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BURLINGTON, N.C. — A single act of kindness by a woman in the drive-thru line at a Burlington Starbucks turned into a ripple effect that inspired nearly 200 customers to “pay it forward.”

According to the Burlington Times-News, when a woman paid for her coffee around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday at the Starbucks on Huffman Mill Road, she told the barista she wanted to also pay for the person behind her in line.

When the barista told the next customer her order had been paid for, that woman decided to do the same — and the trend continued for about two and half hours.

The barista on duty said they see these gestures from time to time, but it usually only lasts for about 10 customers, not 200.

Source: Burlington Times-News