Mexico: Kindness Thursday Pay-It-Forward Team Ritual

Kindness Thursday Pay-It-Forward Team Ritual, Mexico

Context

Many communities in Mexico describe everyday acts of generosity. In neighborhoods, people freely share food, offer help to strangers, and rally together after natural disasters – living by the adage “hoy por ti, mañana por mí” (“today for you, tomorrow for me”). This communal spirit of solidaridad (solidarity) is a widely referenced ideal that encourages those who are able to uplift others in need, while practices vary by region and group. Some companies in Mexico have begun channeling that ethos into workplace culture, while others take different approaches to community service and team bonding. As Víctor González Herrera, CEO of Farmacias Similares, put it, “¿Qué pasaría si en nuestro país hubiera más empatía, más unión, más esperanza? Busquemos eso juntos” – what if our country had more empathy, unity, hope? Let’s find out together (translation by editors) *.

A vivid example comes from an unlikely place: the corner pharmacy. At Farmacias Similares – a ubiquitous drugstore chain famous for its jovial mustachioed mascot “Dr. Simi” – team morale and customer care entwine in playful ritual. At some locations and events, employees in Dr. Simi costumes dance on the sidewalk outside a store, playing music and waving to passersby while avoiding clinical areas *. Stuffed toy Simis dressed as mariachis or superheroes adorn office desks, reinforcing a sense of fun and family. But behind the silliness lies a serious cultural innovation: a weekly tradition that turns ordinary pharmacists and cashiers into ambassadors of kindness.

Meet Farmacias Similares

Farmacias Similares was founded in 1997 by entrepreneur Víctor González Torres with a mission to make healthcare affordable. By selling generic medicines at deep discounts (hence “Similares,” meaning “similar” to name brands) and offering low‑cost doctor consultations in attached clinics, the company became a healthcare lifeline for many people living on tight budgets. Operating on a massive scale – the company reports 9,500+ pharmacies across all 32 Mexican states – the chain leverages volume to keep prices low * *. Its mascot, Dr. Simi, personifies friendly service: a plump, joyful character who appears at events to dance and greet customers with consent to brighten their day *. This down-to-earth approach earned Farmacias Similares a special place in Mexican hearts, transforming Dr. Simi from a goofy marketing gimmick into, as one news outlet put it, “un símbolo querido y respetado” – a beloved symbol now synonymous with generosity and caring *.

In March 2023, Farmacias Similares’ leadership decided to amplify that caring spirit with a bold experiment in everyday altruism. They launched “Jueves de Bondad” – literally “Kindness Thursday” – as a company-wide ritual. The company reports that each Thursday most branches use a documented random method to select one customer to have their purchase free of charge *. There is no obligation to reciprocate; the invitation to pay the kindness forward is optional and offered privately where possible. If you’re the “elegido” (chosen one), staff explain, you are invited to consider performing an act of kindness for someone else who needs help, any way you choose, but declining is completely acceptable *. This simple premise – surprise one person with goodwill and ask them to spread it – caught on quickly. By January 2025, the chain reported giving away over 900,000 purchases (worth 113 million pesos) on Kindness Thursdays *, and the once‑local initiative had spread to the company’s stores in Chile and Colombia * *.

The Ritual

Time	Scene	Purpose
09:00 🕘	Morning huddle: Manager reminds staff it’s Jueves de Bondad and confirms that participation is voluntary with socially safe alternate roles. Team preps a “Free Ticket” sticker and talks through the plan.	Set intention; build excitement among employees for giving back.
Throughout day	The selection: At a random point (often when need is observed), the next customer’s transaction is flagged. Staff quietly notify each other, complete the sale with a special receipt stamped “$0 – Jueves de Bondad,” and do not film or disclose items purchased.	Element of surprise; fairness (anyone could be chosen).
Immediately	The reveal: Cashier privately informs the customer that their purchase is free today “por bondad” (out of kindness) and offers a clear opt‑out before any public acknowledgment. If a Dr. Simi mascot is present, it may offer a discreet “Kindness Certificate” only with the customer’s consent and while avoiding clinical areas. Any public celebration occurs only with the customer’s explicit consent, and staff post signage asking patrons not to record.	Celebration of gratitude; creating a memorable emotional moment.
+1 minute	Pay-it-forward prompt: Staff explain privately that there is no obligation to reciprocate and offer an optional pay‑it‑forward card with ideas for kindness. Many recipients pledge on the spot (“I’ll help my neighbor with groceries” or “I’ll cover a stranger’s coffee”).	Extend the chain of kindness beyond the store; empower the beneficiary to become a benefactor.
17:00 🕔	Story swap: At a scheduled time or asynchronously, team members share notable reactions using accessible channels so all shifts can participate. They may record an anonymized anecdote for the company intranet after obtaining written consent or skip sharing to protect privacy.	Reflect on impact; reinforce pride and unity among staff.

