Casa Bonita actors, including its famous cliff divers, returned to work on Sunday after a three-day strike that took place during Halloween.
The strike ended after both the actors union and the restaurant’s management agreed to enter mediation and hash out the details of the union’s first contract, according to a statement by the Actors’ Equity Association, which represents the actors. The bargaining unit includes 57 performers who serve as roving actors, puppeteers, cliff divers, magicians and more at the pink palace.
“Casa Bonita is pleased that Actors Equity members will be returning to work as scheduled,” the restaurant’s management said in a statement to The Denver Post.
Casa Bonita workers voted to unionize in November 2024 as they sought better pay and to establish workplace protections. Casa Bonita serves thousands of diners each week and actors previously detailed several incidents involving guests that had staff concerned for their safety. In September, the union filed an unfair labor practices charge after performers’ hours were cut to accommodate a Halloween pop-up event.
“We never wanted to strike to begin with, but Casa Bonita management forced our hand,” said Sam Bishop, a puppeteer at Casa Bonita who serves on the negotiating team, in a statement. “We can’t wait to return to work so we can resume bringing our guests the unique experience they expect and deserve from their visits.”
Casa Bonita is a beloved Lakewood restaurant and entertainment venue, as well as a historic landmark. It originally opened in 1974, but ownership filed for bankruptcy in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic. The venue was later purchased by “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, who were both raised on the Front Range. The duo spent a reported $40 million to renovate the restaurant, which reopened to much fanfare in 2023.