RESTAURANT: Hooters

Full disclosure: I'm not the sort of person that would be caught dead in a place like this. But a work lunch would cause the fates of mine and Hooters Parramatta to collide on rainy afternoon.

And as the rain fell, this place would totally fuck with my head.

It's set out like a nicely appointed, American sports bar. Heaps of TVs playing sports, a bar, typically American bar food menu, wooden furniture as far as the eye can see, etc, etc, a pool table, etc. The difference between your typical American sports bar and Hooters is that one is designed to make men happy and comfortable, the other one is Hooters.

I'd seen everyone work themselves up about this place, preparing to do some epic ogling. I was picturing a scene in my head where everyone in the restaurant was just objectifying the women, treating them like shit.

But we get there and it's the women that are in total control. Sure, the guys have a look, probably even have a chat about how they rate each waitress. But the chat is hushed, and once they have the look there's nothing left to do.

It's probably the greatest business plan of all. Tempt guys in with the promise of a fleshy, sporty, manly paradise, deliver merely a glimpse of it, then charge them huge mark-ups on food and beer. $6.50 for the cheapest tap beer? $20 for a fairly basic burger? $50 for a rack of so-so ribs (hey, guys, lets make a joke about "full rack!")? Genius. Then also sell merchandise, perpetuate the manly story on the menu, serve slowly so they burn through the beers and snacks. But won't that objectify women if they wear skimpy clothing? Nope, you see the beauty is that the women are in total control. Guys will think they will be in control here, but they will be reduced to blubbering idiots. It's 3000 years of de-volution as soon as you walk through the door. But this time (in 1000 BC?) the women are in charge.

The food? Basic bar food with a decent markup (especially the beer). Not bad, but nothing to write home about. While I never would have taken the initiative to come here before, this did nothing to change that decision. That said, I now don't want to go there for entirely different reasons to those I had before.

RATING: Will probably not return to [?]