As The Restaurant Industry Struggles, ‘Breastaurants’ Are Booming

Over the years, the restaurant industry has seen a decline in growth, in both production and profits. The primary reason for the sudden fall has to do with how people’s eating preferences have evolved. Restaurateurs want satisfying choices lacking in fast food chains but within efficient time, something full-service chains aren’t known for. As a result, fast casual chains, such as Panera Bread and Chipotle’s, are now dominating the industry.

There are always exceptions to the rule, however. For example, the Inquisitr reported on one such restaurant that despite being fast food, surpasses all restaurants in general, mostly because their business model and marketing are centered on their personal ethics and morals, something people admire. As a result, Chick-fil-A is now the best chicken restaurant in the nation, and has surpassed McDonald’s in child appeal. Still, the one group of restaurants that are really booming in the nation are known for serving delicious food with a side of cleavage. As per reports, “breastaurants” have grown at a double-digit pace over the last year.

According to an article by the Huffington Post, breastaurants originally got their inspiration from the originator of all breastaurants, Hooters. The 30-year-old chain is known for their buffalo wings being served up by well-endowed waitresses in spandex-tight white shirts, very-short shorts, and pantyhose that had a light shade of orange. Even their slogan previously incorporated sex appeal, previously reading “Come for the breasts, stay for the wings,” before they went family friendly with “Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined.”

Still, Hooters has been constantly rearming themselves because they know the new breastaurants are a threat to their business. One such method of rearming was detailed in an article by the Houston Press back in 2013. It reports that Hooters tried to incorporate a new slogan. They provided four examples, but as of now, none of them have been used. Eventually, they’ll need to come up with something if they want to remain relevant against other breastaurant chains like Tilted Kilt, Twin Peaks, and Brick House. As a matter of fact, Twin Peaks has surpassed them as America’s favorite breastaurant.

Of course the main hook for breastaurants is the sex appeal, in which the new breed of breastaurants are amplified compared to Hooters. For example, at the Titled Kilt, instead of wearing a skin-tight spandex shirt, waitresses wear a open-front blouse that is tied in such a way that their midriff and kilt-design bras are shown. Though the waitresses’ look is enticing, it is just a hook, and breastaurants understand there needs to be more than just that. This is usually done with the restaurant’s atmosphere and food. Twin Peaks, for example, aims to make all their dishes from scratch. Their menus are locally sourced and features sophisticated twists on classic bar fare like venison chili, blackened fish tacos, and buffalo wings, with an optional topping of green chili parmesan sauce. New Republic dubbed them the “foodie’s breastaurant” because of how much goes into their edible fare.

Despite the success breastaurants are reaping, they do have critics, especially when it comes to the part about selling sex. Liz Watson, the director of workplace justice for women at the National Women’s Law Center, stated that the environment in breastaurants exacerbates the already-prevalent problem of sexual harassment. A report by Restaurant Opportunities United shows that nearly 80 percent of female servers say they’ve been harassed on the job. Watson says the percentage is so high because the women work for tips.

“The fact that womens’ wages are coming in from customers is already making them vulnerable to harassment. It’s only being compounded by these types of restaurants.”

Finally, restaurant experts aren’t giving the breastaurants a chance, in which they refuse to analyze them as a whole. They don’t see the atmosphere, the working engine of the staff, or even the intimate detail and attention put towards their food. The only thing they see are the scantily-clad waitresses bearing cleavage. In an article by ABC News, Allen Salkin, the author of an upcoming book on the history of the Food Network, provides his input which probably sums up why breastaurants — no matter how good their brand or sales may be — will never be taken seriously.

“It’s not about the wings, it’s about the breasts. No place can serve sludge. But people aren’t going there for the wings no matter how good they are. They are going to see the upper-mammalian carriage of young women.”

What are your views on the success of breastaurants? Do you think it is strictly the cleavage that has garnered such success or the overall business model, which includes food and atmosphere besides the scantily-clad waitresses?

[Featured Image via Hooters, Post Images sourced in descriptions]