"You're not going to believe this, but the lady ahead of you paid for your latte"

Here's an "anonymous act of kindness" story from a Starbucks drive-through line. There have been many postings on this site about customers who are jerks; anyone have other "kind customer" tales to share? (Seattle Times)

Comments

[AZBarista]

This is a regular occurrence at our DT. We've had mornings when one person will start it and it just spreads all the way down the line--sometimes for hours. It's a lot of fun. In my town it's been popularized by pastors of a local church who are some of our best regulars. It's not just customers paying for each other either--we have one customer who likes to practice random acts of kindness by bringing us baristas breakfast or fresh-cut flowers from her garden to brighten up the store.

Of course, no matter how much kindness people pass around, you'll always have the sour-pusses who ruin everything. There's one lady who, everytime she comes through the DT will ask "you're not doing that stupid pay-for-eachother thing today, are you??" Apparently, it makes her feel bad about herself? I don't know.

I encourage everybody who frequents a DT to give this a try--it really does brighten people's day. And, usually, there's only 1 or 2 drinks per car, so it's not even that much of an expense. Good things really do go around, it just feels good.

[coffeeguy :)]

we got flowers a few times from our customers welcoming us to the neighbourhood when we first opened they really havn't stopped coming. :)

It's really nice to say "Your drink will be up by the flowers. "

I swear the one thing about working at starbucks is you always have those few customers who just make your day. :)

[Potential Sourpuss]

AZBARISTA: Would I be labeled a "sourpuss" if this drive-thru conversation took place?

BARISTA: Would you like to pay for the car behind you, too?

ME: Um....no.

(Just wondering.)

[James the Barista]

It is always good to do a random act of kindness. Sometimes you might have to be a little less random, but the act of kindness is still there. I work at a Starbucks without a drive thru (Thank goodness!) so I don't see people doing that, It would be too werid for customers in store to pay for the person behind them since they really are right there, nonetheless people are kind and I'm glad someone is taking notice.

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

It's all about offering a sense of community.

[Anon]

Sourpuss:

No one is saying drivers are being asked. I've been in the drive-thru line & the barista said, "your drink was paid for by the car in front of you." That's all, Sourpuss. He didn't ask me to pay for the car behind me. It was the un-sourpuss in me that said, "Wow! That's really cool. I'll pay that kindness forward & pay for the person behind me." Nothing more - nothing less.

[Becca]

We don't have a DT, so I have a q for those who do. If Person A orders and then person B orders, has Person B already ordered before person A pays? If not, how does the "pay it forward" work?

[Colette]

Ex-drivethru partners mention this all the time, but it really doesn't happen much in non-dt stores.
Occasionally someone will pay for everyone in line though, which can be kinda fun. A lot of our Indian customers will do that on their birthday. Usually comes out to somewhere in the $40 range. Unfortunately people don't tip when this happens, which I think is mean because it's hard cranking out that many drinks in under 3 minutes.

[cornfrost]

This is a TV commercial that's been running for a few weeks. The hot babe at the dry-cleaning drive-thru spots Mr. Hunka Hunka behind her in the rearview. She says to the (frumpy middle-aged lady) clerk that she'd like to pay for a couple of his shirts, and she adds a business card. The commercial is idiotic and borderline offensive, and it fails as a commercial, too, because I have no idea what it's advertising.

There are a lot of guys at my Starbucks who will give their partner bev or partner discount to hot babelicious customers, just because they're .... well, hot.

[Lauren]

1) That's against policy -- to give away your partner beverage and discount, and if you're ringing it up -- you're at fault (and you're half at fault for not telling on those people)

2) On the nice customer side: Our AC went out tonight and it was 92 degrees in our store (and because of the weekend may not be fixed until Monday?). We didn't complain much, but one of our relatively new regulars came back from his house with four house fans and extension cords. I couldn't believe that he took the time to come back and brighten my night. Maybe it was the sweat on my brow, but that sure was nice.

[Scorpio370]

I think it's cool to see this type of act of kindness. In this day and age many people are out for just themselves, which isn't totally wrong, but if someone paid for my drink and I didn't know them, I'd pass it on to the next person. Why? Because I was going to spend that money anyway, why not pass it to the next person?! The fact is, if more people did this in this day and age, the world might be a little better, and if you're like me, a bit more hyper!!! LOL

Whatever, this happened the other day, woman A paid for woman B's drink and when woman B pulled up we told her and she sneered and responded rather rudely, "why?!" It was like she thought it was a gimmick and she was really defensive..so much for that idea.

[xbaristaguy]

I used to work for a diff coffee company, in San Francisco. Working at my store made me part of a community. All customers weren't angels, but many of them became (and still are) friends, discussion buddies, etc. etc.). We had customers who dropped off flowers, lent books, passed on discounts and passes to movies, etc. The merchants near us gave us discounts, and one cafe owner was fond of sending down sunday brunch for us every now and again. Yum!

[purplejbaker]

Maybe not a random act of kindness, but most commonly is when you get three or four customers on the same order and they all hold out their cards or money at the same time. Confusing for me since I never know exactly which one to take, and it is strangely more common for a group of guys to do than a group of women.

[HopkinsBella]

I notice that, too!^^^^^

Back to Sbux customers. One of the stores with drive-thru that I frequented had a Hummer-driving customer, whose auto elicited a lot of enthusiasm from a couple of the baristas. If the store wasn't busy, they'd go on break (one at a time) to drive the guy's Hummer around the parking lot. I think the baristas needed a stress break every now and then.....

