A govt shutdown silver lining: US federal workers eat and drink at a discount

WASHINGTON – It has been a tough year for restaurants in Washington. And as

the federal government shut down

on Oct 1, sending thousands of workers home and raising the possibility that many could lose their jobs permanently, a business climate that could not get any worse suddenly did.

But some restaurants are seeing an opportunity, offering steep discounts to anyone with proof of federal employment – or, in some cases, to anyone who walks through the door.