• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

'We didn’t see this coming': Wall Street eats its forecasts as stocks sell off globally on fear of AI bubble ahead of SpaceX IPO

2

Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates

3

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon

1

'We didn’t see this coming': Wall Street eats its forecasts as stocks sell off globally on fear of AI bubble ahead of SpaceX IPO

2

Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates

3

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
RetailMcDonald's

McDonald’s customer given $5,000 in cash instead of a sausage McMuffin—and he’s gone viral for returning it

Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 24, 2023, 8:27 AM ET
A sausage Egg McMuffin meal with hash browns and coffee
One McDonald’s customer did not get the breakfast order he expected.Jeff Zelevansky—Bloomberg via Getty Images

“Do good, people!” That is the message from a McDonald’s customer who claims he was handed $5,000 in cash instead of his breakfast roll, then went back to the restaurant to return it.

In a video posted to TikTok last week, Josiah Vargas records himself sitting in his car while parked in the lot of the fast-food chain.

Turning the camera to a plastic bag on his passenger seat, he claims he ordered a sausage McMuffin but was instead handed a bag filled with wads of cash.

“What is this? Why would they do this?’ he says. “I have to return it because I’m a good person. Why would [they] do this to me? You know how bad I want this money?”

Vargas then films himself walking back into McDonald’s, with staff shrieking in relief when he sets the money on the counter. “I want to give you a hug,” says one. Another tells him, “You are a blessing from God.”

@dookiedoeboy

#fyp #mcdonalds #deposit #dogoodthings

♬ original sound – Josiah Vargas

A smiling Vargas is then shown back in his car saying the staff were “crying and hugging [him].”

For his Good Samaritan act of kindness, he claims he’ll get free McDonald’s for a month, and even got a little bonus thrown on top.

“When I was driving away they called me back in to give me $200—do good, people,” he added.

The video—which features #dogoodthings—has been viewed 2.3 million times. It has 489,000 likes and almost 23,000 comments, many of which are congratulating Vargas on doing the right thing.

As well as becoming an internet sensation, Vargas has also been gifted $1,067 by his new fans.

A GoFundMe seemingly set up by Vargas’s sister is linked in his TikTok profile. It says, “My little brother went through a McDonald’s drive-through the other day and received a bag full of cash. It was 100% a test from the universe.

“Let’s come together and get this man that money. He deserves it. He’s one of the most honest and hardest workers I know.”

In response he posted a video, saying, “This is crazy. I wasn’t expecting anyone to donate. Thank you! I don’t know what to say. This is your sign to do good things, people.”

McDonald’s has been contacted for comment.

Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Sign up here.

About the Author
Eleanor Pringle
By Eleanor PringleSenior Reporter, Economics and Markets
LinkedIn icon

Eleanor Pringle is an award-winning senior reporter at Fortune covering news, the economy, and personal finance. Eleanor previously worked as a business correspondent and news editor in regional news in the U.K. She completed her journalism training with the Press Association after earning a degree from the University of East Anglia.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

Chinese beauty brands flock to Southeast Asia as their first step in going global
RetailChina
Chinese beauty brands flock to Southeast Asia as their first step in going global
By Angelica AngJune 9, 2026
1 hour ago
John Furner, CEO, Walmart US
SuccessCost of living
Walmart CEO John Furner says even wealthy shoppers are now shopping at the discount grocery chain as high prices stretch six-figure earners
By Emma BurleighJune 8, 2026
15 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris
SuccessThe Promotion Playbook
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title,’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
15 hours ago
Gas over $4 looks like tipping point as Walmart customers don’t fill tanks, fast food loses cheapest diners
Retailgas prices
Gas over $4 looks like tipping point as Walmart customers don’t fill tanks, fast food loses cheapest diners
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressJune 7, 2026
2 days ago
Allison Sheehan
SuccessJobs
This Gen Zer got reprimanded at Goldman for making cake videos as the ‘Investment Baker.’ She quit her job and is building a dessert empire
By Emma BurleighJune 7, 2026
2 days ago
John Furner
SuccessCareers
Walmart CEO John Furner worked his way up from the garden center. After 30 years, he’s sharing the one trait that matters most in his job
By Preston ForeJune 4, 2026
5 days ago

Most Popular

'We didn’t see this coming': Wall Street eats its forecasts as stocks sell off globally on fear of AI bubble ahead of SpaceX IPO
Economy
'We didn’t see this coming': Wall Street eats its forecasts as stocks sell off globally on fear of AI bubble ahead of SpaceX IPO
By Jim EdwardsJune 8, 2026
20 hours ago
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
Success
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
By Preston ForeJune 7, 2026
2 days ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
9 hours ago
'The golden years are not golden': Boomers are hoarding most of America's wealth and power because they're terrified of outliving their money
Economy
'The golden years are not golden': Boomers are hoarding most of America's wealth and power because they're terrified of outliving their money
By Nick LichtenbergJune 7, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
17 hours ago
SpaceX's IPO will also be a massive selling event triggering big price dislocations across the stock market as investors dump shares to buy SPCX
Investing
SpaceX's IPO will also be a massive selling event triggering big price dislocations across the stock market as investors dump shares to buy SPCX
By Jason MaJune 7, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.