Paying It Forward With 'Suspended Coffee' at Starbucks

So here is a "movement" that people are supposedly trying to make happen these days: suspended coffee. The idea goes that do-gooder-type people should order more coffee than they need and ask for the extra to be "suspended" and given to someone needy who comes in asking for it. Starbucks Melody reports that this is "a huge viral hit on various social networking sites," and, indeed, some folks on Facebook are already asking Starbucks to institute the policy of letting people pay their coffee forward. According to Snopes, this is a real thing that "has been described as an old Italian tradition."

But, as Starbucks Melody points out, suspending coffee is maybe not the most practical of ways a person can help the needy. First of all, truly needy people probably aren't on Facebook to find out that there is such a thing as "suspended coffee." Also, maybe food donations are a better route? But, still, it's a nice thought.

· The Suspended Coffee Movement [Starbucks Melody via Consumerist]
· All Coffee Coverage on Eater [-E-]