In what's shaping up to be a legal spat with all the drama of a prime-time showdown, Trump Burger, the Houston-area restaurant chain that celebrates the 45th president, is embroiled in a contentious lawsuit against its Kemah location's landlord. According to a KHOU report, the suit alleges that Archie Patterson and his associated companies illegally seized control of the establishment hardly three months after it opened its doors.
The complaint, lodged in Harris County District Court on June 24, accuses Patterson of commandeering the property on June 7 and continuing to run it under the Trump Burger moniker, despite not being authorized to do so. The lawsuit suggests that Patterson has been funneling profits from the unlawfully obtained business straight into his personal accounts, as stated in an article from the Houston Chronicle. Meanwhile, Patterson's side of the narrative remains unheard; attempts to reach him for comment were met with silence by the time of publishing.
Roland Beainy, Trump Burger owner and manager, elaborated in the lawsuit that there was no prior indication of leasing disputes, such as a default notice. In a further twist, Beainy alleges that after refusing to sign an addendum to their lease agreement Patterson issued a lease termination on June 9, abruptly halting operations at the restaurant. This move came unexpectedly after Beainy's outright rejection of an updated contract stipulation presented by Patterson earlier on.
The battle over the burger joint doesn't end at the lease. The tussle extended to the restaurant's liquor license, which, according to Beainy, was supposed to be transferred to him after a $20,000 payment, a sum he claims to have paid in full. Yet, despite the transaction, Beainy asserts that the license change never materialized, and Patterson only provided excuses upon being questioned. Capping off the series of allegations, the lawsuit points out that Patterson had the audacity to ask Beainy to keep paying employees, after they had been barred access to the restaurant, hindering their ability to contribute to the venue's operations.
In a landscape of Texan eateries, Trump Burger's Kemah location had distinguished itself as not just another burger joint, but a hybrid venue that transformed into a lively social hub come evening, buzzing with live music and patrons hitting the dance floor. Opened since March 2025, the establishment is a part of a mini-chain with siblings located in Bellville, Houston, and Flatonia near San Antonio, all of which seem to be operating without such landlord altercations. As the lawsuit proceeds, Beainy is seeking damages that include compensation for improvements made to the property, loss of use, lost potential revenue, and what he deems as the unauthorized exploitation of the Trump Burger brand name.
