Customer Ends 'Pay-It-Forward' Chain At Bojangles Drive-Thru After Seeing $45 Order

A fast-food customer caused a lively discussion online after revealing he chose to end a 'pay-it-forward' line at a drive-thru.

He made the decision when asked to cover the $45 order for the next customer in line.

It’s always a pleasant surprise to discover that the cost of your meal has been covered by a kind stranger at a drive-thru.

But does that pleasant surprise come with an obligation to pay it forward to someone else?

That’s exactly what TikTok user Darius, known as @chefboyardarius, explored after stopping at a Bojangles one morning post-shift.

He was there to grab his breakfast of choice: a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit—or maybe even three.

Darius just wanted to get himself some breakfast Getty Stock Photo

Darius was prepared to pay for his meal when he reached the drive-thru window.

To his surprise, the cashier informed him that the customer ahead had already paid $15 to cover his order.

"I was like, 'well thank you, the fact that she paid $15 for somebody else, that's wild'," Darius said.

But things took an unexpected turn when the staff member then asked if Darius would like to pay for the next customer's order instead.

The cashier explained that Darius had entered a 'pay-it-forward' chain, which had been going on for several customers before him.

Feeling generous, he asked how much the next customer’s order would cost.

That’s when he found out it came to $45.38—far beyond what he had planned to spend on his meal.

"I didn't sign up to feed the 5,000," he joked, before adding: "Who's spending $45 at Bojangles?"

Darius was shocked at how much the check was TikTok/@chefboyardarius

Darius wrapped up his TikTok video by expressing gratitude to the generous person who had covered his meal.

However, when it came to the next customer in line, his reaction was simple: "I don't know what to tell you."

After posting his story, Darius received a wave of responses, with viewers chiming in with their thoughts on the situation. Opinions were clearly divided.

One commenter empathized with Darius, pointing out that such chains can't go on forever and that someone has to stop it eventually.

"I think most want it to be a gift to someone. Plus employees probably hate it," they added, emphasizing the potential downsides of the practice.

On the other hand, a different viewer staunchly supported the 'pay-it-forward' tradition, sharing: "Just yesterday I paid for the 2 cars behind me. I didn't ask how much their bill was first, but I also didn't care if they continued it or not."

Offering a more practical approach, another commenter suggested a compromise.

They explained that if they ever found themselves in such a situation, they would simply give the cashier the equivalent of their own meal cost.

The next customer could then pay any remaining difference.

"That way I'm not stuck paying a huge bill," they explained, highlighting a balanced way to handle the scenario.

Striking a balance between generosity and financial caution, this solution seems to hit the sweet spot for many people.