[JustABarista]

Purplejbarker,

I've found an easy way to do this. If it's all plastic, I simply take the coolest looking card. If one person has cash, I take the cash (always take cash if it's an option, merchants pay about 2% in sales to the CC company). If two people have cash and one of them has a ten and one has a twenty, I take the ten, etc..

[barista c]

Purplejbarker -
I take the card or money that is put into my hand first. Easy peasy.

[cornfrost]

We get lots of customers who fight over who pays. Like, a guy and a girl (maybe after a movie or dinner date?) will both hold out money at the same time. I usually take it from the guy, or else I take what is most advantageous for me, like if I'm low on change. Anyone else have this issue?

[Becca]

Cornfrost- All the time. I get it a lot when there are two women-friends. One particular pair comes in, and one will actually pretend that she doesn't want anything until after the other one has payed, and then she will say "actually.. I'll take..." so that the other one can't pay for her. Some of them get a little over-zealous.

[Marty]

Several weeks ago the guy in front of me in line asked if I'd like his coupon for a free coffee of my choice. Very nice!

As a licensed store, we are unable to take tips. So we frequently hand back the money people would like to leave. However, most people refuse and so we tell them we'll pass it on. Usually it amounts to a pretty good discount for the next person in line. Some people will also leave the remainder of gift cards to be put towards someone else's drink. Nothing as big as paying it forward but people are always surprised to get the change toward their drink. Though I did offer one lady to pay for almost all of her drink b/c she was having trouble finding money and we definatley had put enough into the register that it covered her drink but she refused and got upset when the offer was made.

since when can't a licenses store take tips???

At least certain license holders will not let baristas take tips. If the non-SBUX employees can't take tips, the SBUX baristas can't, usually. One of the bigger license holders (400+ licensees) does not allow it.

[AZBarista]

Potential Sourpuss--

Maybe sourpuss was too strong of a word? I certainly wouldn't presume to judge a person's character based on a 3 second interaction.

But to be honest, yeah, I think it's a bit selfish to just accept the kindness and generosity of so many other people and scoff at the idea of passing it on. I mean, when you got in line you were EXPECTING to spend money, no? Isn't it all the better if that same money can brighten not only your day but somebody else's as well?

While I'm being honest, I'll also admit that I'm not comfortable suggessting to customers that they *should* pay for the next car. Some of my partners get really into it and try to convince people to participate. That seems inappropriate to me. I explain what's going on and usually throw in a "yeah, the good will's been passing from car to car for a while now, it's kinda fun!" At that point it's the customer's decision what they do with it.

[Trestin]

I worked for Starbucks about 4 years ago and was surprised and impressed by a guy who would come in a couple times a month, put $50 on a starbucks card, and tell us to use it for customers until it runs out. At Christmas, he did the same thing, but with $200!

[ILBARISTA]

Ive been working for a starbucks (non-DT) for about a year now and like any other starbucks our store has its fair share of resident homeless people. There is one man in particular who comes every day, orders a solo espresso and quietly drinks it before biking on to another starbucks to begin again. I have spotted him at least in three different locations over the months. I was glad to hear from one of my fellow partners that an anonymous woman was so touched by his dignity that she put over $100 dollars on a card for his consumption. The look on his face when he received this simple gift was assuredly worth every penny :)

[Regina]

I tried the green tea latte today and it was really good!

[Gi [barista]]

Woa...that's pretty awesome! n________n The store I'm working at is rather new, just 3 weeks =] non-DT ...there's only one DT sbux in Puerto Rico so far =/
I'm pretty much sure our regular customers [we have alrady yay!] would pass it on... 'til some cranky person stops it v__________v lol

Huh, I've never tried that, but I think I might next time I'm at a local coffee shop. I did have a bunch of really good coupons for a well-known Dunkin Donuts shop (like free coffees and donuts and other really cheap stuff) that I had fun in line by using my one and passing it on backwards to other people in line, it was very neat to see everyone pass it on without exception.

[joe nuneman]

The reference made about Joe Nuneman being bought a latte was not true. Not responsible for damage done to the McDermot car.

[Barista]

Whoever wrote about it being against policy to give away your markout. You're lucky you didn't leave your email address for me argue with you.

Glad im not in your district tight pants.

"Whoever wrote about it being against policy to give away your markout. You're lucky you didn't leave your email address for me argue with you.

Glad im not in your district tight pants."

Maybe you should learn to read the posts before you start commenting barista, what they said was it was against policy to give someone your partner bev or your discount, not your markout. Two different things. I'm glad you didn't leave your email address so I could argue with you smarty pants.

[mike bauer]

ok this was my first day on register, the second lady i got started screaming at me"COFFIE!!! NO MILK NO SHUGAR!!" scared the crap outta me. my ass.mg started gigiling and walked away as i was getting yelled at by this lady. she kept repeating herself and then one of my awsome coworkers grabed the coffie and helped me ring her up, crazy day lol

Mike Bauer,
Are you kidding me? It's COFFEE, not coffie, it's SUGAR, not shugar. It's asst. mgr. not ass.mg. it's awesome, not awsome, it's grabbed not grabed. I think you'd be best served getting your ass back in school instead of working for sbux.

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[heather]

I waited in line for 20 minutes this morning and then another 5 for my breakfast sandwich from Starbucks and then decided...to pay for the drinks of the person behind me. Tis the season to be gracious but just wanted to spread some holiday cheer. I hope the movement continues..don't be such a skeptic! Nice things truly do happen!