Hooters keeps closing restaurants across America but CEO Neil Kiefer insists the brand is not in decline

Neil Kiefer, CEO of Hooters Inc., says closures must be understood in the context of the chain's 2025 bankruptcy and subsequent ownership change, with original founders regaining control. Hooters closed its final Jacksonville, Florida restaurant, bringing to an end four decades in the city, following a Panama City Beach closure after more than three decades. Kiefer said: "The number of stores will go up and down, but the longevity of our commitment will not."