Undercover Boss Analysis of Coby Brooks: CEO of Hooters of America
Name: Coby G. BrooksTitle: President & CEO of Hooters of America
Headquarters: Atlanta, GA
Product or Service: Restaurant chain famous for its “Hooters Girl” waitresses…and wings
Brief Overview:
In this week’s episode of “Undercover Boss”, Coby Brooks, the CEO and President of Hooters, is tossed into some low-level food service positions of his restaurant chain under alias “Scott”. Interesting fact – Brooks mentions that he would be totally fine with his two daughters becoming Hooters Girls one day.
Analysis
"No dude, you're still not getting it. More from the diaphragm. HOO-AH!"
"No dude, you're still not getting it. More from the diaphragm. HOO-AH!"
Position 1: Dish washer
Overview: Brooks works for manager Dave cleaning, taking out trashing, washing cookware, and prepping food. Dave, a prior military officer, runs a tight ship, and essentially fires Brooks for working too slowly.
Result: Brooks is fired.
How he made amends: Coby informs Dave that he will make a $50,000 donation to Operation Homefront, to show his appreciation and respect for Dave’s work and background.
What he should have done: How about giving the $50,000 to DAVE and letting him donate as desired? Oh, and work faster.
"Look honey, it's the poor man's Hugh Hefner."
"Look honey, it's the poor man's Hugh Hefner."
Position 2: Street promoter
Overview: “Scott” works the streets alongside two Hooters Girls, Brittany and Amanda, and uses the opportunity to gain insight into the public’s perception of Hooters.
Result: Brooks is surprised to learn that many people find his restaurant degrading to women, and don’t consider it a family diner.
How he made amends: Brittany and Amanda are asked to think of ways to improve the Hooters Girl public image through the assistance of the Marketing team.
What he should have done: Here’s where we started questioning Brooks’ mastery of running a company. He didn’t realize the negative stereotypes associated with Hooters Girls? I’m glad I don’t work for a boss this blind.
Moreover, Brooks was upset that his business doesn’t draw in the family crowd. Coby, don’t you dare try to tone down the Hooters Girl image. This country does not need another Applebee’s. Do I have to remind you that your entire brand is based around said scantily clad waitresses? Show me someone who goes to Hooters for the wings, and I’ll show you a liar.
If you think this is bad, you should see what they do to the girls at Ruby Tuesdays.
If you think this is bad, you should see what they do to the girls at Ruby Tuesdays.
Position 3: Assistant Restaurant Manager
Overview: “Scott” learns the managerial ropes from Jimbo, who later has the girls play a degrading game of whoever-can-eat-this-plate-of-baked-beans-with-no-hands-first-can-leave-early, referring to them as “reindeer games”.
Result: Brooks is pissed, but you can assume a girl did in fact get to go home early.
How he made amends: Brooks forces an apology from Jimbo to his staff, apparently forgetting that as CEO he has the power to fire any employee essentially at will.
What he should have done: Fire Jimbo. Period.
I love it when the screenshots come with captions already installed, even when they are a bit on the creepy side.
I love it when the screenshots come with captions already installed, even when they are a bit on the creepy side.
Position 4: Assistant Restaurant Manager (new location)
Overview: “Scott” works alongside a female manager named Marcee, who is struggling to care for her children.
Result: Brooks gets a little more in touch with his feminine side.
How he made amends: Brooks provides Marcee and her kids with an a free vacation to anywhere in the world.
What he should have done: What did Marcee do to deserve this generosity? Aside from the fact that she happened to be a parent, there is almost nothing else particularly note-worthy about her. Sure, she did her job pretty well – but isn’t that what she’s paid to do?
Coby, you should have spread that vacation out to all of the restaurant managers (except Jimbo). By singling her out, you’re creating unnecessary jealously amongst her peers. And me.
This image has nothing to do with his last job. Sorry, it was a boring segment.
This image has nothing to do with his last job. Sorry, it was a boring segment.
Position 5: Production Line Worker at Naturally Fresh, Inc.
Overview: “Scott” is assigned to fill buckets of wing sauce with a relatively new employee, who tells Brooks of the good ol’ days when his father used to walk to floor of the plant often.
Result: Brooks is hurt after learning that the family atmosphere is gone.
How he made amends: Brooks vows to walk the shop floor more often.
What he should have done: Walk the shop floor more often…wait, did he just get one correct?
Grade:
If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. And away from the wings.
We found Coby to be “Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined”.
Just kidding. He sucked.
Don’t like our grade? Drop us a rebuttal, and leave a comment below.
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About your comment in “Position 3″ about a CEO having the power to fire anyone at will, that doesn’t necessarily apply to the CEO of a franchisor when the employee is an employee of the franchisee. Are you SURE that’s not the case here?
Rob – you’ve got a valid point.
Technically, the owner of that particular franchise would be the one to fire Jimbo. However, the corporate Hooters team could take away the franchise license to the name, which I doubt would sit well with the owner. Often a particular franchise will be allowed a certain time frame to fix an issue before the license can be removed, as defined by the contract.
That being said, if Brooks called up that franchise owner, explained the situation (dropping the big “L” bombs “liability” and “lawsuits”), and strongly suggested the termination of Jimbo as a manager, I’d be willing to bet that the owner would comply pretty easily.
haha when I first read the title and found out the boss was going undercover at Hooters… I thought… “How is he going to pull off the tank top and orange shorts?”
I think this show is a great idea, but it is hindered by how fabricated it appears. The first episode was riddled with this. The first day that we follow a female waste collector (I am assuming like the term policeman, garbage man is no longer PC) the woman gets hugged by patrons. How many people hug their local garbage person?!? Furthermore, she has no shame admitting, not only to her new acquaintance (the CEO), but also to the cameras, that she has to pee in a can because she does not have time for bathroom breaks. I think the can peeing was even more ridiculous considering the waste collector assumed she was constantly spied on for productivity purposes. So the idea we are supposed to get is the company pays employees to watch other employees pee in cans. Would this not be concerning to people and make it to the top of the company ladder somehow – that the company pushes productivity so much that their female employees are peeing in cans on the side of the road?!? Not to mention the possible legal repercussions. I am just not buying it.
I did not catch this second episode so mega props to TCS for keeping me informed. From this analysis, this episode appeared to not be quite as bad. I find it completely believable that a manager might host degrading “reindeer games” for the waitresses at a Hooters restaurant. Of course, it is not random that the CEO gets stationed there nor is it realistic that the restaurant manager would allow such a thing on camera without the whole situation being scripted; but hey, it’s a reality show and at least it would be a believable problem for Hooters given its public perception, which, TCS, you nailed on Position 2. This was probably Hooter’s way of dodging the bad perception and PR…play dumb.
Oh, and this CEO looks hella-lame in the Hooters outfit.
hello could you please help me could you please give me contact details for coby brooks ceo of hooters