Far from lost in this whole government shutdown nonsense are the approximately 800,000 people who are out of work as long as politicians who should be wearing diapers and bibs continue to throw their selfish tantrums. As everyone is fully aware that there are honest, hard-working Americans losing money and paychecks every day during this shutdown, a number of businesses are starting to come forward and announce that they’re offering little things here and there to try and alleviate the burden.
Yesterday, the AMC movie theater chain announced that any federal employees can stop by one of their theaters and pick up a free small popcorn, regardless of whether or not they are seeing a movie or not, as long as the shutdown lasts. While that may not seem like a huge deal, it’s still a pretty nice sentiment.
“The offer is good until common sense is restored in Washington, D.C., or, more likely, until the shutdown ends or we run out of free popcorn. Consistent with past free popcorn giveaways on Tax Day Weekend, the purchase of a ticket is not necessary to receive the offer.” (Via THR)
And it doesn’t stop with just AMC. As the Old Town Alexandria Patch has pointed out, there are a number of smaller businesses in Washington DC that typically depend on federal employees for business that are offering whatever they can to help show them that someone appreciates them.
Some of the freebies being offered are as inexpensive as a cup of coffee, now being offered to federal workers in several spots in Northern Virginia and elsewhere in the Washington, DC metro area.
The knitting lessons? Usually $75 but now offered free at Fibre Space in Old Town Alexandria from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. any workday the government is closed.
At the other end of the specials spectrum, furloughed federal workers can get their booze on.
Kangaroo Boxing Club, a bar and restaurant in Northwest DC, is offering a free Screwdriver to any federal employee who suddenly has time on their hands.
And why not? As its Facebook page points out, “Because if the government is screwing you…” (Via the Patch)
For anyone looking for a place to simply hang out, have some snacks and watch a little political drama that doesn’t f*ck with their livelihoods, the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue has them covered with free food, coffee and WiFi, as well as a marathon of West Wing. But the first place I’d be stopping would be Pork Barrel BBQ, which is giving employees one BBQ sandwich per day with an ID, with one very excellent exception.