Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill

Last updated
Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill
TypePrivate
IndustryRestaurant franchise
Founded Austin, Texas, United States (2006 (2006))
DefunctDecember 23, 2018
Headquarters Austin, Texas, United States
Area served
United States
Key people
Doug Guller
ServicesFood and beverage
Parent ATX Brands

Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill was a chain of sports bars and restaurants located in Texas. [1] The restaurant chain was known for its scantily-clad waitresses, called "Bikini Babes", whose uniforms consist of its eponymous bikini tops, cowboy boots, and tight denim shorts. [2] The chain was also known for trademarking the term "breastaurant" (a common term for this and similar restaurants) [3] [4] and purchasing a ghost town that was temporarily renamed "Bikinis, Texas". [5] The chain ceased operations on December 23, 2018. [6]

Contents

History

Bikinis waitresses wearing the standard uniform of bikini top and jeans shorts (2010) Waitresses at Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill 1 (cropped).jpg
Bikinis waitresses wearing the standard uniform of bikini top and jeans shorts (2010)
Exterior view of the Austin, Texas, Bikinis (2007) Bikinis Bar and Grill exterior cropped.jpg
Exterior view of the Austin, Texas, Bikinis (2007)

Restaurant founder Doug Guller reports having gotten the idea for Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill in 2001 on an Australian vacation after being offered a beer by an attractive waitress while watching rugby. Guller theorized that a combination of sports, beer, and sex appeal would be particularly recession-proof. [7] The first restaurant was opened in Austin in 2006, [8] and a total of 14 locations have subsequently opened, all of which are now closed. Most of the locations were in the Interstate 35 corridor in Texas (San Antonio).

The CBS TV show Undercover Boss featured Bikinis Sports Bar and Grill, airing on December 28, 2014. The show featured Guller posing undercover. He interacted with a bartender who said she normally wears a bikini top but felt uncomfortable wearing that on camera, so she opted to wear a T-shirt. He felt she was overserving an intoxicated patron. Not knowing that Guller was the CEO, she was candid about not being interested in the job as a career. The lack of enthusiasm ultimately led Guller to firing her on camera. A waitress with a good attitude was rewarded with breast augmentation surgery. These scenes provoked controversy on social media, especially on the Bikinis Facebook pages and on Twitter.

Since May 2015, the Bikinis located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex (DFW), which was featured on Undercover Boss, has been in the process of being rebranded by ATX Brands as Gino's East Pizzerias. This would make DFW the second populated metropolitan statistical area in Texas (besides Houston and San Antonio) to lose its Bikinis restaurants. DFW locations Arlington and Richardson have been shuttered since February 11, 2015, with the Mesquite location following suit after April 15, 2015. The Austin location ceased operations on December 23, 2018. [6]

Marketing

Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill utilized a marketing campaign which has included several high-profile publicity stunts. The restaurant chain had a loyalty program formerly known as the Bikinis Black Card where patrons earned points for rewards. Patrons who had over 1000 points on their black card account would judge one of their in-store bikini contests. During the opening of Bikinis, Texas in July 2013, Black Card account holders also got a chance to meet Carmen Electra in person.

The restaurant chain hosted a monthly bikini contest. Some of the contests were seasonal until February 2014 when the company began phasing out the contests based on the ratio of active waitstaff who would sign up and enter in lieu of the newly established Miss Bikinis USA Pageant.

Bikinis, Texas

In 2012, Guller purchased the ghost town of Bankersmith saying that he would rename the town to "Bikinis, Texas" after his restaurant chain. [5] Guller said he would turn the town into a tourist destination with the creation of a bikini hall of fame which described the swimwear's history. No plans were made to open a Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill restaurant at the location, but Guller suggested that a bar inside an abandoned bus could be possible. [5]

A "grand opening" of Bikinis, Texas was scheduled for July 13, 2013. Country musician Jerry Jeff Walker was to perform and Carmen Electra was present to be inducted to the bikini hall of fame. [9] Other events which have been planned to be associated with the town include a "Miss Bikinis USA" pageant [10] and a possible reality show. [8] Bikinis, Texas was reverted to its previous name of Bankersmith in 2015, reportedly in an effort from Guller to mend fences with residents of nearby Fredericksburg, who were reportedly upset with the name change. As of January 2017, Bankersmith is up for sale. [11]

