Hooters Releases Statement on Abrupt Closure of Lafayette Location After Employees Were ‘Blindsided’

The sudden closure of the Hooters restaurant in Lafayette has left employees stunned and jobless, sparking a wave of mixed reactions from the local community. Despite the official statement from Hooters of Louisiana citing the closure as a business decision, employees were not forewarned, leading to shock and disappointment.

Shawn Lawrence, recognized as one of the best cooks at the Lafayette location, expressed his dismay on Facebook: “No phone call, no warning. I’ve been with this company almost 9 years and this is how they tell us we no longer have a job.”

Server Gracie Courville, reflecting on her time at Hooters, said, “All of us girls were at a loss having absolutely no notice that our job is gone... which is so unfair not only to our managers who were told today but the cooks who’ve been there 10+ years.”

Sana Siddiqi, another employee, lamented the lack of communication, stating, "The fact that none of us employees got a heads up is wild! 8 years down the drain.”

In their statement, Hooters of Louisiana thanked the Lafayette community for 25 years of support but confirmed there are no plans to close any additional Louisiana locations. They encouraged patrons to visit their other restaurants across the state.

The Hooters Lafayette location has closed. We want to thank the Lafayette community for an amazing 25 years and appreciate the support from our guests. It was a business decision to close this location. There are no plans of any additional Louisiana Hooters restaurants closing. We look forward to serving our guests at our other locations.

Hooters of Louisiana Locations:
Hooters Westbank: 2781 Belle Chasse Hwy Gretna, LA 70056
Hooters Metairie: 4748 Veterans Blvd Metairie, LA 70006
Hooters Houma: 1619 Martin Luther King Blvd. Houma, LA 70360
Hooters Slidell: 1776 Gause Blvd. Slidell, LA 70461
Hooters Siegen Lane: 6454 Siegen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Hooters College Drive: 5120 Corporate Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Hooters Denham Springs: 254 Range 12 Blvd. Denham Springs, LA 70726
Hooters Boardwalk: 545 Boardwalk Blvd. Bossier City, LA 71111

While Hooters of Louisiana did not offer any information on the possibility of a future location opening in Lafayette, a report from Adam Daigle at The Acadiana Advocate quoted local franchisee Jeff Wood, who seemingly left the door open for another Hooters location in the Hub City—maybe sooner than later.

"We're keeping the idea open for a possible relocation here in the near future."

In light of this unexpected closure, other Lafayette businesses—both local and chain—have stepped up to offer support.

Phil Martin from Twin Peaks, often seen as a rival to Hooters, empathized with the affected employees, inviting them to apply at Twin Peaks.

“We are encouraging anyone that needs a job to come stop by,” Martin said.

I'm there in the morning from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and I can assist in helping them with applications. I have been in this position. I worked days at O’Charleys and one day, corporate came and bolted the doors with no notice.

Similarly, BJ’s Pizza House, under new ownership and management, says they are actively seeking experienced staff as they prepare to reopen. Local entrepreneur Tim Metcalf extended a welcome to former Hooters employees to apply at Dean-O’s Pizza and Prejean’s locations. Metcalf empathized with the employees as he criticized the abrupt closure, calling it a “terrible way to close.”

This situation, while unfortunate for the former employees of Hooters in Lafayette, has shown how the Lafayette community always comes together in times of need. As former employees navigate this transition, we wish them the best of luck as they seek new employment going into this new year.

See the original story on Hooters Lafayette closing here.