Miguel Legoas/Jeff Lange/USA TODAY NETWORK
Hooters is currently facing a bit of an existential crisis in the wake of a bankruptcy filing that has resulted in a number of the chain’s locations closing their doors. That list of casualties sadly includes the restaurant in Augusta, Georgia where John Daly had posted up during The Masters for close to three decades, and that development could have some serious financial ramifications for the beloved golfer.
It’s been more than 40 years since the first Hooters opened in Florida and spawned an empire defined by the waitresses clad in tight tank tops and signature orange shorts tasked with pitching out the pitchers and beer and servings of chicken wings that most customers would somewhat unconvincingly tell you were the primary reason they made the trek to one.
At its peak, Hooters not only boasted hundreds of restaurants located around the globe but sponsored an Arena Football Team (the Miami Hooters) and briefly operated its very own airline between 2003 and 2006.
Unfortunately, the good times eventually came to an end for the chain that was essentially synonymous with the “breastaurant” moniker and sparked many imitators that fell under the same umbrella.
In March, Hooters filed for bankruptcy in an attempt to salvage the brand through a restructuring that was poised to impact the combined 300 restaurants still in operation, around half of which were directly managed by the company with the remainder under the purview of franchisees.
That development has led to dozens of Hooters locations shutting down—a list that now includes one of its more well-known outposts.
John Daly’s wallet could feel the brunt of the closure of the Hooters in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta National Golf Club is a mecca known for the pristine grounds that host The Masters each year, and while the course itself has a reputation for being a bit of a time capsule that seems to exist in a dimension that makes it immune from the influences of the outside world, that illusion is shattered a bit if you get the chance to tour the surrounding area.
One side of Augusta National is lined by Georgia State Route 28, and if you take a quick stroll down that road from the course, you’ll encounter plenty of monuments to American capitalism—including the Hooters within spitting distance of a Red Lobster and a Texas Roadhouse.
The parking lot of that Hooters has served as John Daly’s place of residence during The Masters since 1997, as the fan favorite has opted to stay in an RV there while happily mingling with the many fans who’ve made the pilgrimage to meet him over the decades.
Sadly, WJBF reports that other tradition unlike any other has seemingly come to an end, as the Hooters in Augusta quietly ceased operations on July 24th following the completion of its most recent lease. There is always a chance Daly finds somewhere else to set up shop during The Masters, and he has some serious motivation to do so when you consider he moved $780,000 worth of merchandise over the course of the tournament in 2024.
As for the future of Hooters, all signs point to this being far from the last one to close as it continues to pivot to a business model that will rely entirely on franchising.