Nationwide Businesses Offer Relief To Federal Workers Through Shutdown Freebies And Discounts

Nov. 30, 2025, 11:48 a.m.

Tags: chain furlough worldwide

During the 2019 government shutdown, numerous businesses across the United States stepped forward to offer assistance to federal employees affected by the furlough. With approximately 800,000 federal workers either furloughed or working without pay since December 21, 2018, and missing their first paycheck on January 11, 2019, companies from various industries implemented programs to provide relief. These ranged from complimentary meals and restaurant discounts to product giveaways and service accommodations. This article examines the nationwide chain furlough freebies and assistance programs offered during the shutdown, detailing eligibility requirements, offer specifics, and how affected employees could access these benefits.

Restaurant and Food Industry Assistance

The food industry was particularly responsive to the needs of furloughed federal workers, with numerous restaurant chains and food establishments offering complimentary meals or discounts. These offers typically required presentation of a valid federal employee ID as verification of eligibility.

Fast Food and Quick Service Restaurants

Several fast-food chains implemented special programs for federal workers:

Whataburger offered a free Taquito and coffee every morning from 6 to 11 a.m. at select locations with a valid federal ID. The company initially announced the offer would end when the shutdown concluded but later stated they would honor it "every morning until further notice" to continue supporting affected workers.
White Castle provided free combo meals (No. 1-6) or any breakfast combo meal to federal employees affected by the shutdown who showed their federal ID card at one of nearly 400 locations across the country.
Bubbakoo's Burritos, with locations in New Jersey, offered U.S. Coast Guard service members free meals when they presented their valid ID at participating locations in Point Pleasant, Manasquan Neptune, Wall, and Seabrite.
Condado Tacos provided a free taco to furloughed employees who showed their government ID through January 30 at locations in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. No purchase was necessary for this offer.
Taco Cabana offered federal employees affected by the shutdown 20 percent off their entire menu, with a maximum savings of $20. The discount was valid at all participating locations for dine-in or drive-thru orders and "will continue through the period of the shutdown, unless otherwise announced."
Boston's Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar provided government employees 50 percent off in-restaurant food purchases with an active government ID at its two Texas locations and the Waldforf, Maryland location until the shutdown ended.

Casual Dining and Specialty Restaurants

Beyond fast food, numerous casual dining establishments and specialty restaurants also extended assistance:

Brickwall Tavern offered federal workers with valid IDs a percentage off their food bill starting January 15, with the discount increasing each day through the end of the shutdown. Locations were in Asbury Park and Burlington, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.
Farm Burger designated Fridays as "#FurloughFridays" at its 11 locations, though specific details about the offer were not fully detailed in the source material.
Smokin' This and That BBQ, a Florence, Kentucky restaurant, had been giving free meals to furloughed government workers since December 22, 2018, and continued through the end of the shutdown.
SweetWater Brewery in Atlanta offered furloughed federal employees two free beers when they showed their government ID.
Zaytinya provided a free Chicken Schwarma from 2 to 5 p.m. daily at its D.C. location to those with a government ID through the end of the furlough.
Jaleo by José Andrés offered furloughed workers a free Flauta de Jamon Serrano (a Spanish sandwich) from 2 to 5 p.m. daily in its D.C., Maryland, and Virginia locations.
La Côte d'Or Café in Arlington, Virginia, created a special discounted furlough menu for federal government employees when they showed their government ID.
Fun Bars invited affected employees to email [email protected] or call 212-677-2900 to participate in their support program.

Retail and Product Freebies

Several retailers and manufacturers offered free products or special promotions to assist furloughed federal workers:

Food and Grocery Products

Kraft operated a pop-up grocery store called "Kraft Now Pay Later" near Union Market in Washington D.C. that remained open until the shutdown ended. Current federal government workers with their government ID could receive a bag of Kraft Heinz products from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily while supplies lasted. In return, Kraft asked workers to "pay it forward" by donating to their charity of choice or someone in need once they were able to do so. By January 25, additional brands had joined the initiative, with the D.C. "store" also distributing Tropicana juices, Land O'Lakes butter, Oscar Mayer cold cuts, Capri Sun juice pouches, Fillo's American Made beans, and H&M winter clothing.
Bark! Pawsitive Petfood provided a free bag of pet food to those who showed their government employee ID at its eight Maryland locations.

