While I was in Colorado a few weeks ago, I transited through the Denver International Airport (DEN) both coming and going. While waiting for our rental car to be ready, we stopped at the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant, which is the new Priority Pass Denver Airport “lounge”. In lieu of having any relationships with any actual airline lounges at DEN, Priority Pass Denver is located at the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant
The Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant is located airside in Concourse C. Once you come up from the escalators that take you between Concourses, the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant is right at the top of the concourse to your right. As you can see, there is a Priority Pass Denver Airport indication right at the hostess stand
You can get a Priority Pass membership through several different credit cards (SEE: Our list of top credit cards) and depending on which card you have, you have different guest policies. I have my Priority Pass through the American Express Platinum card (SEE: One Aemx bonus per lifetime? I just signed up for a 2nd Amex card), which allows me 2 guests.
How to use your Priority Pass Denver lounge benefit
When you get to the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant, just be seated as normal. No need to show your Priority Pass card to the hostess – just have it out when your server comes by. The Timberline Grille has actually hired a specific employee whose ONLY job is to sign you into Priority Pass! You’ll get $28 per person and can order as usual. Remember that tax is not included in the menu price (of course) but you CAN use your $28 towards the tax. Tip however is NOT included in your $28 (see below).
We took a seat up by the window, which had a nice view of the tarmac
Timberline Steaks & Grille menu and review
Here are a few screenshots of the menu at the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant. Breakfast goes through 11 a.m., and you can start ordering lunch at 10:30 a.m.
And don’t yell at me (like last time) but I forgot to get a picture of the drinks menu 🙂
The Priority Pass Denver benefit is $28 per person. So if you have a card that allows 2 guests (like mine), EACH of you gets $28 towards anything on the menu
You can also use your Priority Pass Denver airport benefit EVERY TWO HOURS, which seems, frankly, ridiculous. If you’re traveling with a companion who ALSO has a Priority Pass card with guesting, you could each order $28 of food / drinks every ONE hour (rotating guesting each other)
I’m not a big steak fan, so I got a burger and fries
It was only $12 which (while more expensive than I like to pay) did not seem overly outrageous, even for a non-airport location. I was full after that but Angelina “made” me get steak quesadillas to go 😛
When I returned on Sunday morning, I had the meat lover’s omelet, which came with home fries and was delicious
The server there tried to get me to order more food (I had used not even half of my $28) but I was stuffed and about to get on a plane, so I declined.
Do you have to tip at the Priority Pass Denver lounge restaurant?
I know this may seem obvious to many people, but lots of people have been questioning if you have to tip at the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant when using your Priority Pass Denver airport lounge benefit. If you are wondering that, the answer is yes, you do have to tip (or at least it is expected and customary). Remember this is a restaurant and these servers work off tips.
It would be my preference that either restaurants pay servers a decent wage with tips not expected, or that the Priority Pass Denver lounge benefit have tips included, but that is not the world we live in, so until that time, please tip your server while using your Priority Pass Denver airport benefit.
I’ve written several articles before on tipping while traveling – see also
- Tipping flight attendants: fact or fiction?,
- Tipping on Amtrak: how much and to whom?
- Should I tip my Lyft driver?
- How much to tip hotel maids?
Is the Priority Pass Denver Timberline deal sustainable?
So the big question – is this Priority Pass Denver airport Timberline deal sustainable? According to the servers I talked to at the restaurant, they had done about 12,000 visits in the month of October just from Priority Pass customers. The server I talked to was not 100% sure but had heard that Priority Pass is paying the restaurant $24 per customer. If that is true, then I can believe that the restaurant is happy. I’d imagine that the traffic they’re getting, plus the customers who spend more than $28 per visit would put them in the black.
Priority Pass? I’m not so sure. I guess I don’t know how much Priority Pass pays the other lounges that are in their network, but I could believe (based on the day rates at these airport lounges) that $24 is in the ballpark. So maybe it’s a true win-win-win?
Have you used the Priority Pass Denver airport lounge benefit at the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant? Leave a comment with your experience below!
