Mom Defends Celebrating Son's 5th Birthday at Hooters

An Iowa mother who threw her 5-year-old son’s birthday party at a Hooters is speaking out against the backlash she has received online, saying the criticism is unwarranted.  

Zander received a special birthday serenade by the waitresses wearing the restaurant chain’s signature uniform, which consists of low-cut tops and orange short shorts. The waitresses even dressed little Zander up as the Hooters owl logo and gave him serving trays as wings, in a moment captured on camera. 

The little boy’s mother, Darby, posted the video on TikTok, where she was lambasted for having his celebration at such a place.  

“Who brings a child to Hooters?” one person commented. 

“Seems more like dad's birthday than the kid's!” another wrote. 

“So much for protect the children!” read a third angry reaction. 

But Darby said taking Zander to the restaurant did not warrant such blowback. 

“It's not a big deal really. We took our son there and we had lunch,” she tells Inside Edition. 

The Hooters birthday video now has more than seven million views and not everyone is outraged. 

“That smile on his face is priceless,” one commenter wrote.

"Bro living the dream!" another said.

And Darby had a message for the haters: “If that's something you wouldn't do with your child, that's great but he's my child and I thought it was OK!” 

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