Casa Bonita Perfomers Go on Strike After Contract Talks Break Down
The famous pink palace of Lakewood, Colorado, Casa Bonita, will be serving up sapodillas without cliff divers this Halloween. Performers at the landmark restaurant, owned by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, announced they are going on strike after contract negotiations with management collapsed.
According to the Actors’ Equity Association, which represents many of the restaurant’s performers walked away from the bargaining table after offering just an 11-cent raise over its previous wage proposal, along with limited job security protections. Union representatives said the offer was a major disappointment, given the months of negotiations and the restaurant’s high-profile ownership.
Casa Bonita, founded in 1974 and recognized as an official Lakewood landmark, gained national fame when it was featured in a 2004 South Park episode. When Parker and Stone bought the struggling restaurant in 2021, fans across Colorado celebrated its revival, but now, the bright pink building will be open but without performers as they push for fair pay and stronger worker protections.
