Hooters uniforms have proven to be a divisive issue over the years, with many opponents of the brand regarding the skimpy shorts and low-cut tops to be sexist relics of a bygone era.
However, now the uniform has come under fire for a very different reason, with two staff members claiming that they actually have to fork out for their own mandatory tights, which set them back $5 a pop.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed more than 4.7 million times, a Hooters employee offered followers a glimpse at the Hooters' tights machine and demonstrated exactly how it works.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
As previously reported by the New York Post , the staff member - who goes by the username kenzjee - could be seen in what appears to be the staff bathroom, accompanied by a fellow employee.
Addressing her 116.5K followers, she said: “So people always ask me about our tights machine and I have to buy tights today, so I guess I’ll just make a video about it".
She then slipped a $5 bill into the machine, selecting the option 'Suntan B'. As she explains, 'Suntan B' is the shortest pair of tights, while 'Suntan D' is the longest, but all of them are the same shade of tan. Her tights are then quickly dispensed, ready for her to pop on before her shift.
As simple as this transaction may be, many have wondered why exactly Hooters Girls have to shell out of their own purses, with the cost of tights surely adding up after a few shifts.
One person wrote: "It’s a company uniform, the company should pay for it", arguing that "making money from your employees is bad business".
Another person asked her outright why she had to pay for the tights if they are a mandatory part of the uniform, remarking "in my opinion the boss should provide them for free.".
The TikToker replied, explaining: "they have to sell tights through a third party company because tights are considered 'undergarments' so they can’t provide them for us".
When another commenter suggested that they could pay, they just choose not to, she confirmed that she'd already spoken with her regional manager on the topic, and had been reassured that the company couldn't pay.
Some of those commenting had worked at Hooters themselves, and knew about the tights rule all too well. One woman recalled that she had "hated buying them" and had spent "$5 every damn day", while another claimed that she'd "ripped mine every night and had to buy them from the manager".
The third-party supplier seen advertised on the bathroom tights machine, Peavey Hosiery, charges $8.49 for a pair of Suntan Hosiery, while a second pantyhose provider, Tamara Hosiery, sells pairs of Hooters stockings for $3.79 or $3.99.
The Mirror has reached out to Hooters for comment.
Do you have an interesting workplace-related story to share? We pay for stories. Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
