homeless man's hands
Julie Hambleton
Julie Hambleton
December 24, 2023 ·  2 min read

Homeless Man: ‘What Can I Get for $0.50?’–Boy’s Answer Is Wise Beyond His Years

Everyone working in the hospitality industry knows how grueling it can be. Careless customers who are somehow “always right,” have bad attitudes or absolutely no manners, and the list goes on. But after hearing this story, it got us thinking… How joyful could every industry be if they had more employees like Matthew Resendez? It all happened on a regular day at Burger King when a homeless man walked into the fast-food restaurant Matthew works at. The man strolled in wearing scruffy clothes and looked untidy.

None of that stopped Matthew from treating the man like he treats everyone else – as a human being. With some change in his hand – 50 cents in total – he asked Matthew if there was anything on the menu he could buy. Knowing that the man, unfortunately, would not be able to afford anything on the Burger King menu, Matthew answered a question with a question. He asked the man what he would purchase if he could, to which he responded that anything would help his aches and pains.

The Epitome of Hospitality for a Homeless Man

We’ll continue the story in just a second because Matthew’s mom said it best. Upon hearing what her caring son did during his shift, she took Facebook to share it with others!

Proud mom moment! Matthew worked this evening and a homeless gentlemen walked in the restaurant with .50 cents and asked if there was anything on the menu he could buy. Matthew asked him what he would order if he could and the man said anything would help his hunger pains. So Matthew rung him up for a hearty meal and then used his own debit card to pay for the mans meal. He handed him the receipt and told him to relax and take a seat. The story could end there and It would be a happy ending, but apparently a women watched my son during his random act of kindness. Not only did she write the company to let them know about the caring employee they had working for them, she also rewarded my son with a very generous tip! So proud to be his mom and I can pat myself on the back knowing that I’ve played a part in raising this big hearted young man.

The homeless are often treated with little to no respect – simply discarded by society. Time and again, employees or managers kick homeless people out of establishments with little to no dialogue. Whether it’s some food or kind words they’re looking for, those generous acts can go a long way. Already, Matthew’s story of kindness has reached millions and we hope it reaches millions more! It’s stories like this one that keeps us hopeful for the world and younger generations.

Keep Reading: True Solidarity: Homeless Man Starts Company, Becomes Rich and Hires Only Other Homeless People