Alabama Coffee Shop Customers Pay It Forward

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Some customers at Starbucks shops around the Birmingham area have been getting an extra ingredient with their coffee: Kindness. Customers at shops in eastern Birmingham, Hoover and Vestavia Hills are paying it forward by anonymously picking up the tabs of others.

Sharon Dierking got a taste of the movement when she pulled up to the window at a Starbucks on U.S. 280 and the barista told her the driver in the car ahead of her had paid for her order.

"I was completely dumbfounded, but I was thrilled," she said.

Dierking was last in line that day, but was able to return the kindness to another at a Starbucks in Inverness a few days later.

"It makes you feel good and it brightens your day," she said.

A Starbucks spokeswoman said the Seattle-based company promoted a Cheer Pass program in 2007 to remind customers to spread kindness, but the recent phenomenon is "consumer-driven."

Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of the book "Pay It Forward," launched the movement in 2000. Hyde wrote the book after two strangers helped her when she was stranded on a California road and her car caught fire.

Stacie Elm, a barista at an Alabaster Starbucks, said a line of five cars recently paid it forward. Customers are usually surprised to find out their order is already paid for, she said.

"Most are like, 'You're kidding,'" she said.

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Information from: The Birmingham News

Comments

[AlabamianForObama]

This happened to me at the Starbucks in Madison, Alabama. It made my day!

[weeshee]

I put spare change into the gumball machine at the grocer by my home... Just once I was luck enough to see the joy this small act on my part brought to a child... that was enough to make me insure that I always have at least a quarter to put in during my weekly grocery trip.
I also "pre-pay" for soda in soda machines... Carry pre-pay Visa cards with me and "donate" them to people at the gas station from time to time.

You never know what a simple gesture of kindness can do for another.. you never know how it might change the course of their day, and their life... with so much anger in our society these days, a smile might just save a life. :)

[Purpleone1]

YES, folks random acts of kindness was in the 80's and 90's. I would drop small amounts of money, ($5) bill and keep walking in the mall, laundry mat, etc. just to make someones day.

[RobertaInCT]

It use to be called Rand-om Act of Kin-dness back in the early 90's............was a very common event for a while...................

[davidwayneosedach]

Instead of Starbucks patting itself on its back for this phenomen they should offer: this order was paid for by Starbucks. Thankyou for your business.

[vandegrasse]

I would do it, but how can you tell what their tab's gonna be?

[OtayPanky]

When you pay it forward in the Starbucks model, you're pre-paying some set amount for the next person. So if they order 10 coffees rather than one, you've paid for the first one, and they'll pay for the rest.

It's easier to get the math right at a toll booth with a fixed toll.

[judiNJ]

Whoops! "Mind"

[OtayPanky]

I like MING better.

[judiNJ]

Someone did that for a friend of mine at the toll booth. Blew her ming!

[MsLiz]

I live here.

[VOTER]

Great article.

Kindness works!