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The staff at a Dunkin’ in California refuse to take money from their favorite 81-year-old customer they’ve affectionately nicknamed “Grandpa” since he previously left a generous tip for all the coffee shop’s workers.

It’s a heartwarming story of people connecting and supporting each other even as the pandemic keeps them apart.

Gilbert “Gil” Walker and his wife, Virginia, started visiting the Dunkin’ in Concord, Calif., after the coronavirus pandemic made it so he could no longer meet his friends in person at another local coffee shop, People reported.

"Grandpa" Gil Walker at the Dunkin' drive-thru (Matt Cobo)

"Grandpa" Gil Walker at the Dunkin' drive-thru (Matt Cobo)

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He told the magazine that the employees were “wonderful and so nice and friendly.”

“It reminded me of the kids I had in school,” the retired teacher told People.

So when Gil Walker found out from the restaurant’s franchisee, Matt Cobo, that the 14 employees were getting their hours cut because of the pandemic, Walker brought a $20 bill for each of them – $280 total – on his next visit.

Matt Cobo (center) with some of the workers at his Concord, Calif., Dunkin'. (Matt Cobo)

Matt Cobo (center) with some of the workers at his Concord, Calif., Dunkin'. (Matt Cobo)

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“I decided to do what I could to help out a little bit,” Walker told People. “Life has been good to my wife and I, here in Concord. … We’re retired teachers, we’re not rich, but we have enough to share with what we have.”

Cobo told People that the gesture “took [his] breath away.”

“We didn’t know how to respond,” he told People. “This was new to all of us.”

Now whenever the couple visits for their usual order of an iced coffee with a maple bar and an iced chai latte, Walker said “there are four or five kids hangout out [the drive-thru window] saying, ‘It’s grandpa!’”

"Grandpa" Gil and Ginny Walker (Matt Cobo)

"Grandpa" Gil and Ginny Walker (Matt Cobo)

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“It’s a great greeting,” he told People.

The store isn’t just repaying Walker with warm greetings. They’re refusing to accept his money, and Cobo even put up a joking sign threatening that “Anyone who lets ‘Grandpa’ pay is terminated immediately.”

(Matt Cobo)

(Matt Cobo)

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To stop Walker from paying, they’ve had to get creative with excuses about why they can’t accept his money, from saying the cash register is broken to claiming that the customer ahead of him in line covered his bill, according to the report.

“Grandpa and Ginny are truly a special couple and we hope this heartwarming story brings a smile to all,” Cobo said in a written statement. “The bond between Grandpa and Ginny and our Dunkin’ staff is incredible and a testament to the spirit of giving that is at the heart of our culture.”