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
Agree with tipping if you’re dining in. What about when you’re getting stuff to go? I typically do not tip on to go orders in general…
I’d tend to agree that you don’t need to tip if you’re getting things to go. I’m not 100% sure on how that works at the Timberline Steaks & Grille restaurant though. Do you sit down? Just wait by the entrance?
Dan, my name is Adam and I am an assistant manager at Timberline Grille. Please note that as of December, we are no longer accepting Priority Passes as payment for to-go orders; you may of course still dine in with us however.
I suggest, and practice, a 10 percent tip or so for to go. Servers are still taking time to serve you. Just my two cents.
Agree – I am not a fan of tipping but this is clearly a case where tipping is appropriate
Was there last week and the server said here was a limit of one per day. Where did you get your info? Hoping you’re right and I’m wrong as I fly Frontier though Denver fairly often and my last layover was 6 hours!
That is what someone had told me but I can’t find anything that specifically says one way or the other
Ed, my name is Adam and I am an assistant manager at Timberline Grille. Priority Pass allows additional check-ins every two hours, so after this allotted time, you are welcome to present your card and receive another $28 credit.
Ed, Dan and PWAC readers,
Please note that all these policies are subject to change. I am no longer in the employ of Timberline Grille, so please be sure to check with staff there for current policies regarding Priority Pass. I believe current policies limit the number of visits and guests.
If I have 4 priority pass cards Chase reserve and citi prestige and 2 amex plats can I get 4x?
I believe so but why would you want so much food!!?!?!?!? 🙂
I bodybuild a lot so i can make it work
Shay, my name is Adam and I am an assistant manager at Timberline Grille. We allow Priority Pass check-ins for only the people present, so if it is just yourself, we would allow just one check-in.
Dan, do you remember how long your meals took? A.k.a. How long should one allot to eat here? Southwest has carefully timed layovers of an hour or so–which isn’t very long–and I’d like to try Timberline on the next DEN layover.
Actually, this would be moot if PP is valid for takeout.
I started timing it but then I forgot :-). I’d say ~10-15 minutes arrival to food being there
Lolo, my name is Adam and I am an assistant manager at Timberline Grille. We aim to have food out of our kitchen in 15-20minutes though that can vary depending on how busy we are. As of December, we are no longer accepting Priority Passes for to-go orders, though you are welcome to dine-in with us.
Dan, How does one know where restaurants are that are Priority Pass? I go to and from OHare alot and the only Priority Pass lounges are in international. Very hard to get in if you are flying domestic.
PriorityPass.com
Hi Dan
Was excited to try this yesterday when I had 40 minutes between flights.
Went to carry out, but was told that take out on the Priority Pass is not available anymore. Didn’t feel like we had time to eat there, especially since our flight left from a different concourse. So disappointed….
Vini, my name is Adam and I am an assistant manager at Timberline Grille. Apologies for the tight turn-around. Starting December 20th, we discontinued accepting Priority Pass cards as payment for to-go orders. We aim to have food delivered within 15-20 minutes, though that timeline can get stretched a bit when things gets busy. I hope you’ll give us a try next time you fly through.
They are under my name would you not make more?
Shay, I am sorry I am not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if we would take multiple Priority Passes under your name? We can check in as many guests as are present with us, so if you dine with three friends, we can take four separate check-ins on four separate cards. If you are asking if we would swipe multiple cards for just yourself, unfortunately no. I hope this helps, Adam.
Can you use priority pass at this restaurant if you are landing there, arriving in DEN? Or is it only for outbound passengers (departing DEN)?
Yes – I have
PWAC readers,
Please be sure to check with staff on current Priority Pass policies at Timberline directly, as I am no longer in their employ and limits on guests and visits has changed.
Tried to use it yesterday — allowed about an hour before boarding time. Gave our name at reception along with the rest of the 20-30 people waiting; when we were finally able to get a table (after they said they called us but didn’t–I was 10 feet away waiting and had to check with them)–waited another 15′ at the table before leaving without getting our meals, as our server was chatting it up with a couple of other tables….. Thankfully, a Centurion Lounge is opening at DEN later this year.