Waitress: Hooters Told Me To Slim Down

Woman Says Company Offered Her Free Gym Membership

ROSEVILLE, Mich. -- A Hooters waitress in Roseville said the company has put her on "weight probation,"

Cassandra Smith, 20, has worked at the restaurant for two years. During a review Friday, Smith said two women from the company's headquarters joined her bosses via conference call and offered her a free gym membership to help her slim down.

She said the the women told her that her shirt and short size could use some improvement, and she had 30 days to improve.

"If I improved a little bit, I'd be given 30 more days," Smith said. "If I improved completely, they would leave me alone. And if I didn't improve at all, I would possibly be separated from the company."

The company's uniforms are offered in small, extra small and double-extra small.

Smith, a local college student, said she is 5 feet 8 inches tall and 132 pounds and completely comfortable with herself. She said she was brought to tears by the options given to her during Friday's review.

Management at the Roseville restaurant declined to comment.

Hooters of America Inc. released the following statement Tuesday:

"Hooters of America Inc. announced today that while the company does uphold image standards for the more than 17,000 Hooters girls currently serving in the more than 455 restaurants around the world, it does not impose any weight requirement," said Alexis Aleshire, public relations manager. "We will not make any comment on a current employee except to say that no employee in Michigan has been counseled about their weight. However, we will say that our practice of upholding an image standard based on appearance, attitude and fitness for Hooters girls is both legal and fair. It is not unlike the standard used by the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders or the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes."