Get A Free Coffee on Jonathan Stark

This is a wild but very cool social experiment.

You download his card and you can buy a coffee with his card, so it’s free.

By downloading Jonathan’s Card to your smartphone and using it for free coffee, you’re taking part in one heck of a caffeinated social experiment.

Stark is a computer programmer in Rhode Island interested in how technology intersects with societal advancement. He’s inviting people to use the money on his card to buy coffee, then asking them to tweet about the project.

And it they want, they can put some money back on the card. He has a twitter account that updates the current amount on the card.

When I last checked, there was $54.90 for free coffee. About 40 minutes ago, it was empty. And even earlier in the day, there was $130.69.

Stark says it’s a modern-day take on the “take a penny, leave a penny” jars you see at markets and convenience stores. The idea is that the generosity of strangers will offset all those free lattes.

“Jonathan’s Card is an experiment in social sharing of physical goods using digital currency on mobile phones,” Stark writes on his website.

As seen on seattle pi