What It Do BBQ customers wait for their orders inside the new campus restaurant, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

What It Do BBQ, a new food concept near the Stadium Garage, had its official grand opening Feb. 26, 2025.

From Sugar Land to UH

What It Do BBQ originated as a small Black-owned business in Sugar Land, Texas as Williams Smokehouse BBQ and Blues, a casual sit-down restaurant with servers that also offered catering services and a food truck.

Its arrival on UH’s campus has changed that initial operation into a counter service with grab-and-go food for students walking by to enjoy. 

“The barbecue is more traditional and nontraditional,” said executive chef and owner Kennis Williams. “We’ve got a traditional brisket, which we smoke with pecan and oak wood. Then, we chop it up and put it on brisket-loaded fries with queso, pico de Gallo and jalapeño ranch. We’re mixing it up a little.”

Williams credits Chartwells Higher Ed., UH’s dining partner, in assisting the barbecue shop with landing a location on-campus.

Students Reactions

Students have praised What It Do BBQ since its opening for its food quality, customer service and affordable food options.

“The service is pretty good and the food came out very fast,” said mathematics junior Joseph Estraca.

Students like mathematics senior Billy Naples said this restaurant has the nicest customer service out of all the places on campus.

The opening of What It Do BBQ marks it as the only Texan barbecue establishment available on-campus. Students have shown excitement for the addition of a barbecue restaurant on campus.

“I think it’s smart, especially being in Texas,” said journalism senior Joshua Holsapple. “The timing is right too with the Rodeo in town.”

Though students have offered positive reviews, some have offered minor suggestions to improve its atmosphere and operations.

“They should add some kind of speaker system to call out the food,” Naples said. “I didn’t hear them call my number out, but that was the only thing I think they can work on.”

Students like anthropology junior Samantha Estraca, who dined on the outdoor patio, would like to see the inclusion of umbrellas to cover the sun while eating.

What It Do’s Mission

Williams expressed the importance of customer service and wants What It Do BBQ to have a welcoming environment where all guests feel valued.

“One of the biggest things that we see kind of diminished in today’s restaurant industry is customer service,” he said. “We believe in customer service. I want my employees to make sure that we check on customers and make sure everybody’s happy.”

Williams said his goal is to expand the brand in the future to reach other campuses across the United States, but he wants to ensure high quality service and food for students at UH in order to achieve that goal.

“We’re thankful and happy to be here on the UH campus,” said Williams. “We get thousands of students walking by every day and the opportunity to serve them some good food that’s affordable is important to us.”

What It Do BBQ is now open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the TDECU Stadium’s Legends Plaza.

news@thedailycougar.com

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“What It Do BBQ brings smoked flavor, southern hospitality to UH” was originally posted on The Cougar

What It Do BBQ customers wait for their orders inside the new campus restaurant, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

What It Do BBQ, a new food concept near the Stadium Garage, had its official grand opening Feb. 26, 2025.

From Sugar Land to UH

What It Do BBQ originated as a small Black-owned business in Sugar Land, Texas as Williams Smokehouse BBQ and Blues, a casual sit-down restaurant with servers that also offered catering services and a food truck.

Its arrival on UH’s campus has changed that initial operation into a counter service with grab-and-go food for students walking by to enjoy. 

“The barbecue is more traditional and nontraditional,” said executive chef and owner Kennis Williams. “We’ve got a traditional brisket, which we smoke with pecan and oak wood. Then, we chop it up and put it on brisket-loaded fries with queso, pico de Gallo and jalapeño ranch. We’re mixing it up a little.”

Williams credits Chartwells Higher Ed., UH’s dining partner, in assisting the barbecue shop with landing a location on-campus.

Students Reactions

Students have praised What It Do BBQ since its opening for its food quality, customer service and affordable food options.

“The service is pretty good and the food came out very fast,” said mathematics junior Joseph Estraca.

Students like mathematics senior Billy Naples said this restaurant has the nicest customer service out of all the places on campus.

The opening of What It Do BBQ marks it as the only Texan barbecue establishment available on-campus. Students have shown excitement for the addition of a barbecue restaurant on campus.

“I think it’s smart, especially being in Texas,” said journalism senior Joshua Holsapple. “The timing is right too with the Rodeo in town.”

Though students have offered positive reviews, some have offered minor suggestions to improve its atmosphere and operations.

“They should add some kind of speaker system to call out the food,” Naples said. “I didn’t hear them call my number out, but that was the only thing I think they can work on.”

Students like anthropology junior Samantha Estraca, who dined on the outdoor patio, would like to see the inclusion of umbrellas to cover the sun while eating.

What It Do’s Mission

Williams expressed the importance of customer service and wants What It Do BBQ to have a welcoming environment where all guests feel valued.

