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Austin restaurants let diners name their price

Four Austin restaurants are letting diners decide what to pay for their meals as part of a global experiment.

Food and Drink

Some of Austin&#x27;s most acclaimed restaurants will let diners decide their own bill Wednesday, part of a global experiment in making dining out more accessible.Why it matters: Dining can easily become a special-occasion expense. For one day, four Austin restaurants — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nixta Taqueria" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nixtataqueria.com/" data-vars-content-id="cacea4e9-39ff-4eb9-913c-53d51e133b05" data-vars-headline="Austin restaurants let diners name their price" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nixtataqueria.com/" target="_blank">Nixta Taqueria</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="L&#x27;Oca d&#x27;Oro" data-vars-click-url="https://locadoroaustin.com/" data-vars-content-id="cacea4e9-39ff-4eb9-913c-53d51e133b05" data-vars-headline="Austin restaurants let diners name their price" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://locadoroaustin.com/" target="_blank">L&#x27;Oca d&#x27;Oro</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lenoir" data-vars-click-url="https://www.lenoirrestaurant.com/" data-vars-content-id="cacea4e9-39ff-4eb9-913c-53d51e133b05" data-vars-headline="Austin restaurants let diners name their price" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.lenoirrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Lenoir</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Comadre Panadería" data-vars-click-url="https://comadrepanaderia.com/" data-vars-content-id="cacea4e9-39ff-4eb9-913c-53d51e133b05" data-vars-headline="Austin restaurants let diners name their price" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://comadrepanaderia.com/" target="_blank">Comadre Panadería</a> — will remove that price barrier.

Poll: How are you feeling about the very hot temperatures?

Tell us whether the scorching temperatures are making you rethink where you live.

News

Temperatures in much of the country are topping 100 degrees this week.Why it matters: The weather is making it hard to go outside and reinforces worries about the consequences of a changing climate.

Anthropic considers Texas data center expansion

Anthropic is rapidly expanding its Texas footprint with massive data centers in the works.

Development

Anthropic is eyeing another massive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data center" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/25/data-centers-ai-electricity-water-politics" data-vars-content-id="554aed20-cae6-45dc-a3bf-0d527c4e8823" data-vars-headline="Anthropic considers Texas data center expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/25/data-centers-ai-electricity-water-politics" target="_self">data center</a> project in Central Texas as the AI company&#x27;s footprint expands across the state.Why it matters: Anthropic&#x27;s growth comes as Texas officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="grapple with how" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/08/03/greg-abbott-halts-texas-data-centers-electric-grid" data-vars-content-id="554aed20-cae6-45dc-a3bf-0d527c4e8823" data-vars-headline="Anthropic considers Texas data center expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/08/03/greg-abbott-halts-texas-data-centers-electric-grid" target="_self">grapple with how</a> to accommodate <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="power-hungry data centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/18/ai-data-centers-federal-commission-faster-connections" data-vars-content-id="554aed20-cae6-45dc-a3bf-0d527c4e8823" data-vars-headline="Anthropic considers Texas data center expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/18/ai-data-centers-federal-commission-faster-connections" target="_self">power-hungry data centers</a> without straining the state&#x27;s electric grid.

Austin Gamblers bring bull riding back to Moody Center

You can catch three days of action at the Moody Center or join the Austin Gamblers at their free Fan Fest.

Professional bull riding (PBR) will take over Moody Center this weekend during the Austin Gamblers&#x27; fifth annual Gambler Days.Why it matters: You don&#x27;t need to know a flank strap from a cowboy hat to get into it. The three-day event combines bull riding with live music, a fan festival and after-parties.

Water crisis in western Travis County

Some schools west of Austin were temporarily without water yesterday — which the utility serving the schools blamed on lawn watering violations by its customers.

Water

Some schools west of Austin were temporarily without water Thursday — which the utility serving the schools blamed on lawn watering violations by its customers.Why it matters: The episode renews long-term concerns about growing demands for regional <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="water supplies" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/05/08/university-of-austin-waterhub-texas" data-vars-content-id="84d3ce6e-1e15-4398-a921-6476818e9fbe" data-vars-headline="Water crisis in western Travis County" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/05/08/university-of-austin-waterhub-texas" target="_self">water supplies</a> as Central Texas weather <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="promises more drought and extreme heat" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/08/29/hotter-feeling-days-central-texas" data-vars-content-id="84d3ce6e-1e15-4398-a921-6476818e9fbe" data-vars-headline="Water crisis in western Travis County" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/08/29/hotter-feeling-days-central-texas" target="_self">promises more drought and extreme heat</a>.

Mussels get endangered designation

The move could have long-term consequences for how much water can be pulled from rivers.

Capping a political and environmental battle that has lasted at least a decade, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is listing seven freshwater mussels found in Central Texas as endangered.Why it matters: The listing of the mussels could have long-term consequences for how much water cities, manufacturers and farmers can pull from Central Texas rivers.

Rain brings some relief for drought conditions

Despite last week's rain, Central Texas' chief reservoirs remain only 42% full.

Last week&#x27;s rainfall brought some relief for Central Texas, but experts say it&#x27;s still not enough to pull the area out of drought conditions.Driving the news: Travis County has moved out of its &quot;exceptional&quot; drought classification, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="U.S. Drought Monitor" data-vars-click-url="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?South" data-vars-content-id="9b5575f0-4f60-44ba-905d-492c8c5e24a4" data-vars-headline="Rain brings some relief for drought conditions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?South" target="_blank">U.S. Drought Monitor</a>, but the county still remains under a severe and moderate drought.

Water

Water crisis in western Travis County

Texas company pulls drinking water from the air

Mussels get endangered designation

Rain brings some relief for drought conditions