Hooters faces backlash after viral video shows staff have to buy their own tights from vending machine

‘If they don’t supply my uniform why am I working there is my question’

A Hooters worker shows how employees are required to buy uniform shorts from a vending machine at the store in a viral video (Screenshot/TikTok/@kenzjee)

Hooters is facing backlash after an employee’s TikTok video showed the restaurant chain reportedly requires employees to buy their own company uniforms from the store’s machines.

The Hooters uniform includes spandex shorts, a trademark shirt or tank top and regulation tights.

Hooters waitresses are required to wear “suntan-coloured tights”.

An employee, who goes by the TikTok handle @kenzjee, posted a video on 15 January that showed how employees buy their tights from a dispenser at the store.

“People always ask me about our tights machine and I have to buy tights so I guess I’ll make a video about it,” says @kenzjee in the video, which has gone viral, with at least 4.6 million views and more than 330,000 likes.

She is then seen inserting a dollar bill in the tights-dispensing machine, which drops the selected uniform.

In the comments on the video, she pointed out that the dispenser is in the girls’ bathroom and has options for different lengths of tights, priced at $5 each.

The cost of the uniform, however, is tax deductible as work expense, she explained, adding that the machine was placed in the store for the “convenience” of employees though non-employees can also potentially buy tights from the machine.

TikTok users commented on the video, expressing outrage over the company requiring employees to buy their own uniforms.

“It’s a company uniform, company should pay for it.. Making money from your employees is bad business,” wrote one user.

“If they don’t supply my uniform why am I working there is my question,” wrote another user.

“As a dutch guy... why do you have to pay for them if it is part of the uniform? (be)cause in my opinion the boss should provide them for free,” wrote one user, to which @kenzjee replied, saying: “They have to sell tights thru a third party company because tights are considered ‘under garments’ so they can’t provide them for us.”

The restaurant chain, infamous for tight-fitting and skimpy uniforms required for female employees known as “Hooters Girls”, faced backlash last year for rolling out its new uniforms.

Employees condemned the uniform and dubbed it “underwear”.