The line at Pioneer Pit Beef typically stretches into the parking lot, a testament both to the tastiness of its fare and its affordability. But by 1 p.m. Wednesday there was no one waiting for food — or anyone in the restaurant at all.

A large percentage of Pioneer’s customers work at the nearby Social Security Administration headquarters in Woodlawn and come on their lunch breaks to enjoy a pit beef sandwich for just $7.75. Manager Jesus Cruz estimates that sales at the cash-only Catonsville stand have dropped 30-40% since the government shut down nearly one month ago.

“It’s bad for everybody,” said Cruz, who has had to scale back the amount of roast beef he prepares each day.

Around 1.4 million federal workers are without pay during the shutdown, with about half that number home on furlough and the other half working without a paycheck. The pain is especially acute in Maryland, where 1 in 10 workers is a federal employee. Several local restaurants reported a significant dip in sales for the month, which they see as a direct result of the shutdown. Some have even looked to help those in greater need: the federal workers for whom eating out is one of life’s luxuries.

“If I don’t get a paycheck, I don’t feel comfortable; if I don’t feel comfortable, I don’t spend money,” said Hudson Coastal Raw Bar & Grill owner Brad Hudson, whose Howard County restaurant has seen sales drop 15-30% a week throughout October.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office this week estimated the shutdown’s broader toll on the U.S. economy at $7 billion if it ends now or $14 billion should it continue another month. It only adds to the stressors for restaurateurs, many of whom said customers were already pulling back on spending.

The shutdown is having a major impact on some eateries in Howard County, which is home to around 50,000 federal employees. Blowfish Poké & Grill co-owner Jennie Kwon said that, at the onset, she noticed a dip in sales of about 5%. After Oct. 24, when federal workers missed their first full paycheck, she said her sales were down 30%.

She was inspired to take action after talking with friends who are federal workers.

“This government shutdown has affected everybody, high income to low income, every single bracket,” she said.

Now, at Blowfish Poké & Grill branches in Clarksville and Marriottsville, furloughed federal staff with proof of employment can score a free tofu, chicken or crab bowl. Customers who want to help can buy a bowl for someone else. The promotion has been a hit on the Howard County Eats Facebook page, where diners have posted messages of appreciation.

The wife of a federal employee said she was particularly touched by Kwon’s generosity in giving out whole meals, not just a discount. She spoke on the condition of anonymity because she feared retaliation against her husband, one of approximately 730,000 federal employees working without being paid.

“Federal workers are under fire right now,” she said.

Their family has cut back on all but the most necessary costs. With Halloween approaching, she stressed about whether to buy candy for trick or treaters, though she ended up purchasing a few bags.

“It just feels almost inappropriate to go out and spend $100 on candy to give out … when in six months, if this is still going on, we’ll need that,” she said.

Kate Campbell, a Baltimore resident and mom of two on furlough from her job at the Library of Congress, has spent the past month on edge. “The anxiety comes in waves,” she said. “I have days where I’m like, ‘This is fine,’ and days where I’m very scared.” Her family is watching expenses closely. “Anything that’s not a necessity is extra scrutinized.” At the top of that list is dining out.

But on Thursday she went to Ekiben, a Baltimore restaurant that recently began offering free meals to federal workers. As she placed her order, she felt self-conscious about showing her government ID to staff. When the man at the register responded with a warm “we got you,” Campbell said, “I almost started crying.”

Business was slow all summer at the Silver Queen Cafe on Harford Road in Baltimore, said co-owner Nicole Evanshaw, who attributed the slump to mass layoffs and diners’ concerns about the economy. “Then September hit,” she said. “This was like dropping off a cliff.”

By the middle of the month, things were dire enough that she and her husband, co-owner Jason Daniloski, issued a plea to customers on Facebook: “We need dinner support, badly.” If something didn’t change, it risked closing.

But, as the government shutdown has dragged on with no end in sight, the impact on local food systems has become even more dire. The 1 in 4 Baltimore residents who relies on the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to buy groceries faces the prospect of losing benefits starting Saturday.

Evanshaw’s thoughts have turned from saving her business to feeding her neighbors. The restaurant started a food drive, offering diners a beer on the house in exchange for bringing in cans of food or toiletries. Although she said Silver Queen can’t afford to give out free meals to furloughed workers, this week it started a “Pay It Forward” furlough option, which for $20 allows customers to buy dinner for a federal employee.

The response has “been fantastic,” Evanshaw said. Silver Queen has sold more than 50 meals.