Make a Drive-Thru Difference
May 1, 2013 by WGTS 91.9
Filed under About Us, What You Hear
When you go to the drive-thru for your morning coffee, or a quick bite at lunch, or anywhere you go to make a purchase – show a little kindness and pay the bill for the person behind you. You might just impact someone’s day in ways greater than you might imagine.
And every Wednesday, it’s Drive-Thru Difference Day – to help spread a little love around the DC area.
Here’s how to get started…
Just download a Drive-Thru Difference Note (PDF) here. Print this out – even a few copies – take it with you, and put in your car.
When you go to a drive-thru for your morning coffee or your quick lunch, simply give this flyer to the cashier and let them know you want to pay for the person behind you – then see what happens!
We would love to hear how it went – it just might encourage someone to do it, too!
- Call 877-948-7919
- Leave us a voicemail at (202) 505-4919
- Post your story to our Facebook page
- Twitter – #919difference
You can hear a story one person who has already been encouraged by the Drive-Thru Difference.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Make a Drive-Thru Difference
I am a graphic designer here in Birmingham, AL and listen daily to your show. I love every minute of it.
I am so inspired about the Make a Drive-Thru Difference program that you run that it really made me want to do the same thing here in Birmingham. Can I share this idea with a new local christian radio station to see where God will take this idea, of course it would all be credited back to you.
Your thoughts…
Hey Rick,
Thanks for asking about that–so glad you’ve been moved by the Drive-Thru Difference. I’d have to check to see if the name itself is copyrighted, but there’s nothing about doing something kind for a random stranger that is.
Pls feel free to share this with them. Most of us in the radio industry around the country are pretty well connected, so chances are they may have heard about it, but doesn’t hurt to mention to them.
Blessings,
Rob Conway
WGTS 91.9
Hi WGTS Friends!
Now that I live in Seattle I’d like to do the drive thru difference here. Can you post a note that refers people to the WGTS website rather than the radio station? Or should I make my own note?
Thanks!
Angie
i am not sure how this would work- i am often moved to pay for people in front of me after they have ordered i pay their entire bill sometimes even asking is there something else they wanted to eat , but i cant for the life of me figure out how you pay for the person behind if you do not know what they have ordered and what their bill total is, pls help me understand this-Thank you guys you are the best!!
Hi Flo!
When you pull up to the window, just tell the cashier you’d like to pay for the person behind you and they will tell you how much their order is. You just pay for it like you would yourself. And don’t forget to hand them the note!
Thanks for asking!
Hi Angie,
We should definitely put our website there, too! We have good friends at another station in Seattle that do the same thing, but I don’t think they’d mind you sending them to us, either.
Good idea. We miss you back here!
I want to Longhorn yesterday with my family to have dinner, when it was time to pay for the check, to my surprise another person have already pay for it. I was so surprised, and grateful. God work miracle in so many ways and for that I said thank you and may God continue to bless them who so ever they maybe.
God bless you and all those at your radio station who encourage others and share God’s amazing love with all who listen. I am emailing re: the drive thru difference I have heard about on your station. I fully believe that it is an absolutely wonderful way to show God’s love to others!!! However, I also believe that paying for someones meal is for God’s glory and not ours! Calling in and telling everyone listening how you paid for someones meal takes the glory away from God and puts it on yourself. How about just relaying the message to show God’s love by paying for anothers meal and then only playing the messages of those who received the blessing of a paid meal and how God’s love was shown to them? Bragging about our works takes all the glory from the one who gave us the ability to do our works. Still love your station and wonderfully uplifting praise and worship music!!
In God’s hands forever,
Robin
As a mother of a young adult that works at Chic-fil-A, I just want to let you (and everyone who does this) know how POWERFUL it is for them to see people paying for other people’s food. In a time when they have so much exposure to violence and unkindness in the world on a regular basis, (via technology, etc.) it renews their faith and hope in people. Sometimes the person that is blessed the MOST is the young person witnessing this kind gesture. Please continue to give our young people good role models in the world around us and bless you for continuing to do this.
Hello, WGTS Friends! I was blessed yesterday at a Chick-fil-a restaurant. The person in the car infront of me paid for my dinner. I didn’t receive the flyer, but I listen to you guys everyday and figured this was the Drive-Thru Difference. (I paid for the three cars behind me.) Thank you so much for this great idea!
One little suggestion: I think the flyer really should mention Jesus. I love encouraging people, but it is because of HIM that I am doing this. Just a thought. My church used this phrase on a business card: “Was just hoping to bless your day in the name of Jesus!” and then had our church info on the reverse side.
Love you guys! Keep up the good work!
kristi
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I’ve been supporting WGTS for over 12 years now and doing the drive thru difference for quite a while. Today though after giving the note and pulling up to wait for my order, one of the employees brought my order out and asked if she could get a copy of the letter. She loved the idea and wanted to pass it along. Even though I do this quite often, the response and good vibes I get each time never grow old…thanks for providing just another way to share God’s love. The giver and receiver are blessed.
My husband and I were having a rough patch in our marriage after he returned home from Afghanistan, as many Military families do. We decided to take our sons, 3 years and 3 months at the time, to a quiet dinner to get them out of the house and get away from the chaos. A beautiful older couple was seated to our right, and when they were finished they came over to our table and said: ” When my husband returned home from Vietnam, he was changed and not for the better. We have had 4 children, and now 12 grandchildren. We fought to keep our marriage whole and let me tell you one piece of advice: LET GO AND LET GOD. Fighting to keep what you think is the ideal of peace in your home only causes chaos.
We thanked them, well my husband did as I was hugging the wife and bawling. we then gathered up our children and went to pay our tab. The sweet lady at the front gave us a note and said our bill was taken care of. The note read:
LET GO AND LET GOD! We love you!
We have been faithful to that promise, and are thriving in our marriage 2 years later. Praise the Lord for bringing that wonderful couple into our lives that day!