Key Takeaways
- Bun B’s award-winning smash burger chain Trill Burgers will open a campus outpost at Rice University this fall, joining Local Foods and Dandelion Cafe as part of the school’s push for recognizable local dining brands.
- Launched in 2021 and now operating three Houston-area locations in Montrose, Missouri City, and Spring, Trill Burgers is expanding from pop-ups to a broader brick-and-mortar footprint.
- The Rice move comes as the brand leans into pop-culture collaborations, including recent anime tie-ins with My Hero Academia and SPY×FAMILY featuring limited-edition burgers, loaded fries, drinks, and merch.
Trill Burgers is heading back to school. Bun B’s award-winning smash burger chain will open an outpost at Rice University this fall, bringing one of Houston’s most recognizable food brands inside the campus hedges.
Rice University Housing & Dining announced the addition in an email obtained by the Houston Chronicle, outlining its new and expanded campus dining options. “Known for its signature smashed beef patties served on classic Martin’s potato rolls, this celebrated Houston concept will add another exciting option to campus dining,” the department said.
The restaurant will join Local Foods and Dandelion Cafe among the Houston-based concepts serving the Rice community. Its arrival also reflects a broader push to bring recognizable local operators into university dining rather than relying exclusively on traditional cafeteria offerings.
Bun B launched Trill Burgers in 2021 alongside co-founders Andy Nguyen and Nick Scurfield, initially building the business through pop-ups before establishing a permanent home. The company opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood in 2023.
Since then, it has grown to three locations across the Houston area, with its Missouri City restaurant becoming the newest addition following a soft opening in December. The chain also operates in Spring, TX.
The Rice University announcement comes as Trill Burgers continues pushing beyond its core menu through pop-culture partnerships. Earlier this summer, the chain teamed with My Hero Academia for the anime franchise’s 10th anniversary.
That collaboration introduced the One For All Burger, described by the company as a “tender hamburger steak patty with demi-glazed beef gravy, American cheese, cabbage and onion,” topped with sesame-citrus dressing.
It was paired with Plus Ultra Fries—loaded with okonomi sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, and bonito flakes—and a fruit-packed Detroit Smash Lemonade. A limited-edition shirt featuring Izuku “Deku” Midoriya completed the drop.
Trill Burgers previously partnered with SPY×FAMILY in late 2025.
