A New Jersey Taco Bell customer got fed up with the drive-thru worker asking her if she wants to round up her total to make a donation. The worker’s quick comeback shocked her and made her laugh hysterically.
In a video with over 2 million views, TikToker Ashlynn (@ashlynn.7.rae) ordered food in the driver’s seat while her friend, Julie, filmed the interaction.
The worker asks, “Would you like to round up 5 cents?” The worker seemingly plugged Taco Bell’s Round Up campaign, which funds educational scholarships.
Ashlynn quickly responded, “Absolutely not.” The worker replied just as quickly, “No? All right. F—- them kids, right?”
Julie and Ashlynn crack up at the worker’s witty response. The caption reads, “This is ur sign to go to taco bell tn.”
Why Do So Many Business Ask You To Round Up?
If you’ve ever made a purchase at a major restaurant or grocery chain, there’s a good chance you’ve been prompted to round up your final total for a charity. However, some customers raised suspicions about what happens to the donations that make them refuse.
In a post on r/AskAnAmerican, a poster noticed the widespread practice and wondered why it’s so common. American shoppers weighed in.
“Many times the charities go there asking retailers for permission to solicit. Especially if it’s just a charity jar at the counter. The electronic asks are probably from larger charities with access to technology like that,” one suggested.
Another shared, “Went thru a drive thru and they asked to round up for a local hospital. This hospital has a foundation with like $50 million in assets. ridiculous.”
Some suggested that businesses even get tax breaks from asking for donations. However, this social media rumor has been debunked by Vox. Instead, customers may be able to write off the donation on their taxes if they keep their receipts.
What Did Viewers Think Of The Taco Bell Worker’s Response?
Viewers can’t believe the Taco Bell worker’s response either but applauded his sense of humor.
A commenter remarked, “He matched the energy immediately!”
“I absolutely love this new generation of workers,” a second said.
Others said the Taco Bell workers they’ve spoken to have made similar remarks.
“Last night at Taco Bell the guys said ‘yea, me neither. Drive around,'” one wrote.
Another shared, “I said this to my Taco Bell guy and he said ‘damn it’s 5 cents what them kids do.'”
“As someone who worked at a taco bell for years that response on both ends is extremely common,” a third added.
However, some encouraged the TikToker to reconsider refusing to donate, pointing out that the charity has helped students they know.
“Taco Bell is the only place I will round up because they actually do use it for scholarships for their employees. There’s a girl on here that if im remembering correctly was able to get her tuition paid like 4 times because of it,” one viewer pointed out.
@ashlynn.7.rae this is ur sign to go to taco bell tn #tacobell @tacobell #funny fthemkids@juls
BroBible reached out to Ashlynn via TikTok direct message and comment and to Taco Bell via email. We will update the story when they reply.