Why does everyone hate Hooters?

In February of last year, a buddy of mine and I decided to take our wives to the NASCAR race in March. Now my buddy, Ed, hates spending money on anything, so I left him up to booking the room, as long as it was on the strip.

I figured I would be spending about $100/nt, and staying somewhere like TI, or maybe Excalibur. I couldn't have been more wrong. Ed called me about a day after we had put these plans in motion, and told me he had great news. He said he found us a hotel and it was only $160. I was thinking per night, but he told me that was the total per room....for 4 nights. I asked him what the catch was, and he dropped this bomb on me: it's Hooters.

Now, fortunately for me, my wife took it in stride because I had already booked a package in May at a suite in Bellagio, and had a few spa treatments scheduled for her that trip.

We arrived on Thursday afternoon after driving from Sacramento, CA, about 9 hours, and had no problems checking in. I wanted to shower, so when we got to our room that was the first thing I did, or attempted to do. As soon as I turned the water on, the faucet fell out of the wall. Went downstairs to the desk, and the manager was very apologetic, moved us to a new room, and waived the resort fee for us. Everything in the new room worked as expected.

I believe that given the price we paid, I received exactly what I expected. The service was adequate in the restaurant and their tables have terrible odds, but for $40/nt, I cant complain.

I guess my point is, Hooters isn't some place to be avoided at all costs, it should be embraced for what it is. Pretty much everyone I saw checking in had more ice chests than luggage, and sure the decor and theme is tacky, but for everyone looking for a cheap place just to crash, I recommend Hooters. Going to Vegas with a buddy just to drink/gamble....Hooters. Want to stay on-strip, but cant afford to stay at one of the big resorts...Hooters.

Fast Forward to this year. Same trip. I told my buddy that I would book my own room this time, and have a Diamond Suite reserved at Monte Carlo. I wish I was only paying $160 for the room, but I expect to have a much nicer experience this time.

 

Well said


They use to have full pay quarter JOB which is why I would always go there...but when I went this last trip they no longer have them...only Full pay $1 JOB

 

I think the key is like you said, you have to have realistic expectations for the money you paid. A lot of folks would have flipped out about the shower head incident, but you did the right thing and took it in stride. I like a good value! I try to save a buck because I figure it allows me a third trip each year as opposed to only two if I went high end on everything.

 

I booked Hooters once as I needed a last minute room since a friend that was coming could only get a flight that was coming in at midnight the night before originally planned. It only cost me a few bucks to change my flight so I went with it. I paid all of $28 for the room. I thought it was cheap and tacky. The warning to not remove the Hooters menu or else be charged was a nice touch as were the Coors Light ice buckets in the room. It's just that you can often get a cheap room at a low end MGM property for barely much more.

 

I hear that Hooters' wings stop tasting as good once you have a teenaged daughter. LOL!

 

The rate of $40 per night is good for a cheap room, but you can often get a similar rate at places like Excalibur or The Quad and they have much better locations.

Otherwise, I think with Hooters there aren't that many people that actually hate the place, but more that a lot of Vegas-goers mostly just mock the place:

- 10-15 years ago it was always big news, and often met with protests, when a Hooters restaurant was coming to a city or town: they were always "pushing the limits" of puritanical America and bringing sexy and scandalous to small towns and big cities alike... but that doesn't really work in Las Vegas where the Hooters Girl outfits are pretty tame compared to what other cocktail waitresses are wearing, or even what many women just walking down The Strip have on.

- Their entire restaurant idea and theme is built around the concept of "Where the guys hang out" and "Where guys can be guys" and all that... In Vegas, to women that can be an intimidating concept, and for the guys it really just sounds like it'll be a big sausage-fest.

 

I'm lactose intolerant :evillaugh

 

Yeh - I don't hate Hooters either, but don't tend to go there. As noted elsewhere, the business model (cute girls in small outfits) is a concept well embraced in Las Vegas. And, you can get just as good of deals elsewhere on The Strip or darned close to it if you know where to go.

So, for me, Hooters has to offer something special I can't get elsewhere for me to walk that extra block or two from The Strip. It doesn't. I think many people are simply disinterested, like me, rather than being haters.

