Florida woman goes to Hooters. Then she says it’s because they went bankrupt: ‘Twin Peaks or nah’

A Florida woman went to H###### for the first time since the company declared a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Her experience? Nostalgic.

TikToker Leah Fennelly (@leah_fennelly), a recent law graduate from the Tampa area, reminisces about the restaurant in a post with over 5,060 views. “Chicken wing queen is back,” she writes in the caption. In the background, she uses audio from a Miley Cyrus clip about being in a good mood while reflecting on her past.

The TikToker was a H###### girl who competed in the Miss H###### beauty pageant in 2022. She’s since posted videos criticizing the pageant system, calling it “rigged.” The competition subsequently led to her losing faith in the company. She stopped working at the franchise later on after she said the environment became draining. 

In 2025, H###### declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which led to the company closing a number of locations across the country. 

The Current State of H###### 

Since H###### filed for bankruptcy, the franchise has changed. CEO Neil Keifer announced the company would adopt a pure franchise model and own the 130 locations across the United States that still exist. The CEO also announced that the franchise would move away from its adult branding to a more family-friendly approach. 

Keifer reportedly told Fox News that customers “don’t want to have a butt cheek” on their plates. “They’re supposed to be athletic, not so much sexual,” the CEO added. The franchise will move toward a business and marketing approach that brings back a nostalgic atmosphere. Kiefer even mentioned bringing back the look and feel the business had in the ‘80s. 

Former Florida H###### Girl’s Involvement

Fenelly, a content creator who has over 195,000 followers on TikTok, is well known for her H######-related content. The Florida local was a notable employee of the franchise for a number of years before she left. Fennelly even gained notoriety for publicly discussing her journey through law school while working at the restaurant. 

Now, Fennelly sparsely posts about her experience working for the business. She occasionally discusses the dwindling returns she got from the franchise toward the end of her employment, as well as the pageant. In one post, she showed off a portion of her hair routine while reflecting that she was only going to make $20 from her shift. 

“Remember when I used to spend more on gas and makeup than what I’d make?” Fennelly asked in the description.

She mentioned during other interviews that she would go back to the company if its restructuring went in the “right directions,” which include the vibrant and fun working environment she remembered from its heyday. 

Are People Still Fans of H######?

Despite the intense amount of restructuring H###### has endured within the last few months, things aren’t looking bright. While Fennelly clearly has a soft spot for the restaurant franchise she worked for, her commenters didn’t necessarily feel the same nostalgia. Changes to the business have pushed out some regular customers, who commented on the TikTok content creator’s post. 

“Left h###### recently, the money got horrible after bankruptcy and franchises took over…” a viewer said. Fennelly liked the comment. 

Commenters recommended alternative “breastaurants,” like Twin Peaks. Another company in the category, Ojos Locos, has also received recent praise, though commenters did not mention the smaller chain on Fennelly’s post. 

AllHipHop reached out to Fennelly via TikTok direct message and comment. We’ve also reached out to H###### via email for more information. We’ll let you know if either party responds.

@leah_fennelly Chicken wing queen is back #h###### #hooterstok ♬ i am in a very good mood this morning

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Rachel Thomas

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