Overview
- Customers found identical closure notices posted on the doors Thursday at the Dedham, Saugus and West Springfield restaurants, leaving Massachusetts without any Hooters locations.
- Those three closures follow a Shrewsbury shutdown in May and were carried out by Hooters of New York/New England, a Connecticut-based franchise group run by Marc Phaneuf Sr. and Marc Phaneuf Jr.
- Hooters issued a statement saying the moves were made by “one of our long time franchisees in Massachusetts” to focus, revitalize and strengthen the original Hooters brand across America.
- The local shutdowns are reported as franchisee decisions separate from Hooters of America’s 2025 Chapter 11 restructuring, which saw other franchisees acquire many company-owned outlets.
- The exits reflect broader pressure on casual-dining chains after the pandemic and leave workers, regular patrons and local food scenes adjusting to the loss of a decades-long regional brand presence while Hooters continues to operate over 420 restaurants worldwide.