Being a Hooters Girl.
Written: Sep 19 '05 (Updated Sep 19 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: When I'm an old woman I can tell my grandchildren I was a Hooters Girl.
Cons: I must be a dumb blonde, right?
The Bottom Line: Love is blonde.
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| itztru's Full Review: Hooters |
Dear Hooters Customer,
There are some little girls who visit Hooters and wish to be one of those girls. The girls who get to hoola hoop, sing silly songs, and look pretty doing it.
I was not one of those little girls. I was shy and unattractive from kindergarten on. I was only known for being on the newspaper in high school. A girl raised to be smart and strong and feministic in nature. That was me.
When I approach your table with long legs and blonde hair to boot, I'll overlook the smirk that forms on your lips as you talk to me as if I'm a child and stare at every body part except my eyes. I'll smile and compliment your wife's earrings or outfit despite the snotty look of disgust on her face. Her eyes are locked on the menu, her distinct refusal to look in my direction that any waitress at any restaurant would likely consider rude.
Because it's part of my job. When I go home at the end of the day with tired legs, tired feet, tired eyes, and over $100 in tips, it's all worth it. Getting a college education is worth it.
Yours Truly,
The Hooters Girl
It took me three applications to get hired. At the time I was a waitress for Pizza Hut. A Hooters was being built twenty minutes down the road and one of my coworkers decided to apply. She ended up getting hired on the spot.
I decided I was going to try. I knew I had the look for it - a young, pretty blonde (albeit lacking in the hooter department, if you know what I mean). I went in to the trailer outside in front of the construction and sat before two men who frankly looked me square in the eye and told me I was pretty enough, but too reserved.
I guess it didn't help that one of the previous places of employment listed on my application was a newspaper.
It made me chuckle. I knew I was no cheerleader, and that's what they were looking for. The restaurant opened in June and starting draining Pizza Hut of customers. I was making less and less in tips. After dining at Hooters on more than one occasion with my Marine boyfriend and his buddies, I came to the conclusion that their service was horrible and that I could do better.
So I went and applied again. Twice. And I told the manager his girls were bad waitresses.
He hired me.
It's the best, and at the same time, the very worst waitressing job available. I remember the first time I slipped (or rather struggled) into my uniform. Normally wearing a medium size in shirts and 7s in bottoms, I squeezed into an extra small tank top and extra small shorts. Thank god I never tried the outfit on without panty hose. Let's not go there.
What I like about the Hooters I work at is the realness of most of the girls. There are no perfect bodies. In fact, while we are all young and on the thin side, I think we represent a more realistic female figure. No one can pass in that outfit without at least a little bit of chub. Not everyone has cleavage cascading out of their top (like me, for instance). We even have a veteran Hooters Girl who is 6 months pregnant. She doesn't wear the typical uniform and usually works the bar (so she isn't running around too much), but my managers never fired her merely for being pregnant. And quite frankly I find that admirable.
The customers we get are an interesting blend of Eastern North Carolina natives and military men. I'm going to be honest. I earn my best tips from Marines; I relate to them better and I know how to talk to them. The funny thing is that most women will assume that Hooters Girls are all about flirting and bending over tables to show off boobs. I've gotten my best tips merely from sitting down and asking my customers questions about themselves. It's not flirting, it's being a conversationalist. And it's the only waitressing job that encourages you to sit and spend time with your customers. If we don't, we're doing something wrong.
The other good things about Hooters of Morehead City
- We have over 20 large, flat-screen TVs displayed inside the restaurant so that no matter where you're sitting, you can watch a game. And it can be any game you want with our NFL Sunday Ticket (our TVs and stereo system are satellite). There are also smaller TVs that line our porch seating area.
- Our managers do a lot to help us have fun and stay unique. On Saturdays we wear camouflage uniforms, while on Sundays we get to wear custom Hooters football jerseys, and Tuesday nights are all about bike night, meaning we get to wear black uniforms.
- We turn birthdays into embarrassing events, corny songs and hoola hoops included.
- It's easy to give customers a unique experience. I personally write cute messages on balloons for the little kids I get at my tables.
- The food is good. I expected the food to be plain and mediocre, but in all actuality, it's better than decent. I prefer the buffalo chicken sandwich with mild sauce. And if I don't eat at work, I'm always starving by the time I leave (from smelling the food).
Of course, there is a downside...
- Try telling people you're a Hooters Girl and see what kind of reaction you get.
- Putting 10 young, attractive women together in a working environment is never a good idea. I try to avoid the hilarious drama, but it can consume you at times.
- Long hours. I don't expect anyone to tell me I only work part time. As far as I'm concerned, I work full time. If I get to work at 9:30 in the morning, I don't leave until 5:30 in the evening. The shifts are very long for being a restaurant.
- Nasty comments and disrespectful customers. It's to be expected but at the same time it shouldn't be tolerated. And I don't. I've had people thrown out.
- SMOKE! 90% of the restaurant is smoking. The Pizza Hut I waitressed at was all non-smoking, and although my dad smokes, he never smokes in the house. Not to mention, I'm a huge proponent of anti-smoking campaigns like Truth. So to throw myself into such an environment is totally going against what I believe. I hate to say it's all in the name of making better money.
- I don't relate well to native North Carolinians who come in. I stick out like a sore thumb when I take their order without a southern accent, and oftentimes they tip me poorly when they find out I'm a military brat. I've gotten the comment "no one is FROM Havelock," with a sarcastic, snide laugh to set it off.
Overall it's not a job I plan to keep for a long time, but it's fun for now.
I bet you never guessed a Hooters Girl was in your midst.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
itztru
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Member: Cindy Park
Location: North Carolina
Reviews written: 212
Trusted by: 57 members
About Me:
To speak without thinking is to shoot without aiming.
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