AUSTIN, Texas — The restaurant, the meme, the legend: Chili's at 45th and Lamar now has its own day in Austin.
Mayor Kirk Watson has proclaimed April 5 "Chili's at 45th and Lamar Day," in honor of the restaurant located at the corner of 45th Street and North Lamar Boulevard that has become a running gag for Austin residents.
The restaurant became part of Austin's internet lore through Reddit, though the origins of the gag are unclear.
Eight years ago, a Reddit user announced on the "r/Austin" subreddit that they may have found the meme's humble beginnings, on a post made in November of 2014. But we may never be sure if that's truly where the joke began.
Regardless of how it started, the "Chili's at 45th and Lamar" is now officially part of Austin's history. It seems Watson chose April 5 for the declaration because of the date's 4/5 abbreviation.
