Good samaritans can be found in the most unlikely of places — even the drive-thru lanes of your local fast-food faves.
On Jan. 16, TikTok user Josiah Vargas, aka @dookiedoeboy, shared a video detailing his trip to a McDonald’s drive-thru in Elkhart, Indiana that resulted in him receiving much more than he ordered. In the now-viral clip, which has amassed over 2.3 million views, Vargas is shocked by what he finds in his to-go bag instead of breakfast: thousands of dollars.
Vargas explains that he ordered a Sausage McMuffin from the drive-thru, and when he looked inside the bag the worker handed him, he found their "deposit."
After showing some of the contents of the bag, which contains stacks of bills and change assorted in individual Ziploc bags, a shellshocked Vargas examines what was erroneously handed to him instead of his breakfast sandwich.
“Why? There’s a couple thousand dollars here,” Vargas says, holding up a baggie full of $20 bills. “Like, why would they do this? Why would they give this to me?"
Vargas took to TikTok to share his shocking discovery, knowing that he could easily take the money and leave the McDonald's workers in quite a bind. But, ultimately, he says he knows what he needs to do.
You know how bad I want this money? Why put me in this situation?
Josiah Vargas
“What the f---? Now I have to return it because I’m a good person, I guess,” Vargas says, putting the money back in the bag. "How interesting."
Pulling back up to the McDonald’s, Vargas unbuckles his seatbelt and before he heads in, he asks the universe, presumably, “Why would you guys do this to me? You know how bad I want this money? Why put me in this situation?"
After he walks into the store with his phone’s camera still recording but pointed toward the ground, he approaches the register with a joke.
“You guys laundering money around here?” Vargas says to a worker at the register who realizes he’s returning the cash they had been looking for. Amid all the relieved reactions from staff that can be heard from McDonald’s staff, one employee asks if they could give him a hug — which he accepts.
Back in the car, Vargas reflects on his good deed. “I cut that short, but they were just all hugging me and thanking me,” he says, adding that some folks were crying. “Free McDonald’s for a month, I guess.”
“When I was driving away. They called me back in. They gave me $200,” he says, smiling. The TikTok ends with Vargas sharing what he believes to be the moral of the story.
“Do good, people. Return $5000, got $200 and free McDonald’s for a month,” he says. “Good trade value and maybe a viral TikTok.”
A representative for McDonald’s did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
Response to Vargas’ video has been mostly positive, with commenters on his video lauding him for his selflessness.
“You did such a good thing for them!” wrote one TikTok user.
“It’s called integrity, doing the right thing even when no one is looking!,” commented another TikTok user. “Great job.”
“Your integrity is worth more. Good job,” said the official TikTok account for Santa Claus (yes, really). Vargas let Santa know that he’s a “HUGE FAN.” (Vargas will no doubt be on the "Nice" list this year.)
Others tagged McDonald’s to suggest it award Vargas with a little something extra as a thank-you.
“@McDonald’s Corporate y’all better send a card or something,” said one user on TikTok.
“They owe this guy free McDonalds for at least a year, not a month,” said another commenter.
Vargas’ sister, Haddie Keenum, started a GoFundMe, playfully titled "Get dookiedoeboy some McMoney!!” to get him some monetary support.
“It was 100% a test from the universe,” Keenum writes in the fundraiser description. “He did the RIGHT THING by returning it and saving the employees of their jobs, PLUS McDonald’s from losing thousands in cash deposit.”
As of this writing, it has raised $1,212 raised of its $5,000 goal.
“He deserves it!! He’s one of the most honest and hardest workers I know,” Keenum writes. “And I grew up with the kid!!”
