Struggling Barista Tells Customer His 'Dream' Is To Buy A New Car So She Gifts Him A Toy Car & A Surprise
He was given a gift that lifted his spirits and benefited his quality of life.
TikTok A barista at Starbucks got the surprise of a lifetime when a customer reached out with a random act of kindness.
The customer filmed herself striking up a conversation with her barista at a Starbucks drive-thru, asking questions about the barista's dreams and struggles.
Manny, a barista, made conversation with the customer who asked him about his life while he took her order. The inquisitive customer asked him, "What's something you're currently struggling with?" He replied, "I have depression I'm currently fighting with."
The customer surprised her unsuspecting barista with a gift to show him how appreciated he is.
When asked about his dream in life, Manny told the customer that his dream is to be able to buy a new car. She asked him how much a new car costs, to which he replied, "$1000."
The woman filmed herself shopping for flowers and other gifts for Manny, including a wooden treasure box. She then captured footage of herself holding a handful of money, explaining, “We’re going to surprise Manny with $1000 so he can get a car.”
“I can’t wait to see his reaction,” the woman exclaimed while folding the bills into a toy car box. She placed the toy car box into the wooden treasure box she purchased, decorated with glitter and stickers of race cars.
“We were really inspired by your story,” she told Manny when she returned to the Starbucks drive-thru. “We wanted to get you a little something.”
First, she gave him a bouquet of roses. Manny took the flowers gratefully, claiming, “I never got flowers before.” He seemed almost overwhelmed by the thoughtful gesture, yet he had no idea what else was in store for him.
“We have one more thing,” the woman stated and handed him the treasure box. “It’s $1000 so you can get a brand new car.”
Manny had tears in his eyes as he accepted the generous gift from the two strangers he was serving.
“This morning I actually had suicidal thoughts and I didn’t feel like waking up,” he told the woman, who responded, “This is just a sign from God that you’re meant to be here and that you’re so loved.”
“Light will shine on your face again, I promise you,” the woman said as Manny thanked her for her gift and kind words.
Working in the service sector is a demanding position, one in which workers depend on tips and the general kindness of those they're serving in order to make a living wage. As inflation increases, the cost of living in the United States is spiking. The average yearly cost of living for a single person in the US is $38,266. The average cost of living for a family of four is $85,139.
While random acts of kindness are always appreciated by those who receive them, the quality of people’s daily lives depends on more than the generosity of strangers—it also depends on actionable, structural changes to how American society and the national economy operate.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.