Crystal City Restaurants Offer Free Lunches for Federal Workers This Week

Federal workers can swing by Crystal City this week to score a free lunch as the government shutdown drags on, thanks to a new partnership among businesses based in the neighborhood.

The new “Lunch on Us” program will offer free food for feds at one restaurant each day, according to a press release from the Crystal City Business Improvement District.

Anyone with a valid government ID can grab one free meal and non-alcoholic beverage from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day at the following restaurants:

• Today (Tuesday): Timber Pizza at The Stand (1601 Crystal Drive)
• Tomorrow (Wednesday): Federico Ristorante Italiano (519 23rd Street S.)
• Thursday: Kora (2250 Crystal Drive)
• Friday: Crystal City Sports Pub (529 23rd Street S.)

“Federal workers are the backbone of our government and important members of our community,” BID President and Executive Director Tracy Gabriel wrote in a statement. “We hope that ‘Lunch On Us’ communicates our shared appreciation while helping to ease the financial burden during the shutdown for workers and our small businesses.”

The BID also said that it will likely add locations as the shutdown continues, with updates available on its website.

JBG Smith, the Consumer Technology Association, Gates Hudson, the We Company and Eastern Foundry are also helping the BID offer the free lunch program.

This effort is the latest in a series of initiatives around the D.C. region designed to help federal workers who are hurting while missing out on paychecks, and county officials have also stepped in to lend a hand while the shutdown continues.