When you’re hungry and options are limited, sometimes you end up somewhere you didn’t quite expect.
One woman learned this the hard way when what seemed like a safe dining choice turned into a bit of an uncomfortable experience for her. But her husband might not have been as upset.
Woman Discovers Restaurant ‘Worse Than Hooters’
In a viral video with more than 19.2 million views, content creator Raeg Wilson (@raegwilson) shared the awkward moment she accidentally took her husband to Rowdy Cowboy.
“Accidentally took my husband to a restaurant worse than Hooters and trying to play the cool wife,” the text overlay reads as Wilson sits at a table wearing a cowboy hat, clearly trying to maintain her composure.
In the caption, she explains the circumstances that led to this unfortunate discovery.
“It was the only place open.. I thought we were safe,” she wrote.
The video seemingly captures Wilson’s internal struggle as she attempts to appear unbothered by the restaurant’s atmosphere while presumably surrounded by the establishment’s signature scantily clad servers.
What Is Rowdy Cowboy?
Rowdy Cowboy, based in Texas, is one of the newest entries in the space of sports bars where scantily clad servers are part of the draw.
According to the Dallas Observer, while “OG breastaurant chain Hooters struggles to maintain its relevancy,” newcomers like Rowdy Cowboy are “more than happy to pick up the slack.”
The restaurant features what they call “Rowdy Cowgirls”—servers who wear various themed outfits, including bikinis. CultureMap Dallas describes the 7,000-square-foot venues, as having 32 beers on tap, 70 large-screen TVs, and a menu featuring Southern and Tex-Mex twists on bar food like Burnt Ends Jalapeños and the Rowdy Ribeye.
The Surprising Resilience Of These Types Of Restaurants
Rowdy Cowboy is far from alone in this niche. This industry has proven surprisingly resilient over the decades. Hooters—the original “breastaurant” that launched on April Fool’s Day in Florida with low expectations—now operates over 400 locations worldwide and tops $1 billion in annual sales, according to a 2016 Thrillist article.
The formula spawned countless knockoffs. Tilted Kilt uses a Celtic theme with servers in provocative “kilts” that look uncannily like Catholic school uniforms. Twin Peaks promises “scenic views” alongside bar food and exceeded $240 million in sales in 2014, making it the fastest-growing restaurant franchise in the country that year.
Even during the recession, these establishments thrived. Chains like Twin Peaks and Tilted Kilt were among the few businesses to actually expand during economic downturns.
“It starts with comfort,” Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic, told Entrepreneur. “These concepts are growing by offering a different level of service and attentiveness.”
A former Hooters server told Thrillist that her tips were 20%-30% higher while working there compared to other restaurants. And contrary to popular belief, a large percentage of the clientele were couples and families—though some of the women “were a little uncomfortable… like they didn’t want to be there.”
Commenters React
“A visit to Rowdy cowboy was the final straw for me. Our engagement and relationship ended then,” a top comment read.
“If not allowing my husband to go to places like this makes me lame then I gotta be the lamest person I’ve ever met,” a person said.
“I hate how there isn’t a restaurant like this but with men. I wanna take my man somewhere with good food that he feels uncomfortable at,” another wrote.
“As a former twin peaks gal it was always such a joy to have women come in. You’d get the occasional one that was obviously forced in by their man but I always talked to the ladies more than the men and it seemed to help like girl I want his money not him i promise,” a server shared.
@raeg_wilson It was the only place open.. I thought we were safe 😭 #Christmas #funny #fyp
BroBible reached out to Wilson for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Rowdy Cowboy via email.