(While the “random” selection should use documented methods like queue position or a lottery token, employees should not target customers based on appearance, and any needs‑based assistance should run through a separate, pre‑approved hardship fund.)

Why It Works

Jueves de Bondad turns a transaction into a human connection. For the team, it’s a weekly dose of shared purpose that transcends sales targets. Research suggests that witnessing and performing acts of kindness can increase positive emotions and trust and reduce stress, without requiring public recognition *. Pharmacists and clerks, who might otherwise be strangers on a team, bond over the uplifting rush that follows when a mother breaks down crying because she can suddenly afford her child’s medicine. Researchers describe a ‘helper’s high,’ and studies report increased positive affect after helping others, though effect sizes vary by context *. Farmacias Similares employees experience this together every Thursday, which reinforces camaraderie through a shared emotional peak.

The ritual also flattens hierarchies. In the kindness moment, titles matter less as team members coordinate a good deed within clear roles and safeguards. A junior cashier can help run the randomization and logistics, and a regional manager visiting the shop might jump in to assist with consent and bagging. That sense of collective agency (“we can all make a difference”) spills over into everyday teamwork, emboldening employees to speak up with ideas or support one another beyond their formal roles. Culturally, aligning the program with a familiar value – compassion – makes it feel authentic rather than imported corporate fluff. It taps into widely referenced ideals of neighborly help while recognizing the pharmacy’s essential‑service role and avoiding any inducement or pressure on recipients or staff. The result blends surprise, moral elevation, and shared meaning, as staff see their work as contributing to a kinder world and not just a balance sheet.

Outcomes & Impact

Internally, many employees report that Kindness Thursdays support engagement. In internal staff surveys reported by the company, Farmacias Similares workers rank “sense of purpose” as a top driver of job satisfaction, citing Jueves de Bondad as a key example of living the company’s values. Anecdotally, teams that coordinate the ritual report higher trust and better communication in day‑to‑day tasks, though formal evaluations have not been published (internal HR pulse, 2024). Some managers report observing lower turnover in high‑stress roles like pharmacy cashier, but controlled analyses are not available and the program is not tied to performance metrics. Some supervisors describe Kindness Thursday as a recurring morale boost rather than a one‑off retreat.

The public response has been just as potent. Since the start of the program, Farmacias Similares reports comping over 900,000 purchases as of January 2025 for people in Mexico and beyond * – a significant investment that CEO Víctor González Herrera has called “the best marketing we could ever buy.” The company attributes gains in customer loyalty and foot traffic to the program, though independent verification is limited. Communities spread the word that the local Similares isn’t just a store, but a place where good things happen. Some beneficiaries have even walked out and immediately paid for the next customer’s items in a pay-it-forward chain reaction *. When customers choose to share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #JuevesDeBondad, videos can go viral, but the company’s policy is not to film recipients without written consent.

Farmacias Similares has parlayed this goodwill into broader impact. Inspired by the Thursday ritual, the company organized a charity concert called “Simi Fest” in 2024, with proceeds funding reforestation projects * *. The Dr. Simi mascot itself has become a philanthropic icon – concert-goers now famously throw Dr. Simi plush dolls onstage for performers to donate to charity. In short, a humble workplace tradition has evolved into a nationwide movement. The brand’s slogan used to be “The same, but cheaper”; now it might as well be “The same, but kinder.”

Lessons for Global Team Leaders

Principle	Why It Matters	How to Translate
Purpose Beyond Profit	A shared higher mission unites teams and boosts morale. When work feels meaningful, people bring their best selves.	Tie a team ritual to a social or community cause. For example, a software firm could dedicate one sprint per quarter to a pro bono project.
Micro-altruism, Often	Frequent small acts have more cultural impact than rare grand gestures. Regular repetition hard-wires kindness into the culture.	Instead of an annual charity day, institute a mini “give back” ritual every week or month (e.g. one free service to a community member, chosen at random).
Frontline Empowerment	Letting employees drive the ritual (and decide how to execute it) builds ownership and pride. Those closest to the customer often know best where kindness is needed.	Provide a basic framework with compliance guardrails and per‑transaction caps, allow local teams to adapt, and offer remote‑friendly and non‑physical participation options. For instance, give each store or department a modest budget or permission to comp a customer, and let staff choose the moment.
Celebrate Reactions	Sharing the joy and stories reinforces positive behavior. It reminds everyone of the human impact behind the numbers.	Publish a one‑page explainer with why now, voluntary opt‑out language, data use and ≤90‑day retention, cultural credit to Farmacias Similares/Mexico, and create a channel (Slack, email thread, bulletin board) for team members to post “kindness stories” or shout‑outs after each ritual. Highlight these in all-hands meetings to show leadership values them.
Make It Authentic	A ritual will only stick if it aligns with local culture and company values – otherwise it feels forced. Authentic practices inspire genuine participation, not just compliance.	Adapt the theme to your context and credit the origin of ideas: in Mexico it’s community kindness, elsewhere it might be mentorship, sustainability, or gratitude, and do not use proprietary names or likenesses (e.g., Dr. Simi) without permission. Ensure leadership participates visibly, modeling the behavior sincerely.

