtime Hooters restaurants in Florida have closed, even as the chain’s CEO says the changes do not show that the brand is losing strength.
Neil Kiefer, CEO of Florida-based Hooters Inc., told Fox News Digital that the company is rebuilding the restaurant business after its original founders regained control of the brand following the 2025 bankruptcy of Hooters of America. He said the number of locations may fluctuate, while the company’s commitment to the brand remains.
Among the recent closures was Hooters’ last restaurant in Jacksonville, which ended the chain’s 40-year presence in the city, according to Fox News Digital. A Panama City Beach location that had been open for more than three decades shut down in September. A Boca Raton restaurant also closed earlier in the year after its landlord declined to renew its lease.
Kiefer said Hooters of America was a separate corporate entity from the original team that founded the chain in Clearwater in 1983. He said the founders’ return to the brand was followed by a review of restaurants in varying condition.
The company says it is focusing on food, hospitality and attracting families as it works to reshape the brand. Hooters opened a restaurant in The Villages in July 2025, and its website lists another location in Lutz as coming soon.
The closures and openings indicate a changing footprint in Florida. Kiefer said the company’s priorities remain its customers, employees, food and local communities.
