(from Not Always Right)
Pay It Forward, Driving Backwards
Fast Food, Restaurant | FL, USA | At The Checkout, Bad Behavior, Food & Drink, Religion
(I’m working the drive-through at my restaurant. A customer drives up.)
Customer #1: “Can I have a small {soda}, please?”
Me: “That will be {amount}. Please pull forward.”
(The customer pulls up to the window and I hand her the drink. She hands me cash to pay for it.)
Customer #1: “Do you take personal checks?”
Me: “Uh, yes, we do, but you’ve already paid in cash, ma’am.”
Customer #1: “Yes. I want to pay for the next person in line, too.”
Me: “You want to pay for the next person?”
Customer #1: “My pastor challenged everyone at my church to perform an act of kindness this week. So I’ll just sign a blank check and you can write in how much the next person’s order costs. Is that okay?”
Me: “Hang on. I should probably check with my manager.”
(I explain the customer’s request to the manager, who looks a bit confused, but says we can do that.)
Me: “The manager says it’s okay, ma’am.”
Customer #1: “Great!”
(She signs a blank check and hands it to me, along with a religious tract.)
Customer #1: “Could you just let the next person know it’s all taken care of, and please give them that pamphlet, too?”
Me: “Yes, I certainly will.”
(She cheerfully drives away, saying ‘bless you.’ A few minutes later, the next customer comes through the drive-through.)
Customer #2: “Yeah, can I get a {sandwich combo} with a large {soda}?”
Me: “{Sandwich combo} with a large {soda}. Yes, sir. Please pull forward.”
Customer #2: *pulling up to the window* “You didn’t tell me how much it was back there.”
Me: “Well, you don’t have to worry about that, sir. The lady who came through the drive-through before you wrote out a check to take care of the next person’s order. She said she’d pay for it.”
Customer #2: “What? You’re joking.”
Me: “I swear.”
Customer #2: “How could she know how much my order would be?”
Me: “She left the amount line empty for me to fill in the cost of your order.”
Customer #2: “Well, s***, son! In that case, give me TWO {sandwich combos}, four {sandwiches}, four {other sandwiches}, another large fries, a 20-piece {chicken nuggets}, an apple pie, and a $50 gift certificate!”
Me: “Uh…”
Customer #2: “It’s a blank check, right? So just write what I f****** asked for.”
Me: “Hang on a minute.”
(My manager has been listening over my shoulder. He gives me a resigned shrug and tells me to do it. With all the items the customer asked for, the total is over $100. As I hand the customer his huge order, I also hand him the religious tract the woman gave me.)
Me: “She also asked me to give you this pamphlet, sir.”
Customer #2: *looking at it for two seconds before tossing it into his back seat* “Hah! Joke’s on her! I’m already a Christian!”
(I can still hear him laughing as he pulls away.)
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