At Shooters Grill, in Rifle, the award-winning barbecue comes with a gun on the side.

The restaurant’s waitstaff, while serving brisket and cornbread, wear holstered — and loaded — sidearms. The fact that both the food and the servers pack heat has made the eatery famous around the world, drawing diners from overseas and vacationers who drive in from Canada.

Rifle is on Interstate 70 between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction on the Western Slope. The name of the Western-themed restaurant originally came from a play on the town’s name. Now, it has become a symbol for gun-rights advocates around the country.

Husband and wife owners Jason and Lauren Boebert opened Shooters in 2013 never intending to make a political statement.,

But after a man was beaten to death in a nearby alley, Lauren Boebert began openly carrying a gun to protect herself and her staff. Soon after, some of her waitstaff approached her about the possibility of also open-carrying their own firearms during their shifts.

With the waitstaff packing heat, the Western-themed restaurant took on new life.

Today, a sign welcoming firearms on the premises greets customers at the front door. Inside, copies of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution accompany the themed menu, which includes such plates as “Guac 9” and “Ballistic Chicken.”

Waitresses hustle past signs reading “This is NOT a gun-free zone” with their personal guns holstered on their hips, delivering food to customers who often open-carry themselves.

“We’ve become a voice for the Second Amendment, and it’s a voice I’m proud to have,” Boebert said. “There are so many voices darkening the Second Amendment, and I’m proud to be a part of those standing and taking their place and saying, ‘No, we rightfully own our firearms and we’re responsible with them.’ ”

Beginning with a small staff, Boebert initially did not offer or require any gun-safety training, asking only that servers — all of whom had concealed carry permits — keep their guns holstered at all times unless the situation dictates otherwise.

But as Shooters grew and became a more popular tourist destination, the Boeberts began partnering with Legal Heat, a national concealed-firearms training company, to provide an additional level of firearm safety instruction.

“Accidents happen by being careless or ignorant,” Lauren Boebert said. “Either people don’t know what they’re doing or they think they know everything.”

Legal Heat offers Shooters employees tactical and concealed-weapons training, along with weapon-retention tactics and target practice. In addition to monthly training and safety sessions, waitstaffers use and practice with holsters designed to prevent the gun from being removed from behind by a third party.

“I think all of us are really conscious that we’re wearing them,” said Jessie Spaulding, a Rifle local who has been working at Shooters since the beginning. “I know that this scares people. Some people don’t know if we’re just carrying accessories. It’s important for customers to know that we know how to handle them.”

Just over five years after opening its doors, Shooters caters to a combination of locals and tourists. For the locals, the Boeberts’ seemingly unusual business is nothing special.

“They’re indifferent,” said Lauren Boebert. “Our locals want good food, good service, you to know their names and smile when you say it. Their attitude is ‘I don’t care if you have a gun -– feed me.’ ”

Tourists, on the other hand, travel thousands of miles to check out the restaurant. Boebert said she has served customers that have driven from Canada, as well as other international travelers who planned a layover in Denver — on their way West for vacation — to eat at her diner.

“My favorite thing,” she said, “is that something as silly as a firearm in a restaurant has opened up the entire world to us and given us an awesome way to meet people from all over the world.”