Courtesy of a Houston restaurant that’s still feeling the sting of an Astros loss, Ben’s Chili Bowl will be offering a new menu item next week: Texan half-smokes.
Before the World Series began, Marcus Davis, owner of the popular Houston soul-food joint, The Breakfast Klub, visited the District for his daughter’s graduation from Howard University, reported Fox 5. While grabbing a bite at Ben’s Chili Bowl, Davis and Ben’s owner Kamal Ben Ali struck up a deal, per the outlet. If the Astros won the series, Ben’s Chili Bowl staff would travel to Houston to serve up some of the local chain’s famous hot dogs at the Klub. In the case of a Nats victory, Davis would come back to D.C. and serve traditional Texan half-smokes while outfitted in Ben’s Chili Bowl t-shirts.
On Monday, Davis told Fox 5 reporters that he’ll be making good on his promise, returning to D.C. next week to honor the bet.
“Congratulations to the Washington Nationals. It was a fantastic story. It was a phenomenal story,” he told the outlet.
The Breakfast Klub isn’t the only Houston establishment that’s had to make good on the losing end of a wager. Before the start of the World Series, Dean Barkley Thompson of Houston’s Christ Church Cathedral entered into a wager with Dean Randy Hollerith of the Washington National Cathedral: both men agreed the losing side would have to wear the winning team’s gear at a Sunday morning church service.
Last week, Thompson posted a video to Instagram making good on that bet, replacing his Astros stole with a custom Nationals stole. “For one Sunday at least, I’ll be a Nationals fan in church,” Thompson says in the video. “My Nationals baseball cap is on order.”
But not all Texans have made good on their world series wagers yet. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and his staff should be enjoying a Texan barbecue and washing it down with Shiner Bock beer, on the dime of Texas Senator Ted Cruz, per a public bet between the two lawmakers. Last week, Kaine tweeted a photo of a Nats World Series hat, saying “The @nationals incredible World Series win will be made even better by seeing @sentedcruz in this hat when he serves Texas BBQ to my team!!” Cruz has yet to respond to the tweet.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser should also be expecting some traditional Texas eats—Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner promised Bowser a brisket plate if the Nats brought home a championship victory. Sylvester congratulated D.C. on Twitter, tagging Bowser and saying Houston will “honor its wager,” but both mayors have yet to post any evidence of a gifted brisket.
Houston’s Police Chief Art Acevedo owes Metro Police Chief Peter Newsham one photo wearing a Nat’s jersey in front of Houston’s police department, per their wager. Acevedo congratulated Newsham on the night of the final game, promising that he would “send a photo soon!” But the photo hasn’t been posted yet.
So it looks like D.C. is still waiting on some wager winnings. In the meantime though, Nats fans who feel like gloating might as well enjoy a Texan half-smoke next week at Ben’s.
Colleen Grablick