Making karma coffee available to everyone

PAYING it forward at a coffee shop isn’t a new idea, but one cafe has made it even easier to buy a drink for someone in need. Making karma coffee available to everyone.

Usually, the idea is you pay for two drinks instead of one, so if someone wants a drink but can’t afford it, they can ask to use the ‘pay it forward’ bank instead. But Bean N Loaf cafe in Fitzgibbon, Queensland, Australia, took that and created the ‘pay with a Post-it’ system.

People with a little extra cash can pay for a Post-it, add a message and stick it to the board, while those who are struggling, take a note, and use it to pay.

The idea has been shared widely after a customer shared a photo to The Kindness Pandemic Facebook group, saying that it ‘caught her eye’ and deserved to be appreciated.

She said: ‘This beautiful new sign at my coffee shop caught my eye this morning. ‘A gentle reminder that kindness can be so easy to spread. I can not wait to watch it grow to be covered in Post-it’s!

I’ll be adding one each time I go! ‘We need more of these around! Everywhere!

‘Can you imagine a world where everyone shared what they had, shared love freely, and created smiles so easily!? There is an infinite amount of these available, spread that shit like fairy dust!’

The message on the board said: ‘Lost a job or doing it tough? If you do, enjoy a coffee already paid for by a stranger. Take a Post-it to the counter for a free coffee. We’re all in this together.’

The owner of the shop Rudra Chhetri started the system back in March when they were only able to sell takeaway coffee. He started by adding 10 coffees himself but has enjoyed seeing it grow. ‘We’ve had Qantas employees who lost their jobs come in for a coffee. More people are buying them than using them at the moment though,’ Rudra explained.

The coffee shop posted on Facebook: ‘It has been beautifully received by many in our local community. We hope this grows nationally and perhaps even globally. Thank you to each and every one of you for being part of this movement.’

One person said: ‘I always add a karma coffee to my purchase, but this seems a better idea at the moment. It makes those in need aware of the option. I vividly remember the days I couldn’t afford a cup of coffee. Well done to all the cafes offering these options.’

Another added: ‘I wish all cafes would adopt this idea. It would make such a difference to all the “forgotten” people out there by showing them they are not so forgotten after all. Who knows, it might just mean the difference between living and dying in someone’s mind.’

Perhaps its time we started to do this everywhere, spreading a little love and helping each other when we are able, it may make us feel less embarrassed when we have those times of crisis ourselves and need a little help.

We would love to hear how you are adopting this system to help not only your business but the local community which you serve.

We hope you enjoyed this article “Making karma coffee available to everyone”.

Euro Weekly News is delighted to continue to be able to bring you a range of News that doesn’t cost you anything but your internet connection. Whether it’s Local Spanish News or International Entertainment News, we’ve got you covered!