Bill

 

for 18$ a nite its fine .its a crash pad nothing more

 

I've had more hand pays in their Casino than any other and that's the truth.

I've never stayed there though. I used to play there before when it was the San Remo I believe.

 

hooters bj tables are terrible

 

you aren't getting that rate anymore at the Quad, but I agree stayed there for one night before because we got in earlier than expected and it was exactly as described and was convenient since most of our play was at MGM next couple days

 

never been, they have crappy VP so I don't bother

 

I think hate might be a bit strong.

My first experience seeing the hooters casino was on my first trip ever to Vegas. The bad part is that I saw it near the end, so it was just a throw away for me. I didn't hate it or love it. It was just meh...

I may have been back once since then tops. It is just due to the location and no other strong reason to go. Sadly with all of the party pits, the main draw for me to head to hooters really has gone away.

I would stop in every single trip if it was right on the strip through between Excal and Wynn.

 

My best blackjack session ever happened here in 2006 shortly after it became hooters. We stayed at MGM and wanted to low roll it one night. It was before everyone had 6:5 at the low levels and I sat down with 20 bucks. I played for six hours and left with 400. I've won more before but not with such a small bank roll and never betting more than table min x2.

As a result I make a stop on most trips. It isn't classy. To me it's the casino royale of the south strip. But Witt wings

 

I don't hate. I've never had a compelling reason to go there. And there are lots of places that are a good bang for a buck. Hooters hasn't distinguished itself from the rest. The constant ownership changes are a negative for me at least.

 

For being off strip (even slightly) one should expect "something" to entice people to go.

You could stay on the strip for $40/night and in a casino that is MUCH larger.

We made a few trips to Hooters and can say my wife doesn't feel comfortable walking back to the strip at night even though it isn't very far as there is usually a few shady characters.

 

Staff was actually terrible to me at the bar there. They made a mistake on the cost of the drink, then denied it, and then another customer (who was a local) yelled at me for making an accusation against the staffer. The local guy was older and the staffer was, well, a cute Hooters chick, so I think he was just trying to get in good with her. Needless to say, we left and I have no real designs on returning. Partly because of my experience, and partly because of the issues others have mentioned on this board.

Granted, my experience is anecdotal, but Vegas has given me WAY better anecdotes than that. So I'll stick with the places that have been fair with me.

 

Decided yesterday that I am going to take a last minute trip to Vegas next week for 3 nights mid week. Quad was $291 for a classic room, Excalibur was $244, and Hooters was $185. These prices include tax and resort fees. If I was a little older (and wiser) like some of you, it would probably be worth paying more to me, but maximizing my drinking/gaming budget is more important.

 

Hi guys, long time lurker, first time poster.

I stayed at Hooters a few years ago. It was okay - though I went in with low expectations just using it as a cheap place to shower and sleep. Most of my trips have been at lower end places so I didn't mind it that it wasn't fancy.

The room was pretty ugly. I saw them described on another board as if Jimmy Buffet threw up and I think that fits. The neon orange decor didn't bother me too much, but I would have rather had real chairs in the room versus the bar stools they had. Room was clean and everything worked okay though.

Staff was friendly for the most part. I tipped housekeeping and the maid asked if I wanted the unopened booze she was cleaning from the adjacent room. Tipping also got far with the CWs and bartenders. I got the idea not too many patrons tipped here. Once at the bar, some guy tried to steal the tips off of the bar before a bouncer came by.

A lot of working ladies around. As most of my trips have been solo, I am used to being asked if I want a date when I am at a bar late at night - usually no problem - just tell them no and they move on to the next mark. But a couple of them would not take no for an answer. One got so beligerent in insulting me that I asked the bartender to get security.

Some stuff was run down. The ice machine on my floor did not work and the elevators were about as slow as the ones at Imperial Palace.

Location was fine. I used the monorail quite a bit from MGM to get to the mid/north strip. The walk to the monorail stop went by Fat Tuesday's so I developed quite the girly drink habit Getting to/from the airport was quick and easy, I think the cab fare with tip both ways was maybe around $12.

BTW the restaurant had 25 cent wings after midnight, I'm not sure if they still run that special. Besides eating there a couple of time, every other meal was off-site. There is a little convience store down the road that is good for stocking up on snacks, beer, etc for the room.