- Hooters is the most famous "breastaurant" in America.
- As two Hooters dilettantes, we went in expecting to be disappointed.
- Instead, we found a pleasant atmosphere, good wings — and even some tasty oysters.
As two 20-somethings who had made it this long without ever visiting Hooters, we were both at peace with perhaps never dining at said establishment.
But as chain restaurant reporters and connoisseurs, we knew the omission of the nation's most famous "breastaurant" would not stand.
Since its founding in 1983, Hooters has become something of a pop culture icon synonymous with buxom waitresses and... wings. There's a "bro-culture" vibe attached to the brand; in our minds, it seemed to have the stench of toxic masculinity, even from afar.
However, what we found upon venturing inside the chain was vastly different from our preconceived notion. Here's why everyone should give Hooters a chance.
SEE ALSO: Chipotle is facing a reckoning — and I saw why it may never again be the chain it once was
The only Hooters in Manhattan is located mere minutes from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden — a prime locale for a wings-oriented sports bar.
The chain is vaguely beachy, fitting with its slogan, "Life's a beach." Hooters started in Clearwater, Florida, as something of a joke; the founders weren't very confident about their odds of survival.
But today, there are over 430 locations in 28 countries worldwide. And this location was reasonably busy, especially for a midday Friday in an area traveled by commuters.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider