diff --git a/internal/app/server/authentication.go b/internal/app/server/authentication.go
index 1e03839..f3cc4e8 100644
--- a/internal/app/server/authentication.go
+++ b/internal/app/server/authentication.go
@@ -24,4 +24,16 @@ func (s *Server) withAuthenticatedUser(ctx *gin.Context, handler AuthenticatedFu
 	handler(ctx, user)
 }
 
-// TODO: Create a function to use for methods that CAN use a user, but sometimes don't.
+// getUserId retrieves the userId from the context and returns a pointer to it. A nil
+// pointer can be returned and will if the userId does not exist.
+func getUserId(ctx *gin.Context) *int {
+    userIdAny, exists := ctx.Get("userId")
+    if !exists {
+        return nil
+    }
+    userIdInt, ok := userIdAny.(int)
+    if !ok {
+        return nil
+    }
+    return &userIdInt
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/server/middleware_v2.go b/internal/app/server/middleware_v2.go
index 57c9375..fbdaa5f 100644
--- a/internal/app/server/middleware_v2.go
+++ b/internal/app/server/middleware_v2.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	domain "github.com/haydenhargreaves/Potion/internal/domain/server"
 )
 
-// JwtAuthMiddlewareV2 is responsible to protecting routes. Anything that may go wrong
+// JwtAuthMiddlewareV2 is responsible for protecting routes. Anything that may go wrong
 // will be returned via JSON with a 'message' field and a 401 error code. When this
 // middleware is successful, it will set the 'userId' and 'userEmail' fields and pass
 // to the next function in the chain.
@@ -63,3 +63,36 @@ func JwtAuthMiddlewareV2(jwtSecretKey []byte) gin.HandlerFunc {
 		ctx.Next()
 	}
 }
+
+// JwtOptionalAuthMiddlewareV2 is responsible for collecting user data for routes where 
+// authentication is optional. Meaning: if the use is not logged in, this function does 
+// not fail or return, it simply does nothing. But if the user is logged in, then the 
+// 'userId' and 'userEmail' context values are set.
+//
+// e.g., `userIdAny, exists := ctx.Get("userId")`
+func JwtOptionalAuthMiddlewareV2(jwtSecretKey []byte) gin.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(ctx *gin.Context) {
+		tokenString, err := ctx.Cookie("jwt_token")
+		if err != nil || tokenString == "" {
+			// No cookie found: not authenticated, but allow access
+			ctx.Next()
+			return
+		}
+
+		claims := &domain.JwtClaims{}
+		token, err := jwt.ParseWithClaims(tokenString, claims, func(token *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
+			if _, ok := token.Method.(*jwt.SigningMethodHMAC); !ok {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected signing method: %v", token.Header["alg"])
+			}
+			return jwtSecretKey, nil
+		})
+
+		if err == nil && token.Valid {
+			// Set user info in context if token is valid
+			ctx.Set("userId", claims.UserId)
+			ctx.Set("userEmail", claims.Email)
+		}
+		// Otherwise, just continue (user is unauthenticated)
+		ctx.Next()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/server/recipe_handler_v2.go b/internal/app/server/recipe_handler_v2.go
index d38e553..7331435 100644
--- a/internal/app/server/recipe_handler_v2.go
+++ b/internal/app/server/recipe_handler_v2.go
@@ -14,10 +14,8 @@ import (
 // Until auth is reimplemented, there is no way to determine what user is making the 
 // call.
 func (s *Server) GetRecipeOfTheWeekHandlerV2(ctx *gin.Context) {
-	// BUG: This needs to be different, not hard coded
-	userId := 1
-
-	recipe, err := s.deps.RecipeService.GetRecipeOfTheWeek(&userId)
+	userId := getUserId(ctx)
+	recipe, err := s.deps.RecipeService.GetRecipeOfTheWeek(userId)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{
diff --git a/internal/app/server/server.go b/internal/app/server/server.go
index 94cdf6f..dea2a97 100644
--- a/internal/app/server/server.go
+++ b/internal/app/server/server.go
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func (s *Server) Setup() *Server {
 
 	// ---- VERSION 2 ROUTES ---- //
 	router_api_v2 := router_v2.Group(domain.API)
-	router_api_v2.GET("/recipe/of-the-week", s.GetRecipeOfTheWeekHandlerV2)
+	router_api_v2.GET("/recipe/of-the-week", JwtOptionalAuthMiddlewareV2([]byte(cfg.JwtSecret)), s.GetRecipeOfTheWeekHandlerV2)
 	router_api_v2.GET("/auth/login", s.GetGoogleAuthUrlHandlerV2)
 	router_api_v2.GET("/auth/callback", s.GoogleCallbackHandlerV2)
 	router_api_v2.GET("/auth/logout", s.LogoutHandlerV2)