BATON ROUGE — Brunch restaurant Ruby Slipper is offering free meals to government workers affected by the ongoing government shutdown as the federal closure continues with its third week on the horizon. 

"At Ruby, one of our guiding principles is being neighborly — to our guests, our communities and each other," the New Orleans-based chain said on Facebook earlier this week. "In that spirit, we're inviting all federal employees affected by the government shutdown to come dine with us."

Government workers can present their federal ID to qualify for a free entree up to $20 in value. 

The deal is offered at all Ruby Slipper locations, including the Baton Rouge restaurant along Perkins Road near Trader Joe's.