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Original poster

Couple pay for elderly man's sandwich

115 replies

DailyPotion · 18/12/2020 13:39

It's on my local FB group, that an elderly man was queuing to pay for a takeaway bacon sandwich but a young couple had already paid.

Cue loads of posts about how wonderful our community is.

My Dad would be devastated if someone did that for him, absolutely insulted and offended.

Would most people really be pleased?

OP posts:
Justmuddlingalong · 18/12/2020 18:05

Perhaps when he pays it forward, he'll get over his feelings of insult and offence. With a bit of luck the recipient of his actions will appreciate a kind gesture.

naturalyoghurtmuncher · 18/12/2020 18:06

People cannot do a good deed these days without splashing it all over sm. attention seeking much

AcrossthePond55 · 18/12/2020 18:15

@Bytheriogrande @FlibbertyGiblets

We've had orders paid for at drive thrus (usually coffees) by the person ahead of us and we've 'paid it forward' at times by paying for the person behind us.

'Giver' places order at the mic and pulls forward tells cashier they want to pay for 'Receiver's order'. 'Receiver' pulls forward and places order at the mic whilst 'Giver' is still at the cashier window. Cashier adds 'Receiver's' order to 'Giver's' tab.

I don't know how it would work indoors since one normally pays when ordering, unless it's a 'sit down' place.

FlibbertyGiblets · 18/12/2020 18:17

Oh I see, I think! Thank you 55.

Bytheriogrande · 18/12/2020 18:17

@AcrossthePond55 ah ok, that does make sense for a drive thru. Tho you might be a bit gutted if the person behind you was doing the lunch run for the entire office and landed you with a 50 quid bill Grin

SmileyClare · 18/12/2020 18:23

Well yes that thing with the giver on a mic letting the receiver choose first could be open to abuse. Grin

Anyoldname12 · 18/12/2020 18:23

@naturalyoghurtmuncher

People cannot do a good deed these days without splashing it all over sm. attention seeking much
Perhaps more people do good deeds than you realise but don’t post in on SM. You only find out about the ones that DO post on SM. Plus is proven to have a positive effect on others so...
Fastnfurriest · 18/12/2020 18:44

Only on Mumsnet are you an arsehole for paying for someone else's sandwich. Heaven forfend we have random acts of kindness.

BackforGood · 18/12/2020 19:25

No, I'm with the OP's Dad on this one.
It's just odd.
I mean, I'm the first to pass on a ticket for the car park that hasn't expired before they brought in those pesky ticket machines where you have to put in your registration number. I also like the "leave one hanging" idea, so that anyone who needs a hot meal / sandwich / hot drink knows they can come in and get one, but just randomly paying for someone else in the queue that you don't know is bizarre. There are so many folk these day who could really do with a small financial boost / free food, I'd be quite cross if someone directed free food at me if I didn't need it.
If you want to 'be kind' to someone, then set up a standing order to Crisis / Shelter / Samaritans / Trussell Trust / your local Hospice / or any one of 1001 brilliant causes that could really use that £2.50 a week (or however often you feel the need to be kind), don't patronise or embarrass people in the shop behind you.

SmileyClare · 18/12/2020 20:21

There an episode of This Country where Kerry puts a fiver on the path. Old Len picks it up a and she shouts Fucks sake Len put it back. I just put that there. I'm doing a random act of kindness for Facebook. I haven't started filming it yet.

HeronLanyon · 18/12/2020 21:22

Want to add I don’t like the phrase ‘pay it forward’. It’s also very confusing in this scenario where the younger couple were paying for someone behind them.

Hangingover · 18/12/2020 21:25

I don't think my DF would be angry at such but probably I bit dismayed and start wondering if he was looking really old and dreadful or if his clothes looked shabby etc.

Kaliorphic · 18/12/2020 21:36

Not sure why they would need to pay for the sandwich if he was in the queue waiting to pay for it. And then post on social media how special they are. Bit grim. Pay for the sandwich sure. Don't post it on social media afterwards for validation.

emilyfrost · 18/12/2020 21:47

@HeronLanyon

Want to add I don’t like the phrase ‘pay it forward’. It’s also very confusing in this scenario where the younger couple were paying for someone behind them.
It’s not confusing Confused

“Pay it forward” has always meant to do a good deed to another, so they did that man a good deed and in turn he should pay that good deed forward and do one for someone else.

gamerchick · 18/12/2020 21:52

@Hangingover

I don't think my DF would be angry at such but probably I bit dismayed and start wondering if he was looking really old and dreadful or if his clothes looked shabby etc.
Have you watched the film where it came from?
gamerchick · 18/12/2020 21:52

Or was inspired to make the film? Either way Grin

ElizaLaLa · 18/12/2020 22:13

I always wonder how the people in front pay for people behind them. How do they know what they want?

SmileyClare · 18/12/2020 22:17

Ha ha yes, that moment you've committed to Pay It Forward and then notice the guy behind is clutching a 2 page order for his office lunch run.

HeronLanyon · 18/12/2020 22:28

emilyfrost it was kind of a joke.
Still don’t like the phrase. It sound smug as hell to me a a made up label for something you shouldn’t ever be talking about anyway. Like ‘making memories’.

AcrossthePond55 · 18/12/2020 22:33

[quote Bytheriogrande]@AcrossthePond55 ah ok, that does make sense for a drive thru. Tho you might be a bit gutted if the person behind you was doing the lunch run for the entire office and landed you with a 50 quid bill Grin[/quote]
lol!

That's never happened to us but I would HOPE that the cashier would tell you that before they put it on your tab. 🤑🤑🤑🤑

Icenii · 18/12/2020 22:34

Random acts of kindness is really big in my town. People leaving chocolate on car windscreens, paying for things at till, flowers to random strangers, whole community support the homeless, paying for lodgings etc.

SmileyClare · 18/12/2020 22:42

Ah sorry AcrossThePond I see you got in first with the office lunch run joke. Awkward cross post Blush

Chocolate on car windscreens? Wouldn't it be more helpful to stick it in the local food bank.

Redcrayons · 18/12/2020 22:50

@Kaliorphic

Not sure why they would need to pay for the sandwich if he was in the queue waiting to pay for it. And then post on social media how special they are. Bit grim. Pay for the sandwich sure. Don't post it on social media afterwards for validation.
There’s no point doing it if Facebook doesn’t know about it.
SmileyClare · 18/12/2020 22:58

I wonder if people are selective about which car windscreen they put the chocolate on? Are they going for old bangers or the car with bald tyres, would they put it on a top of the range Jag.

paulhollywoodshairgel · 18/12/2020 23:01

I've done that in Costa before. I pay for my drink and say I'll pay for the person behind me. I think it's a nice thing to do and nothing to do with the persons age (when I do it) in this shit show of a year I think it's nice to make people feel nice for 5 mins x