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Would You Eat at a "Breastaurant"?

1/3/2015

 
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If you’re not sure what a “breastaurant” is, you’re not alone.  After hearing an example like “Hooters,” though, many people quickly understand the term.   These specialty restaurants, where diners can eat, drink, and ogle scantily clad wait-staff, represent the fringe of society for most people.  A popular primetime television show, however, recently brought these erotic eateries into the mainstream.

“Undercover Boss,” is a CBS reality TV series in which top leaders of real organizations’ don disguises and reenter their own companies as line-level employees in order to see operations from the bottom-up.  For many of these execs the experience is eye-opening and transformative.  The show’s latest episode was apparently just eye-opening.

This past Sunday the program featured Doug Guller, Founder and CEO of Bikini’s Sports Bar and Grill, an eight-restaurant chain located in Texas, whose theme is “Sports with a View.”  As the name and slogan suggest, waitresses are hired for their looks and are required to wear a standard uniform, namely a bikini top.

During the episode, which I haven’t watched, Guller reportedly became upset with one particular waitress who insisted on wearing a t-shirt instead of a bikini top.  Although she didn’t oppose the required attire under normal business circumstances, she didn’t want to wear the bikini top while a TV camera crew was filming.  Unsympathetic to her concerns, Guller fired her.

Social media and other news media lit-up in response to Guller’s decision, rightly decrying what many people felt was a heartless action.  Beyond Guller’s cruel treatment of this waitress, however, are more fundamental questions:  What about the ongoing sexist treatment of all of the other servers?  Should restaurants that require servers to bare their bodies even exist?

Unfortunately there does appear to be a market for such restaurants, as evidenced by the success of Guller’s Bikini’s Sports Bar and Grill chain as well as Hooters, Inc., which has hundreds of locations throughout the U.S. and around the world.  Of course, the fact that “breastaurants” are successful doesn’t mean that they should be.

In short, these restaurants objectify and sexually exploit women.  They take a whole person (a wonderful combination of body, mind, and spirit) and reduce her to a few anatomical parts, put on display for unseemly public consumption.  Furthermore, it’s unfortunately not just the women who serve in these establishments who are affected.  Ultimately the promotion of these sexual stereotypes impacts an entire society.

So, would you eat at a “breastaurant”?  Hopefully you say “no” to this and other forms of "Single-Minded Marketing."


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Monica
1/10/2015 05:24:42 am

Breastaurant is so sad. It does sell beer to horny men but who else cares. They could just go to the beach. Workplace and sex shouldn't stop you from getting a job. I was more concerned that beautiful is big boobs.

Callie
1/11/2015 04:38:02 am

The idea of a breastaurant does not uphold societal values in my opinion and is certainly not mindful marketing. Making women dress immodestly as part of their work uniform so men can ogle them their entire shift is disgusting. I do not believe breastaurants are completely mindless, however, because many of these chains have been doing well. At least for a specific market segment, breastaurants do uphold stakeholder value which would place this in the single-minded marketing category. Although some breastaurants are finding success, in my opinion it is disgusting and upsetting that there are people who found restaurants like this, women who subject themselves to working at these places, and customers who spend their time and money there.

Jake
1/11/2015 07:19:36 am

I am not a fan of the idea of breastaurants. The idea promotes the idea of objectifying women, and that is not okay. In today's culture, sex is used more and more as a marketing scheme. Some marketers believe that a product will sell as long as it is connected to a half dressed woman. Examples would be godaddy.com and Carls Jr. Sadly, this idea works more often than not because it appeals to a large section of male consumers. This being said, it also turns away a segment of male consumers who are against objectifying women. Breasturants are not completely mindless because they appeal to a segment of the consumer market. Although it isn't completely mindless, I do not support the idea.

Dustin Peck
1/11/2015 08:26:15 am

I certainly disagree with the idea of breastaurants and I would never attend one. Although the concept is wrong and inappropriate, I believe that these companies have the right to run their business that way based on the constitution, laws, etc. If a woman has morals and respect for herself, she most likely would not want to present herself in such a manner for the enjoyment of the public. Therefore, she should not apply for a job there in the first place. Those companies have the right to not hire or fire their employees for not meeting the company standards. There are plenty of jobs out there to be had where you can wear a shirt, and plenty of clean restaurants to eat at. So if you have morals don't work there and don't eat there. Finally, I agree that these companies seem to be succeeding, which makes it single-minded marketing, not mindless.

Angela
1/11/2015 08:31:32 am

I find the marketing techniques of “breastaurants” very distasteful and unethical. I would never eat at one of these places, for I do not support the objectification of women. It’s unfortunate that this is the tactic that so many businesses use to attract more customers. I would call the marketing strategies of these restaurants “single-minded,” as I do not believe it upholds societal value, but it does create stakeholder value by bringing in more profit. I also want to say that it’s not just “breastaurants” that are guilty of this kind of marketing. I am a big fan of the TV show, “The Office,” and this reminds me of a quote in which the future CEO of the company says, “There is no such thing as a product. Don't ever think there is. There is only... sex. Everything... is sex.” Although I do think there are such things as products, the message is on point. Many businesses use scantily clad models to sell products that really have nothing to do with sex. It’s sad that this kind of marketing works.

Caleb
1/12/2015 01:47:10 am

I agree that this is single-minded marketing strategy, but I disagree that it's completely degrading to women. After all are they not the ones apply for the jobs? I highly doubt they all have no idea what they'll be doing or even better "wearing" before applying to this job. Yes the attention and strategy that is being used does not uphold societal values but at the same time this type of restaurant isn't trying to portray a "family friendly" atmosphere. I personally have not eaten at one of these restaurants but I believe the marketing strategy works even if its not completely moral.

Kyle Schoen
1/12/2015 01:47:47 am

To be completely honest, I have eaten at Hooters multiple times for birthdays when I was growing up and nights out with "the boys." I have also eaten at a place that some may know and others may not, called Tilted Kilt where it is generally the same idea. These business are going to be successful because of what they are- "breasturants." In the society that we live in today where sex is everywhere and one of the biggest marketing strategy is a sexual innuendo or scantily clad models- if I were a restaurant owner I would strongly consider a "breasturant." Because in all honesty, the food can be mediocre but because of the "scene and atmosphere" it will be a successful business who always has customers because that is the society that we live in today. Is it ethical? No, absolutely not. Does it work? Yes, it works very well. The great thing about America is that everyone has a choice.


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