A group of 50 employees at Casa Bonita said this week it gave the management team a list of demands they said would improve working conditions at the iconic Lakewood restaurant.

Denver Gazette news partner KUSA reports that a group calling itself “#WeAreTeamCasa” said it delivered the following outline on July 12: 

• To clarify hours of operation: There’s been a series of “soft openings” with no clear pathway to being open seven days a week.
• Access to health benefits.
• The creation of a voice in the workplace, as well as transparency and two-way communication with ownership.
• The ability to consider employment documents for a reasonable timeframe before signing.
• To reinstate former employees lost through Casa Bonita’s contract-related disputes.

“As a collective, #WeAreTeamCasa, asked ownership to adopt these policies that lead to fulfilling the promises originally made,” the release says.

Casa Bonita management released the following statement in response: “Casa Bonita strives to create the best working environment for its employees. This includes implementing the best compensation structure for all employees — not just a few. To the extent some employees have concerns about our policies, we will continue to make ourselves available to discuss their concerns, individually or as a group.”

The release from #WeAreTeamCasa included quotes from two employees and someone identified as a fired employee.

“There was a promise of lucrative business which would bring an incredible opportunity monetarily,” said employee Gayle Durr. “We have yet to see any of this lucrative business – despite people nationwide waiting patiently to finally see the inside of this Colorado landmark. We want to see Casa Bonita thrive, and if ownership/management cannot bring that about, then we will.”

“Park County (Casa Bonita’s ownership entity) needs to remember we (the hourly employees) are the ones who love this place and will take care of it with joyful enthusiasm,” said employee Michelle Mendenhal. “In return we ask them to see our humanity and let us earn a competitive wage with benefits.”

“This is a bait-and-switch – we were excited about the possibility of reviving a Denver institution, but what began as a really fun adventure has turned into a real-life financial nightmare,” said Russ Lee, who was identified as a recently fired bartender.

#WeAreTeamCasa said the letter was drafted with help from nonprofit organization Restaurant Opportunities Centers United.

The Lakewood restaurant famous for its cliff divers and sopapillas began operating on limited hours last month after closing when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.

The restaurant has undergone more than $12 million in extensive renovations since “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone bought it for $3.1 million in September 2021.

An internal Lakewood Police Department email from May detailed how the restaurant would open in stages.

The first step was multiple “soft opening” dates where those selected in a lottery will have a chance to attend dinner at Casa Bonita with family members. Once the soft openings were done, the restaurant opened to a limited number of people on limited days through a ticketing system.

As of this week, the restaurant was sending invitations to people who signed up through the website to purchase tickets. The invitation says a limited number of dates are available on a rolling basis.

They will then open for dinner from Monday through Saturday, according to the email. A short time later, they will transition to being open for dinner seven days a week.

The next step will be to open all day on the weekends, according to the email. Finally, six to eight weeks into opening, they will be open during lunch and dinner hours seven days a week, the email says.

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