Hooters has faced fresh criticism after a waitress claimed the restaurant chain photoshopped her belly button piercing out of an Instagram post. The waitress, who goes by Sandra on TikTok, shared the edited image from the Waco, Texas branch, posted on Wednesday, noting the piercing was usually visible at work.
In her TikTok video, which has garnered nearly 3 million views, Sandra wrote: 'Why they photoshopped my belly button.' She said she found the edit amusing but was confused, as piercings were reportedly allowed at Hooters. Some TikTok users speculated the removal was due to a policy against piercings, though Sandra disputed this.
The incident follows a series of controversies over Hooters uniforms and pay. Last week, the chain backtracked on plans to introduce even shorter shorts for waitresses, known as 'Hooters Girls', after a viral TikTok compared them to 'undies'. Hooters later said staff could choose between old and new styles.
In a separate case last month, another waitress, Rose, accused Hooters of paying $2.13 an hour, relying on tips despite the chain's $500 million annual profit. Hooters has been approached for comment on the photoshopping claim.
