Dunkin' Employee Tries to Get Customer to Pay for Cop's Coffee After They Mix up Order

We're all familiar with the idea of paying people back, unless you're dealing with a real jerk, but what about the concept of paying it forward? This is an act of kindness you give to someone else simply because, and is usually in lieu of paying someone else back. Basically the hope is that the random acts of kindness will continue on. Personally, I'd like to be paid back on top of someone else paying it forward.

Ideally, paying it forward is your choice. It's not forced upon you by someone else, which is what happened to Madeline Thornton, aka @travelin_madeline on TikTok, who was semi-shamed by a Dunkin' Donuts employee when she opted not to pay for a cop's coffee when the employee mixed up her order. Read on for the (donut) whole story.

Madeline is a workin' gal who stopped at Dunkin' Donuts to pick up a couple dozen donuts for her coworkers. And as nice as this is, thankfully she was given the company credit card to do this. Although, most employees would prefer a raise over the occasional sugary breakfast treat, but I digress.

As with anyone on the go, Madeline ordered via the drive-thru and when she pulled up to pay, the woman "mumbled something about my total," said Madeline. "I handed her my card. When she came back with my card, she had a cup of coffee with her." Obviously that is not what Madeline ordered.

After correcting the Dunkin' employee, Madeline got a strange look from her. "Why didn't you say something when I told you your order was $2 and something?" asked the probably frazzled staff member. "Honestly, I didn't hear you. I'm sorry," Madeline replied. This happens all the time. No big deal, right?

You might be thinking, it's just a cup of coffee, why not throw it into the mix? If that's you, then you've never felt the weight of a company card in your hot little hands. Do not color outside the lines when it comes to making approved purchases.

Madeline should not have to explain why she doesn't want to pay for something she didn't order, but her clarification didn't seem to register with the Dunkin' employee. "The person who ordered this [coffee] is a cop," they told Madeline. In what world could that possibly matter?

Madeline stood her ground and was able to speak to the manager who was inexplicably involved in this exchange. "After some back-and-forth with her manager and me, I was finally able to get the refund on the coffee," Madeline said triumphantly. "But, it was a close call." What I haven't mentioned yet is, this TikTok was stitched from another more wild story.

Madeline was inspired to tell her story after seeing this TikTok from @samantha.says, whose pay-it-forward-for-a-cop experience happened at a McDonald's. When Samantha pulled up the pay, the McDonald's employee was holding her card hostage. "Just letting you know that there's a cop behind you," she informed Samantha. "Do you want to pay it forward?"

Samantha responded, "What?" with a fair amount of shock. Doubling down on this madness, the McDonald's employee then tells Samantha that the cop's total is $17.42 and once again asks if she would like to pay it forward. Samantha finally said no and was met with disgust by the employee. "A lot of people do that around her for cops," she said.

Now, I have written Samantha's next sentence down so that I may tattoo it on my body. "I was like honey, in this car, the blood type is ACAB positive." Go forth and use this tactic!