Chick-fil-A Employee Finds and Returns $10,000 in Bathroom

Worker tries to refuse reward after helping customer recover lost cash

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:53pm

A highly stylized, pop art-inspired illustration featuring a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich repeated in a grid pattern, with bold, vibrant colors and heavy black outlines, conceptually representing the inspiring story of a fast-food worker's integrity.A Chick-fil-A employee's honesty in returning a customer's lost cash exemplifies the power of small acts of kindness.Kinston Today

A Chick-fil-A employee in Kinston, North Carolina named Jaydon Cintron found two envelopes containing $9,833 in cash on the bathroom floor and immediately worked to return the money to its rightful owner, a customer who had accidentally left it behind.

Why it matters

This story highlights the honesty and integrity of a fast-food worker who went above and beyond to do the right thing, even when presented with a large cash windfall. It serves as an inspiring example of how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in people's lives.

The details

Cintron discovered the two envelopes full of cash next to the toilet in the Chick-fil-A bathroom. Despite the temptation, his first instinct was to try to return the money to its owner. He alerted his manager, who was able to identify the customer who had left the cash behind and reunite them with their lost money.

  • On April 3, Cintron found the cash in the Chick-fil-A bathroom.

The players

Jaydon Cintron

A Chick-fil-A employee in Kinston, North Carolina who found and returned $9,833 in cash that a customer had accidentally left behind in the restaurant's bathroom.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They were on the floor next to the toilet. My first thought was just like, 'Okay, no, this isn't happening,'”

— Jaydon Cintron, Chick-fil-A Employee

What’s next

The customer who lost the money was able to retrieve it from the Chick-fil-A restaurant after Cintron alerted the manager.

The takeaway

Jaydon Cintron's honesty and integrity in returning a large sum of lost cash, even when presented with the opportunity to keep it, serves as an inspiring example of the power of doing the right thing and looking out for others in one's community.