Denver, CO

PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets outlast OKC Thunder 113-104 in OT of Game 3 of second-round NBA Playoffs series

Published

10 months ago

May 10, 2025

PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets outlast OKC Thunder 113-104 in OT of Game 3 of second-round NBA Playoffs series

Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets pokes the ball away from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday, May 9, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

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Denver, CO

Five takeaways from Denver’s restaurant report

Published

8 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Five takeaways from Denver’s restaurant report

Marlee Brown serves guests at Trybal African Speakeasy in Denver on Feb. 25, 2026. (Kevin Mohatt/Special to The Denver Post)

Denver’s restaurant scene is in crisis.

So much so that the city, VisitDenver and Austin, Texas-based restaurant financing company InKind commissioned a report to detail the industry.

Denver’s rising tipped minimum wage, which has more than doubled since 2019 and sits at $16.27 an hour, was the biggest complaint of local restaurateurs. But the 67-page document outlined a host of other problems creating an unfavorable environment for operators in the city.

“The energy of the city used to flow through our dining rooms,” a longtime, independent full-service operator said, according to the report. “Now it feels like people go out less often, spend more cautiously, and are more likely to stay home or order in.”

The report was written by Adam Schlegel, who co-founded Snooze A.M. Eatery and Chook Charcoal Chicken, and Dana Faulk Query, the co-owner of Big Red F Restaurant Group. To compile it, they surveyed over 150 establishments, conducted interviews with operators and brokers and analyzed profit and loss statements along with publicly available datasets.

Here are five takeaways:

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Denver lost thousands of restaurant jobs between 2020 and 2025

Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that Denver had 6% fewer restaurant sector workers in 2025 than at the beginning of 2020. That’s largely due to a 15% decline in the full-service restaurant category, according to the report.

Before the start of the pandemic, restaurant employment in Denver was growing at a 2.3% annual rate. If it had continued at that rate, there would be 10,000 to 15,000 more workers today than there actually are, according to the report.

Restaurants employ 7.9% of Denver’s total workers, down 8.7% from 2019, and account for 13% of the city’s tax revenue, the report said.

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Restaurants would have needed 40% sales growth to offset rising expenses

According to the report, from 2019 through 2024, hourly labor costs increased 50% to 55%, rent increased 23% and cost of goods sold rose 22%. Profits, on the other hand, declined 20%.

Sales increased by 5%, but an analysis by the report’s authors determined that number would need to be in the 36% to 40% range to offset the aforementioned hikes.

The number of guests coming through restaurant doors is also decreasing, the report said. And Denver reported the sharpest decrease of major metros in restaurant spending this past fall.

“This mismatch has left many operators with limited options beyond reducing labor hours, eliminating positions, delaying hiring, or closing altogether,” the report said.

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Denver’s costs and prices are on par with New York and L.A.’s

The report said Denver’s dining scene looks less like a middle-America growth market and more like a “high-cost coastal city” without the population size to support it. Though it acknowledged that Denver’s rising wages have closed the cost of living gap compared with before the pandemic, it’s paid the price with lost jobs and other rising costs.

According to the Washington Hospitality Association’s 2025 Cost of Dining Report, Colorado’s menu prices are 5.1% above the national average and Denver’s are about 2.7% above the average for the 20 largest U.S. cities. That puts it firmly in the high-cost tier of American dining markets.

But rather than garnering the growth and attention that “tier one” cities like New York and Los Angeles get, Denver is in the category of “high-wage, tight-labor” cities like San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.

“Establishments grew, but employment is up only modestly versus 2013 and down from 2019 in key categories, signaling staffing strain rather than robust job growth,” the report details.

Denver’s scene is lagging compared with the rest of the state

While dining out across Colorado has taken a hit since the start of the pandemic, the report shows that the changes are most pronounced in Denver. The industry hasn’t bounced back on par with the rest of the state, the report says.

