Paying it forward at Starbucks

So, what do you drive Jessica? j/k

Great post! I used to do this sometimes at a toll booth. (since they are now automatic it's kind of hard)
I enjoy surprising people with a random act of kindness. I have given a single rose to a completer stranger, simply saying "have a beautiful day" and walking away.

I have mentioned this before, but I have found that many providers have huge hearts and have a kind giving nature about them.

I think I'll go to Starbucks now.

Giving to someone who has the means to pay for their own beverage may make them feel better to pay it forward. But how about to those who cannot?
A vagrant once asked me for a dollar then walked into the Jack in the Box to buy a coffee. Since I was in the drive through I gave them the description of the man and told them to give him whatever he wanted. He requested a full meal and I paid for that. I was more sad for him and others like him, than feeling good for myself.

As a habit I have not done this...shame on me. But I can recall twice doing this randomly.

First time was at a little west side Mexican taco restaurant on an early summer morning in San Antonio. An older lady came in very poorly dressed with two grandkids. You could tell the grandkids adored their grandma. They sat down and I overheard her tell them in Spanish she could only afford so much for breakfast and they would share the food. She looked to have maybe $3 on her...if that much.

I was awaiting my order and they called my name. I went to the cashier, got my to-go order and gave her $15 letting her know to give them whatever they would like for breakfast. I promptly left not wanting the lady to know the face of who did that and for her to also not feel embarrassed. It was a nice feeling to do that randomly.

That is so kind hearted as I find myself always wanting to help others also.....Thanks for posting April of Dallas

Yes, paying it forward with dollars (or physical work too by doing a favor for someone) is a rewarding personal investment. And a reminder that it's not supposed to be always 'about me'. People matter. I remember a big hearted uncle who used to say to me, "Your money's no good here". I never forgot how that felt.

In the case of the Starbucks thing, I guess you technically could say it's 'paying it backward'. Ha! LOL

I've done this several times at tollbooths, and to be fair it's been done for me several more times. Charity and kindness perhaps, but I believe it happens most often because the tollbooth clerks are so unbelievably slow at counting out change, that it is often much faster and more efficient to tell them to apply whatever is left to the cars behind me so that I can get to wherever I'm going rather than have to see a line of cars glaring at me in my rear-view mirror while the clerk counts and recounts 19 crinkled $1 bills. This also comes in handy for the person who is struggling to come up with $1.85 change from the floor of the their car while the line lurches forward, since they know full well that the tollbooth won't break a Ben. I've been that girl too many times... and so I appreciate it when the person in front of me has a touch extra to spare. ~Mme X~

I enjoy this as well and will do it at a StarBucks or drive through. My favorite though is when I see an older couple out at a restaurant and they catch my eye because they are so into each other and seem to be enjoying a very nice time - picking up their check and sending them a note of Gratitude thanking them for their positive energy and Joy. I can ahrdly keep myself from it when I see the elderly person come in with their caretaker - pickup the check and add a gift certificate for the care taker. If you have ever had aging parent or other family, you know these care takers are angels and need to be appreciated. All good stuff!

Thanks for the thread!