Hooters at Clarke Quay will serve its last wings on Jan 31, 2026, marking the American casual dining restaurant chain's complete exit from Singapore. 

Hooters, globally recognised for its form-fitting uniform worn by wait staff, first opened its Clarke Quay outlet in 1996. It was the brand's first international franchise outside North America and its inaugural outlet in Asia.

Two other Hooters locations later opened in Singapore under different franchisees, but both have since closed.

Managing director of the Clarke Quay restaurant, Selena Chua, told local news site Mothership that the decision to close was driven by a prolonged manpower shortage and persistently slow sales. 

The restaurant raised staff salaries over the years, in line with the rising cost of living, while trying to keep menu prices accessible for customers. But this put pressure on the business’ bottom line, she said.

Hiring was also increasingly difficult as "most of the younger generation do not want to work in food and beverage".

The impending local closure follows a bankruptcy filing by Hooters in the United States in March this year, seeking to address its US$376 million debt by selling all of its company-owned restaurants to a franchise group backed by the company’s founders.

Reports cited the brand's struggles in recent years due to inflation, the high costs of labour and food, and declining spending by cash-strapped American consumers.

Chua added that there are plans to open a smaller-scale bistro, though it will not be under the Hooters brand. Most of the current staff are expected to move on to this new venture.

While she expressed sadness about the decision to close, she was grateful too for the past three decades. 

“A restaurant that’s been open for 30 years isn’t just a place to eat, it holds memories, routines and connections with people who grew up there. There’s often a sense of gratitude too for all the moments it created, mixed with the quiet feeling that an era has ended."

CNA Lifestyle has reached out to Hooters Singapore for further comment.

Meanwhile, online reactions on Reddit have suggested that the Clarke Quay of old is "dead", particularly after the pandemic.

But a free night shuttle bus service by CapitaLand launched in December hopes to rejuvenate the area. The loop service runs between Tan Tye Place in Clarke Quay and several locations in town: Somerset MRT, Ion Orchard, Ascott Orchard, Plaza Singapura and Raffles City at the Swissotel The Stamford entrance.