Implementation Playbook

Identify a need to serve. Look at your product or service – what’s one thing you could give away or do pro bono on a regular schedule? Choose something that resonates with your team’s values and complies with legal and regulatory limits, and where giveaways are restricted, consider non‑monetary acts.
Brand your ritual. Give it a name and identity that energize people while crediting the Mexican origin and avoiding use of protected names or likenesses without permission. “Kindness Thursday” alliterates in Spanish (Jueves de Bondad) and set a clear weekday cadence. Pick a day or date that works for your context (maybe “First Friday Favor” or “Monthly Mentorship Monday”).
Set simple guidelines. Farmacias Similares made the rules easy: use a documented randomization method, offer the gift privately with a clear opt‑out, make any pay‑it‑forward invitation optional and private, and prohibit filming without written consent. Define your equivalent clearly and run a 6–8 week pilot with success thresholds (e.g., ≥70% voluntary participation and a small uplift in belonging) and stop rules for safety, opt‑in below 40%, or compliance issues. Keep bureaucracy low while obtaining Legal/Compliance sign‑off, setting per‑transaction caps and excluded categories, and using approved budget codes.
Train and trust your team. Explain the purpose to all employees and emphasize that participation is voluntary with socially safe alternate roles, anti‑bias training, and accessibility options. Provide any necessary resources (budget for freebies, certificates, stickers, etc.). Then trust local teams to carry it out and use their judgment – they’ll feel pride in making it their own.
Close the loop with stories. Establish a habit of reflecting on each ritual cycle. Collect anonymized anecdotes only with written consent and minimal data, and set a retention period of 90 days unless law requires otherwise. Share these stories internally with privacy safeguards, capture simple proxies (e.g., voluntary participation rate, belonging/purpose scores, and a CX metric), and obtain Legal/HR review for any external use.

Common Pitfalls

Tokenism or PR spin: If leadership treats the ritual as just a marketing stunt and doesn’t truly believe in it, employees and customers will smell the insincerity. The kindness must be genuine and unconditional (no strings like forcing sign-ups or publicity from recipients).
Inconsistency: Failing to do it every time, or having some managers skip it due to pressure, will erode trust. Make sure the ritual is treated as sacrosanct as any business process. Set a consistent cadence while honoring staff opt‑outs and safety or regulatory pauses.
Ignoring employee input: Frontline staff are the eyes and ears. If they suggest improvements (e.g., refining the documented randomization method or proposing a separate, criteria‑based hardship fund), listen. A ritual can lose impact if it becomes too rigid or detached from reality on the ground, so include asynchronous participation options and rotate debrief times to include all shifts.

Reflection & Call to Action

Farmacias Similares’ Kindness Thursdays prove that team-building can extend beyond the team – binding people not only to each other but to a community. Every Thursday, a retail crew that might have otherwise just been stocking shelves or minding a till becomes, collectively, a force for good. They share in the exhilaration of changing someone’s day, which in turn fortifies their trust in one another. It’s a beautiful feedback loop: doing good together makes the team stronger, and a stronger team is capable of doing even more good.

What ritual of kindness or solidarity could your organization adopt? You don’t need a big budget – just a bit of creativity, respect for the Mexican origins of this idea, and clear consent‑and‑compliance guardrails to commit to it consistently. It could be as simple as a weekly shout-out session where each person publicly thanks someone who helped them, or a rotating “community give-back” ticket like Similares did. The key is frequency and heart. Start small, keep it genuine, and invite everyone to take part. As the Dr. Simi story shows, a little act of compassion, repeated regularly, can snowball into a movement that uplifts your team and those around you. In the end, the strongest bonds are forged not only by working together, but by caring together – one Thursday at a time.