A brief detour for a simple act of kindness led to an 80,000 percent tip for an Idaho pizza delivery driver on the brink of retirement.
A doorbell camera captured Dan Simpson, 68, a Domino’s Pizza delivery worker in Boise, making a stop at a convenience store to buy Diet Coke for a customer when the restaurant had run out. His thoughtful gesture has since resulted in over $46,000 being raised on a GoFundMe page.
Customer Brian Wilson didn’t respond to Simpson’s inquiry about a replacement drink, so Simpson, in late March, decided to grab a 2-liter bottle from across the street to ensure his delivery was complete.
“You really didn’t have to do that,” Wilson can be heard saying in the doorbell video as Simpson hands him two bottles.
Wilson intended to increase his tip but didn’t have cash on hand.
“They say I put in the extra effort, but honestly, it wasn’t a big deal,” Simpson said later.
“It might have seemed like a small act on the surface,” Wilson noted. “But for us, it felt so much more significant. That kind of consideration is pretty rare these days.”
The tip, according to local calculations, was truly remarkable—over 80,000 percent.
Footage of their interaction, shared on TikTok, gained 600,000 views and sparked an overwhelming wave of support. Wilson established a crowdfunding page that not only reached the initial goal of $45,000 within a week but had climbed to $46,837 by Easter Sunday.
Wilson is set to retire at the end of April after spending 14 years delivering pizzas at night while working for the Idaho Department of Agriculture.
He also expressed that this moment would help Simpson “step into retirement feeling appreciated, supported, and celebrated,” as noted on GoFundMe.
Simpson was amazed at the viral reaction.
“This can’t be real,” he recalled, noting how he repeatedly checked his phone as donations came flooding in. “I kept thinking, ‘This has to be a scam or something.'”
The senior delivery driver, who works night shifts alongside his state job, has always tried to lend a helping hand.
Simpson shared that he had gone to prison over 20 years ago for drunk driving, got sober, and returned to education. Like many, he struggles to save for retirement despite consistent work.
Picking up the Diet Coke felt like a natural thing to do.
“I’ve always aimed to be a kind person and assist others because I understand what it’s like to face tough times,” he remarked.
The windfall of $46,000 was described as a sudden blessing—a term often used by those in recovery to signify a moment of grace.
“The world could really use more kindness,” Wilson added in a TikTok caption.
Simpson mentioned that after retirement, he hopes to use some of the funds for a trip to see California’s stunning redwood trees, while he plans to keep delivering pizzas for Domino’s Pizza.
