Domino’s delivery executive's small gesture earns him ₹33 lakh in donations

Dan Simpson didn’t know that a routine pizza delivery in the US state of Idaho would turn out to be a life-changing moment for him. The 68-year-old, who works for Domino’s, has received more than $40,000 (around ₹33.2–33.5 lakh) in donations after going out of his way to help a customer.

While making a delivery on March 27, Simpson realised that the store had run out of Diet Coke. The customer, Brian Wilson, did not answer his call about a substitute. To ensure customer satisfaction, Simpson decided to buy the drink himself from a nearby convenience store. He picked up two large bottles before completing the delivery.

“On the surface, it probably looked like such a small gesture,” Wilson told the Idaho Statesman. “But to us, it felt like so much more than that. That kind of thoughtfulness and personal care just feels so rare these days.”

When Simpson arrived, Wilson said he did not have extra cash for a tip and offered to contact the shop. However, Simpson declined.

“Oh, you don’t need to. It’s a good tip,” Simpson said in the video.

A clip of the moment shared on TikTok has since gained over 600,000 views. A brief interaction, recorded on a doorbell camera and later shared online, quickly spread across social media, turning a simple gesture into a widely shared story of kindness.

In the video, Simpson calmly explains that he had made an extra stop to pick up the drink, apologising for the delay.

Touched by the act, Wilson set up a GoFundMe page to support Simpson, who plans to retire on April 30 and has faced financial difficulties. The fundraiser has nearly reached its $45,000 goal within eight days.

Wilson later explained why the gesture meant so much.

“What Dan didn’t know is that my wife and I are both visually impaired, so running out to the store for a ‘quick’ pickup is not something that is simple or easy for us,” he said.

“What may have seemed like a tiny inconvenience to solve on his end actually made a huge difference on ours.”

“This can’t be real,” he was quoted as saying by the New York Post, recalling how he kept checking his phone as donations poured in. “I’m thinking, ‘This has got to be some kind of a scam.’”

He said he has always tried to help others, explaining that he previously served time in prison for a drink-driving offence, later got sober and returned to education more than 20 years ago. Despite working for years, including a job with the Idaho Department of Agriculture, he has struggled to save for retirement.

“I’ve always tried to be a pretty nice guy and help people out, because I know what it’s like to be down and out,” he said.

“The world needs more Dans,” Wilson wrote in his TikTok caption.

“I love when humans human,” one user commented, while another said, “This is old school respect and going beyond duty.”

After donating, one supporter wrote: “I love that people respect how hard it is to do this job and risky, especially for older people. Bless you for doing this and happy retirement Dan!”