More than 900 Dairy Queen customers pay it forward at Minnesota drive-thru

Nexstar Media Wire

Updated: Dec 10, 2020 / 07:07 PM CST

CHARLOTTE HALL, MD – OCTOBER 10: A Dairy Queen store is shown October 10, 2014 in Charlotte Hall, Maryland. Dairy Queen has said that its payment systems were breached by hackers and customer names, credit and debit card numbers, and expiration dates were recently exposed during the security breach. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

BRAINERD, Minn. (NEXSTAR) – One customer’s decision to pay it forward at a Minnesota drive-thru led to a heartwarming show of kindness spanning multiple days and involving over 900 strangers.

It all started with a Dairy Queen customer’s giving spirit in Brainerd, a small city located roughly 100 miles north of Minneapolis.

On December 3, the Dairy Queen Grill & Chill wrote on Facebook:

“Not sure if its the sun shining, or the Christmas Spirit is already here… But it started with one and we are now at about 48 cars that have paid it forward! Lets keep this caring train going! #DQ #payitforward #wereallinthistogether #spreadthejoy“

“We started asking and encouraging saying it’s been 5 cars, 15 cars, 30 cars and people getting excited. We closed Thursday night with money still on the board,” assistant manager Sandra Quam told CBS.

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By 8:44 p.m., more than 275 people had paid it forward without one drive-thru customer breaking the chain.

“If we can keep it going like this for the rest of the night we will be opening tomorrow with money forward!!! Way to go DQ Fans!!! and THANK YOU!!!,” the restaurant wrote.

Sure enough, the kindness continued for two and a half days, with more than 900 cars paying it forward.

In response to the news coverage, the restaurant posted this heartfelt message Wednesday:

“Wow.. It’s hard for us to come up with the right words to say. THIS is what we stand for, THIS is Dairy Queen. “To Create Positive Memories For ALL Who Touch DQ.” and that’s exactly what you have done. You brought smiles and maybe even a little tears to our whole Crew and we’re sure to you as well. This is a great act of Humanity, this is what the world needs a little more of. Whether it be to make someone’s day, the Holiday Spirit or to just feel like a kid again. Thank You Fans for letting as serve you one red spoon at a time! Keep the positivity going, spread the love!

Dairy Queen proceeds from the drive-thru customers paying it forward, all for the pleasure of putting a smile on a stranger’s face, surpassed $10,000.