Tears as Starbucks Worker Gets Emotional Over Customer's Touching Gesture

A customer's moving random act of kindness toward a Starbucks worker has sent internet users into a tearful meltdown.

The worker shared the story of the customer in a video from her TikTok account @dopaqueen715 and it has received more than 3.5 million views since it was shared on April 25.

The worker's name is Courtney, according to a later comment from the official TikTok account of Starbucks. She works at a branch in Little Rock, Arkansas, per the video.

The footage shows Courtney talking into a camera while sitting in a car. She says in the video: "OK, TikTok, I need your help. I'm hoping that this person is on TikTok …"

Describing herself as "loud," "proud" and "peppy as crap," the worker said the customer came into the Starbucks one morning and she could tell she was "struggling." So, Courtney was determined to "get her smiling" by putting a bit of "extra pep" in her step that day while interacting with the woman.

Minutes later, she found out the woman had left her note with $200, saying "you were the first face I saw this morning and you really brightened my day… you deserve to know that you made a difference in someone's day to day just by being kind…"

The stranger's kind gesture left Courtney in tears because she had been wanting to purchase an urn to bring her late mom, who passed away last year, home for Mother's Day. She had no idea how she would be able to afford it until the $200 that suddenly landed on her lap by way of this kind woman.

The customer's inclination to make such an unexpected generous gesture is not surprising because "performing random acts of kindness increases happiness in both givers and receivers," notes a January 2023 study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

The study found that people underestimate the power of a kind act. "From giving away a cup of hot chocolate in a park to giving away a gift in the lab, those performing a random act of kindness consistently underestimated how positive their recipients would feel, thinking their act was of less value than recipients perceived it to be," the study said.

'You Did Something That I Will Never Forget'

Courtney works part-time at Starbucks, going in at 4 a.m. and ending at around 9:30 or 10 p.m., on top of her full-time job.

She said: "I am a morning person, peppy as crap… I'm loud and I'm proud, and we love it." Courtney said the customer came in that morning and "I could tell she was kind of struggling." So, Courtney thought she must put a "little extra pep in our step today, we gotta get her [the customer] smiling."

She said: "So, we did and a couple of minutes later, she came in and she gave my manager a note and asked her to hand it to me."

The note read: "I travel a lot for work… I haven't had to travel to Little Rock for six months until this week. I've been here for two days and so far, you have been the only person that I've encountered that has been genuinely kind…

"I hope you have the very best day. I know I will thanks to you. Treat yourself to something nice, I can tell you deserve it… sincerely, the groggy woman at 5 a.m. Do good in this world and it will always come back to you," the note concluded.

Courtney reveals in the video that this year would mark her first Mother's Day without her mom, who passed away in June. She works part-time at Starbucks on top of her full-time job because of "a lot of bills to pay and a lot of debt that I have inherited to get under control."

Noting that she was dreading the arrival of Mother's Day, Courtney said she had been looking to purchase an urn to "bring my mom home for Mother's Day" and had "no idea" how she would afford it.

In tears, she says in the clip: "But the $200 that you put in that note today allows me to spend Mother's Day with my mom and I appreciate you so much for that. So, if you're out there and you're on TikTok, thank you for the impact that you made on my life. And I hope that you see this and know that you did something that I will never forget…"

'She Is an Angel'

TikTok users were in a flood of tears and moved by the latest random act of kindness.

Carrie Juntunen-bu wrote, "I was crying before you were crying," and victoria posted: "I'm bawling my eyes out. This is what the world needs."

Tami noted: "She's not out there honey. She is an angel that your mom sent. this is the most beautiful story. I know how important it is for you to bring her home."

Rafi1963 agreed, saying "YOUR MOM SENT THAT WOMAN TO YOU!"

P. Richards03 wrote: "I hope she sees this and the impact of her returned kindness."

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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