"Breastaurant" trademark

In September 2011, Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill filed a request with a United States Patent and Trademark Office to register the term "breastaurant". The term was successfully registered in October 2012 and was marked by the trademark office as "Un-Revivable" on May 24, 2019. [3] The Huffington Post suggested that the trademarking of "breastaurant" was a consequence of the boom in breastaurant sales figures in the early 2010s. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In-N-Out Burger</span> American fast food chain

In-N-Out Burger is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations primarily in California and the Southwest. It was founded in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by Harry (1913–1976) and Esther Snyder (1920–2006). The chain is currently headquartered in Irvine, California and has expanded outside Southern California into the rest of California, as well as into Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, and Colorado, and is planning expansions into Idaho and Tennessee. The current owner is Lynsi Snyder, the Snyders' only grandchild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hooters</span> American restaurant chain

Hooters is the registered trademark used by two American restaurant chains: Hooters, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, and Hooters of America, Inc. based in Atlanta, Georgia, and owned by the private investment firm Nord Bay Capital. The Hooters name is a double entendre referring to both a North American slang term for women's breasts and the logo.

A bikini is a type of women's bathing suit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Pizza</span> Canadian restaurant chain

Boston Pizza (BP), known as Boston's The Gourmet Pizza Restaurant and Sports Bar outside of Canada, is a Canadian multinational restaurant chain that owns and franchises locations in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Roadhouse</span> American chain steakhouse

Texas Roadhouse is an American steakhouse chain that specializes in steaks in a Texan and Southwestern cuisine style. It is a subsidiary of Texas Roadhouse Inc, which has two other concepts and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. As of August 2021, the chain operates about 627 locations in 49 U.S. states and 29 international locations in 10 countries.

Restaurants fall into several industry classifications, based upon menu style, preparation methods and pricing, as well as the means by which the food is served to the customer. This article mainly describes the situation in the US, while categorisation differs widely around the world.

Moxie's Restaurants LP is a Canadian restaurant chain operating in eight provinces, as well as the U.S. states of Texas and Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Gatti's Pizza</span> US pizzeria chain

Mr Gatti's Pizza is a Southern and Southeastern United States pizza-buffet chain. The corporate offices are in Fort Worth, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gino's East</span>

Gino's East is a Chicago-based restaurant chain specializing in Deep Dish pizza. Two cab drivers opened the original location in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bikini in popular culture</span>

The modern bikini first appeared in 1946, and since then it has become a part of popular culture. It is one of the most widely worn women's swimsuits, used for swimming and in a variety of other contexts. Today, bikinis appear in competitions, films, magazines, music, literature, and video games. Despite the availability of more revealing glamour wear, bikini modeling remains popular and can still create controversy. Portrayals of the bikini in popular culture led, to a large extent, to its acceptance by Western society at large. In 1960, Brian Hyland's pop song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" inspired a bikini-buying spree. The white bikini worn by Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in the 1962 James Bond film Dr. No has been cited as one of the most famous bikinis of all time. By 1963, the movie Beach Party, starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, led a wave of films that made the bikini a pop-culture symbol. Playboy first featured a bikini on its cover in 1962. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue debuted two years later. This increasing popularity was reinforced by its appearance in such contemporary films as How to Stuff a Wild Bikini featuring Annette Funicello and One Million Years B.C. (1966) featuring Raquel Welch. Raquel Welch's fur bikini in One Million Years B.C. became a famous moment in cinema history. Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Gina Lollobrigida and Jane Russell further helped the growing popularity of bikinis. Pin up posters of Monroe and Mansfield, as well as Hayworth, Bardot and Raquel Welch distributed around the world contributed significantly to the popularity of the bikini.

WingHouse Bar & Grill is a restaurant chain based in Florida, created and founded by Ed Burnett. Expansion of the chain was financed by investor Crawford Ker. It is regarded as a “breastaurant” featuring “WingHouse Girls” as servers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery</span> Celtic-themed sports bar and restaurant chain in the United States.

Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery is a modern Scottish-Irish-themed sports pub and franchisor-type restaurant chain in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breastaurant</span> Restaurants that employ skimpily-dressed female waitstaff

A breastaurant is a restaurant that requires female waiting staff to be skimpily-dressed. The term dates from the early 1990s, after restaurant chain Hooters opened in the United States. The format has since been adopted by other restaurants, including Redneck Heaven, Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, Twin Peaks, Ojos Locos, Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, and The WingHouse Bar & Grill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin Peaks (restaurant chain)</span> American chain of sports bars and restaurants

Twin Peaks is an American chain of sports bars and restaurants based in Lewisville, Texas, which has been described as an "ultimate sports lodge" and breastaurant along with similar chains. The chain is known for having its waitresses, primarily young women and typically referred to as "Twin Peaks Girls", dress in revealing uniforms that consist of cleavage- and midriff-revealing red plaid tops, as well as khaki or denim short shorts. At other times, waitresses wear revealing seasonal or themed outfits. Restaurants are decorated in the theme of a wilderness lodge and serve a mix of American, Southwest and Southern cuisines as well as alcohol. The chain's slogan is "Eats. Drinks. Scenic Views."

Bankersmith is a ghost town in Kendall County, Texas, United States. The town was founded in 1913. It lies approximately halfway between Fredericksburg and Comfort, near the border of Gillespie County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Rawlings</span> American entrepreneur and media personality

Richard Rawlings (born March 30, 1969) is an American entrepreneur and media personality. He is the star of the reality television show Fast N' Loud on Discovery Channel. He is also a proprietor of the Gas Monkey Garage as well as both the Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill and Gas Monkey Live music venues in Dallas, Texas. Beginning in 2014, Rawlings was featured in national television commercials promoting Dodge vehicles and financing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill</span> American restaurant and live music bar in Dallas, Texas

Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill is an American restaurant and live music bar in Dallas, Texas started by entrepreneur Richard Rawlings, who is also the star of Discovery Channel reality television show Fast N' Loud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ojos Locos</span> American restaurant chain

Ojos Locos Sports Cantina is a chain of Mexican-themed sports bars and restaurants based in Dallas, Texas, and having locations throughout the American Southwest. The chain is known for its waitresses who wear cleavage- and midriff-revealing uniforms, leading to its colloquial designation as a breastaurant. It is often nicknamed the “Mexican Hooters”. Ojos Locos Sports Cantina is privately owned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redneck Heaven</span> Sports bar and restaurant chain in the United States

Redneck Heaven was a chain of sports bars and restaurants based in Lewisville, Texas, and with locations in several other Texas cities. The chain was known for its controversial promotions, Southern theme and scantily-clad waitresses. It was the subject of an MTV reality show and it was frequently categorized as a breastaurant.

References

  1. ↑ "Locations". Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  2. ↑ Rice, Jason (February 2, 2009). "New Sports Bar 'With A View' Opens In University Area". WSOCTV.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Trademarkia (October 23, 2012). "USPTO Trademark: Breastaurant" . Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "'Breastaurant' Trademarked By Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill Owner". Huffington Post. April 9, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Shaw, Alexis (July 19, 2012). ""Breastaurant" Chain Owner Buys Texas Town, Renames it Bikinis". ABC News. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Chaudhury, Nadia (December 12, 2018). "The Last Location of Breastaurant Bikinis Is Closing". Eater Austin. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  7. ↑ "About". Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  8. 1 2 Garza, Vicky (November 5, 2012). "Bikinis may hit TV screens with reality show deal". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  9. ↑ Sun, Jasmin (June 12, 2013). "Texas Breastaurant Town Bikinis to Open July 13". Eater. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ Chan, Aleksander (May 13, 2013). "'Breastaurant' Bikinis Is Bringing Miss Bikinis USA To Bikinis, Texas". Austinist. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  11. ↑ Bradshaw, Kelsey (January 5, 2017). "Central Texas ghost town previously known as 'Bikinis' is selling for $1.5 million". mySanAntonio.com. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.