“One of the biggest things that we see kind of diminished in today’s restaurant industry is customer service,” he said. “We believe in customer service. I want my employees to make sure that we check on customers and make sure everybody’s happy.”

Williams said his goal is to expand the brand in the future to reach other campuses across the United States, but he wants to ensure high quality service and food for students at UH in order to achieve that goal.

“We’re thankful and happy to be here on the UH campus,” said Williams. “We get thousands of students walking by every day and the opportunity to serve them some good food that’s affordable is important to us.”

What It Do BBQ is now open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the TDECU Stadium’s Legends Plaza.

news@thedailycougar.com

—
“What It Do BBQ brings smoked flavor, southern hospitality to UH” was originally posted on The Cougar

Eman Ghacham/The Cougar

On Jan. 18, ByteDance’s TikTok was officially banned nationwide following a bipartisan bill passed by former President Joe Biden. 

However, less than 24 hours later, the app notified its American users that all services were being restored in the U.S. and credited President Donald J. Trump for the revival due to an executive order he signed, delaying the enforcement. 

Why was the app banned

The ban was argued as a measure to protect American citizens from foreign adversary-controlled applications.

UH also blocked TikTok along with other technologies on its campus networks, following Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive that labeled the app a national security threat.

However, TikTok’s return does not mean that the app will permanently be available in the U.S.

The executive order only delays the enforcement of the ban by 75 days. The order states that it would give more time for Trump to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the ban itself. 

Student reactions to TikTok’s return

For UH students who actively create content on TikTok, the return was a breath of fresh air as they are be able to continue their video creations.

“When TikTok made its return, it was like a wave of relief and renewed energy,” said content creator and retail and consumer science senior Karyme Garza. “Creators felt motivated to step up their game, knowing how quickly things could change.”

For others, the ban was a minor inconvenience that encouraged many to explore alternative apps.

“I’m seeing people react to it in a certain way, but it’s just an app,” said political science senior Adrian Alvarez. “There’re so many apps that are similar and better.” 

TikTok’s future

TikTok is now in search for a new U.S. based owner, with figures like Elon Musk and Jimmy Donaldson [MrBeast] rumored to be interested in purchasing the social media platform.

“I have been against a TikTok ban for a long time, because it goes against freedom of speech,” Musk said on X in reply to an older post. “That said, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but X is not allowed to operate in China is unbalanced.”

This possible new ownership resulted in a variety of reactions from UH Students as some fear increased censorship and content restrictions.

“If we still have [TikTok] by the end of 2025, 100% it will be a lot more restricted,” said biotechnology junior Nina Alvarez. “It will be more censored than it already has been in the past.”

Others, like Garza, believe the transition must be handled carefully to avoid alienating users.

“A change in ownership could result in stricter content moderation policies, new platform regulations or a shift in algorithms to align with different corporate priorities,” Garza said.

Some students claim the algorithm has drastically changed after the ban.

“I’m not even seeing news videos or politician videos anymore,” said acting junior Teshiria Spelmon. 

However, others, like Adrian Alvarez, see a new owner as a minor change with little impact on users.

“In the long run, I don’t think it will change,” Adrian Alvarez said. “The most I see happening will be like what happened to Twitter, it might get a rebrand, no matter who owns it.”

Trump’s role

In 2020, Trump led the efforts in trying to remove TikTok in the U.S., citing concerns relating to national security.

Trump’s Executive Order 13942 in 2020 prohibited any person under the jurisdiction of the U.S. to have transactions with Bytedance and TikTok. 

This resulted in a lawsuit, TikTok v. Trump, with TikTok challenging the executive order for breaching their due process. 

Given this history, some UH TikTok users show their skepticism over Trump’s role in the app’s revival.

“There wouldn’t be a need to bring it back had Trump not been the one to take it away in the first place,” Nina Alvarez said.

Others argue that Trump’s attempts to bring the app back is driven by his political agenda. 

“This whole TikTok being banned then being brought back is a bit fishy,” Garza said. “I personally think it was all done on purpose to gain our trust towards him.”

However, some, like Adrian Alvarez, see it as a natural shift in perspective.

“I wasn’t really too surprised,” Adrian Alvarez said. “This decision he made could be better off for him and everyone else in America. I think there must have been discussions behind the scenes that led him to do that.”

TikTok’s current presence

As of now, TikTok continues to operate if a user had it already installed, prior to its removal from the various app stores, according to USA Today.

According to President Trump’s executive order, TikTok has until Apr. 5, 2025 to either be sold to a U.S. based owner or be banned nationwide once more.

news@thedailycougar.com

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“TikTok’s comeback: UH students share mixed reactions” was originally posted on The Cougar