Millennials have a new attitude about cleavage that's forcing 'breastaurant' Hooters to close locations and change its strategy (HOTR)
Gil Cohen Magen/Reuters
Millennials are less interested in breasts than their elders.
People from the age of 18 to 24 are 19% less likely to search for breasts on pornographic website Pornhub compared to all other age groups, according to an analysis conducted by the website.
For comparison, Pornhub visitors from the ages of 55 to 64 are 17% more likely to search for breast-related content.
Millennials' pornography preferences seem to be part of a wider trend.
"At the moment larger breasts are out though I’m sure they’ll come back," Sarah Pedersen, professor of communications and media at Robert Gordon University, told Playboy. "We tend to react to what went before."
For "breastaurants" like Hooters and Twin Peaks, a loss of interest in breasts is bad for business. The number of Hooters locations in the US have dropped by more than 7% from 2012 to 2016, and sales have stagnated, according to industry reports.
Hoots
Part of Hooters' struggles are tied to the sales slump that hitting most sit-down causal dining chains. However, a lack of interest in waitresses' cleavage — especially when there are breastaurants like Twin Peaks promising more scandalous experiences elsewhere — likely isn't helping.
Hooters has struggled to win over millennials for some time now. In 2012, the chain attempted to revamp its image with updated decor and new menu items in an attempt to attract more millennial and female customers.
"For years they've only been working toward Generation X, but now they need to try to get millennials to come through the doors," Darren Tristano of food industry consulting company Technomic told Time in 2012.
In light of the decline of breasts' impact in America, it comes as no surprise that Hooters has been emphasizing catering and opened up a fast-casual location with fully-clothed waiters — women and men.
While porn habits may change, millennials still love chicken wings.
NOW WATCH: INSIDE QVC — the retail powerhouse that plans to buy rival HSN for $2.1 billion