Hooters is known in some circles for having some of the ‘hottest’ servers, dressed in uniforms that are designed to attract patrons.
Plus-sized influencer Chynna Turner, from Hattiesburg Mississippi, recently went viral after she posted a picture with six of her friends dressed as Hooters Waitresses.
The discussions online were a bit confusing because people thought her picture was of women who actually worked at a Hooters.
Turns out it was just a Halloween photo.
Despite the clarification, the photo went viral and sparked the idea that the restaurant should possibly have plus-sized women in their restaurants.
According to the NY Post Chynna said “My girls and I wanted to make a statement with our Halloween look this year,” Turner, 30, told The Post, a message deeply woven into her body-positivity platform, Big Dolls Empowerment.
“Hooters typically discriminates against bigger women, but I figured showing up and showing out in the Hooters uniform would help spread the message that you don’t have to be a size 2 to do you in a sexy and confident way.”
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Turner and her tribe of curvy cohorts purchased the eatery’s unmistakable hip-hugging, neon orange shorts and low-cut tank tops as a set for about $60 each on Amazon. On Sunday, they slipped into the fits and headed down to their local Hooters where they posed for their would-be trending snapshot.
And once online onlookers caught a glimpse of the voluptuous divas, digital demands for more body-inclusive Hooters girls erupted.
“The world’s first plus-size Hooters just opened up … I’m [on my way] to win customer of the year,” New York TikTok influencer Jaron Furches joked in the caption of the viral clip, featuring Turner’s Hooters photo.
The Bronx native’s video, posted Thursday, has garnered more than 5.6 million views.
“[I’m] losing my MIND over the plus-size hooters, I’ve never wanted to go to f – -king hooters so bad in my life. In fact, I’ve never wanted to go to hooters in my life. but I do now,” an approving Twitter user wrote.
Another in-favor tweeter said, “I’m happy to SEE BLACK confident plus-size sisters represent. Legs, thighs, arms, buts and all. Body shaming a person WON’T MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD. WHETHER IT Was a joke or real; THEY PULLED IT OFF. YOUR APPROVAL WASN’T AND IS NEVER NEEDED!!”
They’re perfectly entitled to try this business model out. The market will tell them if they made the right choice.
— Brian Hougaard Baldersbæk (@dk6400brian) November 5, 2021
But the hate was also real!
“Fat women are gross, stop eating you fat pig,” one hateful commenter tweeted. “They eat the wings for you,” wrote a shameless body-shamer. “Hooters corporate going to send them a cease & desist,” penned another.
These women are all beautiful, NO DOUBT!! And I’m so happy that we’re finally getting to the “ditch the skinny”… but in all honesty, this would make me not want to eat & go to the gym. And I love Hooters wings. They can bring in revenue tho!! Just not for me & that’s ok!!
— Natasha Williams (@Natasha99456768) November 4, 2021
and:
Bout dam time?????????❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/NetDra7eYJ
— Rickey Smiley (@RickeySmiley) November 4, 2021
and
What I hate is that when someone see’s a confident and beautiful BBW they always assume that we are not healthy! ??♀️Please stop with the hate attempts to body shame!
— ARTHERNATOMY (@arthernatomy) November 4, 2021
and
You might be interested to know that many people who are considered “obese” have good heart rates, great blood pressure numbers, and good bloodwork”
— Terry C (@DeeBossWoman) November 5, 2021
Hooters has not commented on the debate. Comment your opinion below!
