The coffee ran hot and so did the good will at one Tim Hortons drive-thru in Friday afternoon.

In total, 228 customers in a row paid it forward, meaning they picked up the bill on the next person in line.

Troy Thompson, who manages the restaurant, said the energy among the staff and customers was infectious.

"They were calling out the numbers, 'We're at 162,' and they made a really big deal of it," he said. "I think that's what helped keep it going because nobody wanted to be the one who broke that streak."

Thompson said the streak lasted for about three hours, but ended when one man opted not to pay for three coffees ordered by the person behind him, even though his order of four coffees was paid for by another customer.