Pay It Forward, Driving Backwards

(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.)