Hooters opts for slightly more conservative approach

Using sex appeal to lure customers is not as easy in a country such as China, where sex has traditionally been considered taboo, but US eatery Hooters is doing its best to try.

The company has expanded in China since coming to the country in 2004 and now has five outlets in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu.

Its "breastaurants" have come under fire from women's rights groups, who say the company has discriminatory hiring policies. But Wang Zhen, a customer at the Beiiing Sanlitun Hooters, said the waitress presented themselves as "cute and sweet" instead of as sex objects.

The waitresses in Hooters' Chinese outlets wear the same uniforms as their American counterparts and serve the same food but the atmosphere is slightly different, according to Xu Fang, general manager of Hooters China.

"We didn't change the white shoes, white socks, orange shorts, brown pouch and white top waitress outfits when we came to China," said Xu. "But we want our Hooters girls to present their image in a healthy and cute style rather than in an overtly sexy manner."

Xu said the company made the slight adjustment due to culture differences. "Chinese customers are more conservative, so the Hooters girls need to be sweet and able to engage in witty banter or ditzy small talk to keep the customers happy," said Xu.

Hooters China also plans to add Chinese dishes to the menu, she added.

"Hooters' Beijing and Shanghai outlets are doing better than the other outlets in China, since these two cities are more international and people there are open to new things," said Wu Weidong, general manger of Hooters Beijing.

The majority of Hooters Beijing's customers were foreigners when the restaurant opened a year and a half ago but now half the patrons are local, said Wu.

Hooters had sales of $997 million in 2008, up 2 percent from 2007, according to a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution report.

Xu said Hooters China's sales growth has slowed along with the general economy.

"Our turnover has dropped nearly 10 percent since last October," she said. "Dining out is one of first thing that cash-strapped consumers cut out of their budget. But we will likely see business bounce back in the latter half of the year."

Hooters has tried lowering prices to keep customers but, in contrast to the US, Hooters is a high budget eatery in China. Customers come for the ambience rather than low prices.

"It's the atmosphere that attracts me most here," said Xia Song, who said he frequently has events at Hooters Beijing. "I like holding parties here as in this society, we're a little bit repressed. Fantasy can go a long way."

(China Daily 04/06/2009 page8)