With full-service restaurants in particular, employment and the number of establishments has dropped significantly more than the category across the state. Employment across the entire sector dropped 4.3% in Denver from 2019 to 2024 while seeing a 3.3% decline everywhere else in Colorado.

“Collectively, these findings indicate that Denver’s restaurant workforce challenges are not the result of poor management or short-term disruptions, but of sustained cost pressures that increasingly limit employers’ ability to maintain staffing levels, create new jobs, and invest in long-term workforce development,” the report says.

Despite improvements, city bureaucracy still a challenge

Architects, general contractors and operators said that while each individual city department is helpful in a vacuum, the process is fragmented and disjointed. Based on interviews with restaurant owners, those delays can cost up to $70,000 a month between operating expenses and lost revenue, the report said.

That’s despite improvements made to the permitting process by Mayor Mike Johnston, including the launch of Denver’s Permitting Office in May and programs like around downtown express permitting.

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Denver, CO

Ranking the Broncos free agent needs on offense

Published

20 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Ranking the Broncos free agent needs on offense

NFL Free Agency opens up on Wednesday, with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday. The top free agents usually all commit to a team during that period, so be ready to rock and roll to start next week.

I figured now would be a good time to do a little discussion around the Denver Broncos and where we think their top priorities should be on offense when free agency kicks off.

Broncos top FA needs on offense

Tim Lynch: For free agency, I’d say running back and tight end are the highest on my wish list.

I’d say pay big for a top free agent running back and ensure you have a monster two-headed backfield next season. They need a superior run-blocking tight end and, if they move on from Evan Engram, a pass-catcher too.

Christopher Hart: I agree with Tim. Those are the biggest needs for the offense. Getting a top-notch running back and a tight end capable of playing inline to replace Adam Trautman is a must. The two players I advocated a few weeks ago were running back Travis Etienne and tight end Cade Otton. Both would be fantastic additions and help take Denver’s offense to the next level in 2026.

Scotty Payne: Playmaker is the top and biggest need. That includes a RB, TE, and/or WR in that order.

Need to improve the run game regardless, need some sort of production out of the TEs as well as improved blocking, and if they can get a true WR1, that would be great too.

Ross Allen: I think we’re all in agreement.

Getting someone who can be the dominant running back and have RJ Harvey serve that glamorous “joker” role would be huge for this offense. And given that they also don’t have a legitimate playmaker at the receiving position hurts them. A TE or WR can fill that role.

Sadaraine: The #1 need for the Broncos on offense is a top-notch running back. I will be blown away if the Broncos don’t sign a top-tier free agent running back to upgrade the offense (and no, J.K. Dobbins wouldn’t be that guy…not with his injury history).

There’s a significant gap in need after that until we start talking about tight ends and receivers. I think we’re more likely to see more money spent on a tight end than a receiver, but this offense could use both to be sure.

Ian St. Clair: Not to beat a dead horse, but running back is the biggest need and priority for this team when free agency starts. Having a consistent and effective running game will make Nix and the offense exponentially better. It will make the team better. After running back, the Broncos need to figure out their tight end.

Adam Malnati: Give Bo a weapon. I don’t care which position. Yes, RB is a need. Yes, TE is a need (thanks a lot Evan Engram). Still, a weapon would be nice.

Predictably, we’re all heavily keyed in on running back and tight end. That was a big part of our free agent profile coverage too and for good reason. There have been many rumors around Denver looking to target both positions next week and where there is smoke there is usually fire.

The question really becomes: go big or go affordable? With the championship window open, I’m leaning go big on premium play-maker positions this offseason.

Where do you stand on this discussion? Give us your top free agent needs on offense and how you hope the Broncos address them next week.

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Denver, CO

Denver area events for March 5

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to carlotta.olson@gazette.com at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability. Thursday Camilla Vaitaitis Quartet — 6:30 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events. Miguel — 7 p.m., Fillmore Auditorium, […]

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