Starbucks Social Experiment: Would You Buy Coffee for a Stranger?

What if, instead of leaving a "give a penny, take a penny" tray on the counter at Starbucks, they set up a "give a coffee, take a coffee" system? And what if they made that system available to anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world?

Well, they didn't. But Jonathan did.

Jonathan's Card is a unique social experiment being carried out by Jonathan Stark, a mobile application consultant from Rhode Island. The premise is simple, but the way he put it to use is remarkable.

Basically, all he did was take a picture of his iPhone mobile Starbucks card and make it available to the public. Anyone in the world with access to a Starbucks and a smartphone can walk into their local branch and use the picture of Jonathan's Card to buy a coffee.



The card cannot be used once the balance hits zero, of course, but here's where the "give a penny" comes in.

You don't even have to have a smartphone to put money on the card. All you have to do is go to Starbucks' website, plug in the card number, and click "Reload." It allows generous users to either make a donation, or pay their karmic dues.

Jonathan's Card has been public for about a month now, but it only recently started seeing large amounts of transactions. Ever since Stark's idea was picked up by the media, the card has been dipping from $100 to $0 and back again every hour or two.

Stark told CNN on Monday, "It's been a bit emotional, actually. People's reactions have ranged from accusing me of stealing to thanking me for renewing their faith in humanity. It's been very uplifting overall, but it does hurt when the occasional pessimists -- someone games the system or sends negativity my way."

You can track the card's balance at its official Twitter feed.