Hulk Hogan's beer brand is eyeing a takeover of the Hooters name
Weeks after Hooters of America's bankruptcy, the brand could be close to getting a lifeline from a longtime fan: wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.
Real American Beer, a brand Hogan founded in 2024, plans to submit a bid for Hooters' intellectual property soon, a person familiar with the company's plans told Business Insider.
If a bid was successful, it would allow Hogan and Real American Beer to create Hooters-branded merchandise, such as food and beverages, that it could distribute at restaurants, including Hooters locations, as well as at retailers and entertainment and gaming venues, the person said.
Real American would license the Hooters name back to the restaurants under the potential deal, the person added. Hogan's company isn't interested in acquiring or operating the restaurants, the person added.
The bid would need to be approved by parties overseeing Hooters' bankruptcy, the person said. The person declined to say how much the bid would be worth, but said that it would be an all-cash offer. The deal is in flux, and terms and potential buyers could change.
Hooters of America, one of two companies that operate Hooters restaurants in the US, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March. The company is owned by the private equity firms Nord Bay Capital and TriArtisan Capital Advisors.
Hooters of America's restaurants are still open during the bankruptcy process. The company plans to sell some of its locations to franchisees who opened the first locations back in the '80s.
Hogan and Hooters have a relationship going back decades.
Hooters got its start in the 1980s when its founders opened the chain's first location in Clearwater, Florida — the same city where Hogan was born and raised. It's also where Hogan raised his family, and he still owns houses and attends church in the area.
Hogan also appeared at one of the restaurant chain's locations last year when he threw TikToker Frankie Lapenna into a table, complete with a tablecloth featuring the chain's logo.
Hooters was also one of the first places that Real American distributed its beer after launching in 2024.
"Hooters has always been a big part of his life," the person familiar with Real American Beer's plans told BI.
If a bid is successful, Real American Beer could distribute Hooters products using the same distributors that it already uses for its beer. Real American distributes beer at Walmart in 28 states, as well as at supermarkets including Albertsons.
While his brand might not be interested in Hooters' locations, Hogan does have restaurant experience. He oversees Hogan's Hangout, a restaurant near the beach in Clearwater.
In the 1990s, he also opened a now-defunct restaurant called Pastamania in the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Airline cancels all flights, shuts down leaving travelers stranded
Silver Airways, a regional airline based in Florida, abruptly canceled all flights on Wednesday, June 11, leaving travelers stranded after announcing bankruptcy. "We regret to inform you that we are ceasing operations as of today, June 11, 2025," the Fort-Lauderdale-based company posted on it social media pages. "In an attempt to restructure in bankruptcy, Silver entered into a transaction to sell its assets to another airline holding company, who unfortunately has determined to not continue Silver's flight operations." The carrier operates in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. "Please do not go to the airport," the airline wrote. "All credit card purchases should be refundable through your credit card company or your travel agency." The move, the company reported on social media, came after a potential buyer decided not to fund the airline's operations during a sale out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. As the airline wrote on social media, all tickets purchased by credit card will be fully refundable to the form of purchase. According to Robert W. Mann, Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R. W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, tickets not purchased by credit card will still be eligible for refunds, but those would-be passengers will have to get in line with other airline creditors. Passengers with tickets who need to travel soon will likely need to purchase tickets on other airlines at higher prices, according to Mann. It's very rare for airlines in the U.S. to completely go out of business. Often, struggling airlines get purchased by other carriers or folded into another company's operations. According to Mann, a few small regional airlines that operated on behalf of larger carriers went out of business during the height of the COVID pandemic, but those larger airlines reshuffled service to bridge the gap. Other smaller airlines like Tailwind, which provided scheduled seaplane service between New York and Boston, have also gone out of business more recently. Tailwind shut down operations in 2024, according to Mann. (This story was updated to add new information.) Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Silver Airways bankruptcy: Flights canceled after airline shuts down
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Dolphin Company Announces Leadership Appointments to Support Chapter 11 Restructuring
CANCUN, Mexico, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dolphin Company ("the Company"), the largest aquatic theme park operator in Latin America and the world's leading dolphin company, is pleased to announce that the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware entered an order recognizing the effectiveness of the leadership changes implemented in March 2025 to navigate the ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring proceedings for several entities in the group. Steven Strom, of Odinbrook Global Advisors, was appointed Independent Director, effective March 18th, 2025 and Robert Wagstaff, of Riveron Management Services, was appointed Chief Restructuring Officer, effective March 28th, 2025. Also on that date, Mr. Eduardo Albor was relieved of his duties as an executive and officer of the Company. Since then, Mr. Strom and Mr. Wagstaff have jointly overseen the Company's management. These appointments underscore the Company's commitment to stabilizing operations, preserving value, and executing a viable path out of Chapter 11. Mr. Strom brings over 30 years of experience advising on distressed and special situations, including creditor negotiations, asset sales, valuation, and DIP financings, while Mr. Wagstaff brings 35 years of leadership in Chapter 11 turnarounds, complex restructurings, and integration execution, in Latin America and elsewhere around the world. Together, they are leading the Company through a Chapter 11 restructuring with an emphasis on animal welfare and safety, stabilizing operations, and maximizing recoveries for stakeholders. Additional information, including court filings and claims details, is available at or by calling 888-733-1434 (U.S./Canada) or 310-751-2633 (International). ABOUT THE DOLPHIN COMPANY The Dolphin Company is an aquatic park operator with a global presence, operating 30 parks and dolphin habitats in 8 countries, focusing on interactive experiences with marine mammals and promoting environmental stewardship through education and conservation efforts. View original content: SOURCE Leisure Investments Holdings LLC, et al. (The Dolphin Company) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Taco Bell Reopening Previously Closed Location on June 14
Just last month on May 22, Taco Bell announced a new offering for customers in connection with a popular hot sauce. The restaurant revealed the "fiery" release of the new Mike's Hot Honey Diablo Sauce on the beloved chain's crispy chicken nuggets. It's the first time hot honey brand has ever collaborated to create a brand-new take on the condiment sweeping the nation. 'We didn't just drop a new sauce, we unlocked a totally new way to experience nuggets with an entirely new take on hot honey,' Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's Global Chief Food Innovation Officer said in a statement. 'Our sauces spark obsession – fans collect them, remix them and make them part of who they are. Teaming up with Mike's Hot Honey, which has a passionate following of its own, felt like the ultimate way to build on our legacies of sauce innovation. Now we've got this delicious sweet-heat experience that transforms every dip, dunk, or drizzle into something fans have never tasted from us before.' One previously closed location will be able to offer its guests the new experience in the near future. On June 10, Diversified Restaurant Group, one of the largest Taco Bell franchisees operating more than 350 restaurants, announced the grand reopening of its Lenexa, Kansas Taco Bell location. The restaurant will officially reopen on June 14 at 11 a.m. ET. The first 50 guests in line will receive a free Taco Bell-branded frisbee or bottle opener, plus a raffle ticket for a chance to win a Taco Bell-branded pickleball set or tote bag. 'Our guests can look forward to a stylish new dining experience with exceptional service,' Kara Ramirez, VP of Operations for Diversified Restaurant Group, Kansas City said in a statement. 'We are excited to introduce innovative digital features that simplify the ordering process, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone.' The Lenexa location offers dine-in, online ordering for pickup and delivery, and catering services for large groups. The restaurant is open every day from 7 a.m. to 1 Bell Reopening Previously Closed Location on June 14 first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
