Hooters server reveals the high standard staffers must go through to keep a job

A server known as Jay on TikTok (@secretarnoldpalmer) recently lifted the curtain on the intense and specific standards required to work at Hooters, revealing a daily routine she claims would send the average person “into psychosis.” Jay, who posted the details on social media, outlined the exacting requirements staff must meet just to keep their jobs, covering everything from mandatory uniform checks to strict makeup grading.

If you’ve ever worked a job where you had to also be a model, then these will sound very familiar. In my time working at high-end sales places, I have seen models work as wait staff, and this kind of thing was seen as normal. Technically, these aren’t minimum wage staff, and they tend to make a lot of money, and they generally have “model” in the contracts. However, it comes at this high standard, and the strictness starts the minute the staff arrive for their shifts.

According to Jay, it is completely normal to have to perform a 360-degree turn right in front of your manager so they can verify that the uniform is absolutely perfect. Jay emphasized that this requirement stands even if the manager is a man, stating, “You have to do a 360 in booty shorts.” This level of daily physical assessment sounds stressful and is uncommon per BroBible.

Hooters keeps its standards high for its staff

It doesn’t stop with the uniform check, either. Appearance is clearly the utmost priority, because staff are literally graded every day on their makeup application. Jay explained that servers are expected to have a specific, required amount of blush, mascara, and lipstick. If you’re not hitting the aesthetic quota, you’re not meeting the standard. Even hair is subject to strict rules; Jay claims that the half-up, half-down hairstyle is banned, although staff can wear their hair either up or down.

These standards extend far beyond daily grooming and start even before you get the job. Jay claims that management doesn’t bother looking at experience when hiring. Instead, managers reportedly “swipe” through applicants’ photos purely based on aesthetics, saying, “They’re just swiping through you like a Tinder match.” Furthermore, once you are hired, you’d better watch what you eat.

Jay alleges that it is acceptable and normal to be fired for gaining weight, noting, “You have to keep up with that.” Beyond appearance, the working conditions themselves are pretty terrible. Jay noted that servers do not get breaks. While she wondered if this was common, it turns out that while some states mandate breaks, federal law does not actually require employers to provide them.

It’s worth noting that these strict requirements come as the 42-year-old chain is struggling financially. The restaurant, which first opened in Florida in 1983, was once the definitive leader in its category. However, the brand has faltered in recent years, filing for bankruptcy back in March. This struggle is likely due to issues with corporate decisions, weird controversies, and increased competition from similar restaurants.

To try and bounce back, the chain is currently undergoing a massive $30 million makeover, with the goal of making the brand “delightfully tacky” again.