Coffee customers "pay it forward" by paying for those behind
By Christina Siderius
Seattle Times staff reporter
What started as a small gesture of holiday cheer Wednesday has, in 24 hours, grown to involve more than 500 coffee drinkers in a chain of giving in Marysville.
At about 8 a.m. Wednesday, a woman purchasing a drink at a Starbucks drive-through at 3725 116th Street Northeast offered to buy the drinks for the customers in line behind her.
She told the employee who was working the window to wish the folks happy holidays, and she drove away, said the store's assistant manager Michele Case.
Those customers were so touched that they paid for the order of the folks behind them.
Countless gingerbread lattes and peppermint mochas later, the spirit of reciprocity carried on.
As of 8 a.m. today, the line of giving had grown to involve 490 customers picking up tabs for those next in line at the store's drive-through and lobby, said Case.
Case said it shows that a small gesture can have a big impact.
"Each time people were just so excited," Case said. Often people paid more than needed to cover the tab, and that money was added to a pool for the cause. When people were unable to cover others' totals, the pooled money was used.
Any leftover money in the pot will go toward buying toys for the store's toy drive, said Case.
Christina Siderius: 206-464-2112 or csiderius@seattletimes.com
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