Health and Wellness Products

Bulletproof offered customers with a valid government ID a full case of Collagen Protein Bars in person at one of its three locations. This promotion was scheduled to go through February 15 but might be extended, according to a representative. Locations were in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica, California.

Service Provider Assistance

Beyond physical products and meals, numerous service providers offered accommodations and assistance to federal workers during the shutdown:

Telecommunications

Major wireless providers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon all offered assistance to affected government employees. AT&T specifically stated they would "waive late fees, provide extensions and coordinate with you on revised payment schedules" for customers affected by the shutdown. Other major wireless providers offered similar arrangements, though specific details were not fully detailed in the source material.

Financial Services

While not fully detailed in the source material, it was noted that other creditors including credit card companies, lenders, and loan servicers also had assistance options available for federal employees affected by the shutdown.

Fitness and Wellness

Cyc Fitness offered government workers affected by the shutdown free beat-based cycling classes at locations in New York, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts. Participants needed to walk in 15 minutes before any class and present their government ID, with spots subject to availability.
Daily Burn provided a 100-day free trial to U.S. federal employees impacted by the government shutdown. After the 100-day trial period, employees could receive 50 percent off the next 12 months of service.
Fibre Space, an Alexandria, Virginia shop, hosted free learn-to-knit classes for all furloughed government employees and federal contractors during the shutdown.

Education and Training

Boot Camp Digital offered federal employees three months of free access to its All Access Pass Training, a $291 value that included over 30 online training courses on topics like LinkedIn, Facebook marketing, online advertising, social media strategy and more. A valid federal email address that matched the employee's name was required for this offer.
Too Cool Traffic School, which serves Florida, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin, offered free courses for furloughed government workers and their families. Employees needed to email a photo of their paystub to [email protected] "as proof of your lack of wage as a federal employee" to receive a promo code for a free course.

Transportation

Virgin Trains USA (also known as Brightline) offered federal employees free Smart Service rides between its Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach stations. The free rides could only be booked at the station, and federal employees needed to present their government issued employee ID.

Entertainment

BAM Rose Cinemas at New York's Brooklyn Academy of Music allowed furloughed federal staffers to see the first show of the day of any film Monday through Thursday for free when they presented a federal employee ID at the box office.

How to Access These Offers

Accessing the various furlough freebies and assistance programs typically followed one of several methods:

In-Person Presentation of Federal ID: Most restaurant and retail offers required affected employees to visit participating locations in person and present a valid federal government employee ID. This was the most common method for accessing free meals, discounts, and product giveaways.
Online Verification: Some services required online verification of employment status. For example, Too Cool Traffic School required employees to email a photo of their paystub as proof of their furlough status.
Direct Contact: A few businesses required direct contact through email or phone to access their offers. Fun Bars, for instance, invited affected employees to email [email protected] or call 212-677-2900 to participate in their support program.
Station-Based Redemption: Virgin Trains USA required federal employees to book their free rides directly at the station rather than through online channels.

It's important to note that many businesses indicated their shutdown specials would end when the shutdown ended, though some expected to continue until furloughed workers were paid. The source material advised affected employees to "check with locations before heading out to confirm" the availability of offers.

Conclusion

During the 2019 government shutdown, businesses across the United States demonstrated significant solidarity with federal workers by implementing a wide range of furlough freebies and assistance programs. From complimentary meals at fast-food chains and restaurants to free product giveaways and service accommodations, these offers provided tangible relief to employees facing financial uncertainty. While the specific offers and their availability varied by location and business, most required verification of federal employment status through presentation of a valid government ID. The response spanned numerous industries, including food service, retail, telecommunications, fitness, education, and transportation, reflecting a comprehensive effort to support affected workers during a challenging period. For federal employees navigating the shutdown, these programs offered both immediate assistance and longer-term relief options, demonstrating how private-sector initiatives could complement government efforts to support workers during extended furloughs.

Sources

USA Today - Businesses offer furlough freebies, shutdown specials and assistance to federal workers