During periods of government shutdown, many federal employees face financial uncertainty due to delayed or missed paychecks. In response, various businesses and organizations often extend support in the form of complimentary meals, beverages, and services to assist affected individuals. The provided documentation details specific offers available to furloughed federal employees in the Denver, Colorado, area. These initiatives generally require proof of employment, such as a valid federal ID badge or proof of furlough status, and many are time-sensitive, often tied to the duration of the shutdown or specific end dates. The following is a comprehensive summary of the offers identified in the source material, categorized by business type and location.
Restaurant and Food Offers
Numerous dining establishments in the Denver metropolitan area and surrounding communities have offered free or discounted meals to furloughed workers. These offers range from specific menu items to broader meal credits.
Denver Metro Area
- Annette: Located at the Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, this restaurant offered furloughed employees complimentary happy hour items, including grilled cheese, steak frites, or breakfast sandwiches, during happy hour (3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
- Aperitivo: This Gunbarrel spot offered a free meal for up to four people, limited to once per week per furloughed employee. Reservations were required via phone.
- Bar Dough: The specific details of the offer were not fully captured in the source text, but the business was listed as participating.
- Citizen Rail: Children of furloughed workers could eat for free at this establishment through the end of the shutdown.
- Crafty Fox Taphouse & Pizzeria: This location offered a free meal to furloughed workers who presented an employment ID. The offer was noted as valid through at least January 16.
- DC Pie Co.: Furloughed employees could receive a free specialty cocktail of their choice with federal ID.
- Denver Central Market: This RiNo marketplace offered a variety of deals across its vendors:
- Crema: Free drip coffee or 50% off a specialty beverage.
- Izzio: 20% off the bill.
- Temper: A free chocolate bar.
- Local Butcher: A free two-pound package of ground beef or chicken.
- Culture Meat & Cheese: A free breakfast sandwich.
- Tammen’s, Green Seed, SK Provisions, Vero, and Curio Bar: 20% off anything.
- El Dorado Mexican Restaurant: Located in Golden, this restaurant offered a complimentary burrito and soft drink upon showing an ID.
- Fazoli’s: Participating locations offered federal government workers a free pizza or baked spaghetti with the purchase of a small drink.
- Great Divide Brewing Company: With locations at 2201 Arapahoe St. and 1812 35th St., the brewery offered buy-one-get-one beers to furloughed employees throughout the shutdown.
- Hopdoddy: On January 23, this Wynkoop Street location offered a free burger, regular fries, and a non-alcoholic beverage to workers.
- Kachina Cantina: Through January 21, furloughed workers could get a free taco plate or Navajo fry bread with rice and beans, plus a non-alcoholic beverage.
- Le French Cafe: Government employees affected by the furlough could enjoy a sweet or savory crepe on the house through the end of the shutdown.
- Modern Market Eatery: Furloughed government employees could get a complimentary grain bowl every Friday through Sunday through the shutdown.
- Oblio’s Pizza: This Park Hill pizzeria offered free meals for government employees and their families. Additionally, they hosted fundraisers on January 14 and 16, donating 20% of sales to furloughed families.
- Señor Bear: Government employees with valid ID were invited to enjoy a free bowl of pozole and a beer from 5:00 p.m. until close, Mondays through Thursdays, until the end of the shutdown.
- Sheraton Denver Tech Center Hotel: Located at 707 S Clinton St., the hotel offered furloughed employees a free flatbread pizza or house salad with the purchase of a beverage from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. through January 31.
- Sushi-Rama: With multiple locations (excluding DIA), this restaurant offered a free lunch of signature conveyor belt sushi from Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Urban Farmer: Located at 1659 Wazee St., this modern steak house offered a free brunch entrée (inclusive of tax and tip) from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., January 28 through February 1.
Boulder and Lafayette Area
- Walnut Cafe: With locations in Boulder (3073 Walnut St., 673 S Broadway St.) and Lafayette (2770 Arapahoe Rd #116), these coffee shops offered free breakfast to furloughed employees during the duration of the shutdown.
- West End Tavern: Located at 926 Pearl St. in Boulder, this tavern offered a "Furlough Lunch" special (varies weekly) Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dine-in only; tax and tip were not included.
- Zolo Grill: Located at 2525 Arapahoe Ave. in Boulder, this Southwestern restaurant offered a "Furlough Lunch" special (varies weekly) Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tax and tip were not included.
Golden Area
- State 38 Distilling: Located at 400 Corporate Cir B, Golden, this distillery offered furloughed employees a free shot of Impeach Vodka.
Non-Food Services and Resources
Beyond dining, several organizations provided non-food services or resources to assist furloughed employees.
- Denver Art Museum: The museum offered free general admission to furloughed employees and one guest.
- Colorado Symphony: Furloughed employees could receive two free tickets to specific concerts, including the Mendelssohn Double Concerto or Classical Romance concerts.
- Flex Yoga & Barre: Located on Welton Street, this studio offered free classes through the shutdown.
- Office of U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-7): Located at 12600 W. Colfax Ave., B-400, Lakewood, this office offered free breakfast and lunch, plus additional resources, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the duration of the shutdown.
- Rocky Mountain Health Club: Any furloughed federal worker could take any class for free by presenting documentation and signing a waiver.
- Yoga High: Located in Denver, this studio offered free yoga for furloughed employees. Scheduling was required via their website or phone.
Eligibility and Verification
A recurring requirement across almost all offers was the presentation of valid proof of furlough status. This was typically described as a "government ID," "federal ID badge," or "proof of employment." Some businesses specified that the offer was for "furloughed" employees specifically, implying that active employees might not qualify. For example, the Office of U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter explicitly stated the meals were for "federal employees and constituents who are affected by the partial government shutdown."
Several offers included specific terms regarding usage: * Time Restrictions: Many offers were valid only during specific hours (e.g., happy hour, lunch hours) or on certain days of the week. * Purchase Requirements: A few offers required a purchase to redeem the free item, such as the Fazoli's offer requiring the purchase of a small drink or the Sheraton offer requiring the purchase of a beverage. * Expiration Dates: Some offers had explicit end dates (e.g., through January 31, through January 21), while others were valid "through the end of the shutdown," creating a variable expiration timeline. * Location Restrictions: Certain offers were not valid at all locations, such as Sushi-Rama excluding its DIA location.
Conclusion
The provided documentation illustrates a robust community response to the financial challenges faced by furloughed federal employees in the Denver area during a government shutdown. The offers detailed above span a wide range of food and beverage options, from quick snacks and coffee to full meals and alcoholic beverages, as well as services such as fitness classes, yoga, and cultural event admission. Access to these benefits is generally contingent upon the presentation of valid identification proving furlough status, and many offers are subject to specific time, location, or purchase constraints. Consumers seeking to utilize these or similar offers should verify current availability and specific terms directly with the participating business, as such programs are often temporary and subject to change.