It was an epic Taco Thursday for diners arriving for lunch at Rusty Taco on September 20. CultureMap showed up at the Bluebonnet Circle taco shop (formerly known as R Taco) with some good news: their lunch was paid for.
The pop-up surprise was one in a series of special events designed to help folks in Dallas-Fort Worth show generosity and spread optimism. As part of CultureMap's new partnership with Frost Bank, and in celebration of our newly launched CultureMap Charity Guide, lucky patrons were treated to a taco lunch, free swag, and a special $10 Frost cash card that came with one request: use the money to spark a random act of kindness for someone else.
Dozens of diners grinned from ear to ear when they were greeted at the cash register with the sweet surprise.
"You made our whole day," said one woman having lunch with a co-worker after a particularly stressful morning. "You have no idea how much we needed this."
People immediately began thinking of ways to use their cash cards to "pay it forward." One TCU MBA student said she was going to the movies that night and would hand it to the person in line behind her. Another student said she'd treat someone to coffee next time she was in Starbucks.
A man from a nearby auto detail shop said he'd help someone at the grocery store pay their bill. And a worker from a local hospital said she'd stop at a convenience store to buy Gatorade for a homeless man she passes on her daily commute.
Teenagers from nearby Paschal High School had fun modeling their new free hats and mugged for their cellphone cameras. Participants were encouraged to post photos on social media with the hashtag #frostitforward.
Because we at CultureMap also want to "Frost it forward," we have created our Dallas-Fort Worth Charity Guide as a one-stop destination for area nonprofits and charities. Search for an organization by name or category to learn about the mission and how to give back.
Know of an organization that deserves the spotlight? Tell us here.
The pop-up was one of several surprise events in Dallas-Fort Worth over the course of 2018. Each month, the CultureMap street team will head to a secret location to surprise and delight folks throughout DFW. Follow along on Instagram and Twitter for hints about our next stop.
Zack Short, Lilly Guttery, and Fisher Tomlin model their new hats, courtesy of Frost and CultureMap, for photographer Elena Torres.
The Vineyards Campground & Cabins. Photo courtesy of Campspot 