Proper etiquette "paying it forward" | GTAMotorcycle.com

Proper etiquette "paying it forward"

Fuzzbuster

Fuzzbuster

Well-known member
What is the proper etiquette when it comes to "paying it forward"? I was at the drive thru today and the person infront of me paid for my order $30. Never had that happen before, I was a bit confused to be honest. Could be karma, I was at the transfer station yesterday and I always grab new recycling bins when I am there and leave them for people whos bins are busted. Yesterday, my neighbour's recycling was blowing around so I picked it up and stuck it in a brand new bin. Never told them just left it there with there other old ones.
 
I've never had that happen and I'd likely wish they never did that if it did happen as I can pay for my own stuff ... give the $30 to a homeless guy or donate it so people that really need it get it (assumption being anyone in a car at a drive-thru doesn't need a hand-out).

I'd likely cover $30 of the next car behind me but I typically park and go inside anyways.
 
Pay it forward is interesting. For me, it would depend on where I am and who's behind me. If I'm at Starbucks with a Lexus vehind me, my money would be far better spent by giving it to the employee. If it's cheap like Tim's, the chain is more likely to survive imo and brighten more peoples day.
 
Fuzzbuster said:
What is the proper etiquette when it comes to "paying it forward"? I was at the drive thru today and the person infront of me paid for my order $30. Never had that happen before, I was a bit confused to be honest. Could be karma, I was at the transfer station yesterday and I always grab new recycling bins when I am there and leave them for people whos bins are busted. Yesterday, my neighbour's recycling was blowing around so I picked it up and stuck it in a brand new bin. Never told them just left it there with there other old ones.
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I think the "proper protocol" is for you to pay for the order of the person that was behind you.
 
I had someone do that for me a few years ago. Just a medium coffee at Tim's, and it did make me smile. Did it once as well, bought a guy a coffee.

The last time I did it was just after the pandemic at a whitby starbucks. There was an OPP car behind me with 2 cops in it and I ended up buying them a couple coffees an scones or something. They honked and waved.

To be honest I'd rather do that sort of thing for some homeless person, though I didn't mind getting the OPP coffee as I think they can have a tough job sometimes.
 
I do it occasionally. Think about a month ago the lady behind me looked like she was yelling on a phone call, by the time i pulled up to pay she was almost in tears. I told the employee i'd pay for hers as well, she's having a rough day. He smiled and called me a kind person, threw in an extra hash brown for me on the house!
 
xrljoel said:
I had someone do that for me a few years ago. Just a medium coffee at Tim's, and it did make me smile. Did it once as well, bought a guy a coffee.

The last time I did it was just after the pandemic at a whitby starbucks. There was an OPP car behind me with 2 cops in it and I ended up buying them a couple coffees an scones or something. They honked and waved.

To be honest I'd rather do that sort of thing for some homeless person, though I didn't mind getting the OPP coffee as I think they can have a tough job sometimes.
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Police eat for free almost everywhere lol (fast food)
 
Evoex said:
I do it occasionally. Think about a month ago the lady behind me looked like she was yelling on a phone call, by the time i pulled up to pay she was almost in tears. I told the employee i'd pay for hers as well, she's having a rough day. He smiled and called me a kind person, threw in an extra hash brown for me on the house!
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You're ruining the stereotypical reputation of amg drivers.
 
Had a minivan carrying a family scootch in front of me at the Tim's drive through one day. I was on my way to work and sorta in a rush...
I'm sitting there behind this guy cursing him while he orders what seems like a weeks worth of groceries... when I get up to the speaker and order my ONE coffee I'm at the point I want to go burn this guys house down.
I roll up behind him while they're handing out item after item until finally... I get to pick up my one, singular coffee.
'Roll up to the window... the staff hands me my coffee and says... "that guy paid for it, havec a nice day".
I looked myself in the eye in my rear view mirror and said out loud.. "you're a piece of **** Steve"

Ended up side by side at the next light... the guy waved and I waved back mouthing "thank you"...
I dunno... guy was in a minivan with a wife and three kids. His hell was probably worse than mine that day.
 
I do it occassionally, but never at drive-throughs.

I prefer cheap stores like No-Frills or Dollarama, that way I can pick someone who looks needy.
 
It happened to me at a Tim's, 5 or 6 times in two years, when I lived in a suburb in Vaughan. Each time, it felt right to keep it going, so I did. I felt really good about myself. I'm such a great person.

As someone else mentioned, no one in that line needs a handout. And recently I heard that the staff actually HATE this. It's a lot of extra effort for them to organize and the risk of mixing up the orders is larger. All so I and several car-owners who live in a mid neighborhood who all buy coffee in the morning instead of brewing it at home can tell ourselves we're good people.

Aside from the first person in line, the rest of us are doing nothing. Receive a free coffee = pay for a stranger's coffee. On average over a few occurrences, zero net good or bad is done. It's not helping anyone.

IMO, it's fine to accept the free breakfast with a grateful smile and it's fine to keep the chain going for fun. Just don't get all inflated. Keeping it going is not an act of generosity.

So I say screw the drive thru circle jerk. Instead, just give the staff a tip equal to the price of your purchase, and they'll be relieved. Buy a homeless person a sandwich and a gift card for later.

Sorry if I ruined it for anyone. I hope not to put anyone down for trying to do good things. Just sharing my paradigm shift.

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