Plus-size women in Hooters uniforms sparks debate after viral TikTok

A TikTok video has sparked a lively debate around Hooters and their lack of inclusion, after one user shared an image of a group of plus-sized women dressed in the restaurant chain’s notorious uniforms with the text overlay, “The [world’s] first plus-sized Hooters just opened”.

Jaron Furches (@jaronfurches) took to the platform with the clip captioned, “OMW to win customer of the year.” After showing the photo of the women, he is seen gliding towards his apartment door on Heelys, using the popular TikTok sound, “Running Out of Time” from Netflix’s Vivo.

The clip became a viral hit overnight, racking up 3.9 million views in less than 24 hours. And while the TikTok’s claim of a plus-sized Hooters restaurant is likely to be false (after Jaron confirmed with Indy100 that he found the photo on Facebook) the hypothetical restaurant has certainly highlighted some important issues in the comments.

“They should be able to work in ANY location,” one rightly suggested, while another reiterated the message and said, “Something about it having a specific location doesn’t sit well with me.”

Another added, “Ok, but why can’t they just be hired in your average Hooters restaurant?”

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Others were fans of the idea, with one saying they’d either work there or “buy food they don’t need – either way I’m there.”

“If this is true, I want me a job there,” another user said.

Hooters has received a notable amount of backlash over the last month after workers turned to TikTok to address the chain’s new revealing shorts – which have subsequently been changed.

Following the controversy, Hooters said they “continue to listen and update the image of the Hooters Girls”, and workers “can determine which style of shorts best fits their body style and personal image.”

“We’re excited to see a national trend toward self-expression and inclusivity that bodes well for our marketplace.”

Indy100 has reached out to Hooters and Jaron for comment.

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