Comedian Shane Gillis wore a shirt honoring Austin's best-known Chili's location during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The NBA's official X feed shared a clip of Gillis, who has become a fixture at Texas sporting events despite his Pennsylvania roots. The Chili's at 45th and Lamar has become a sensation, thanks in part to constant love from Reddit, making Gillis' shirt a nod to local culture. Celebrities such as Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet, and Tracy Morgan were also in attendance at the game.
The Chili's at 45th Street and Lamar Boulevard has been a tongue-in-cheek "if you know, you know" joke in Austin circles for over two decades. The bit started on r/Austin around 2011 as a response to people asking what the best place to eat in town was. With the property on which the restaurant sits recently hitting the market, the Chili's t-shirt sported by Gillis may soon become a vintage collector's item.