How about buying a cup of coffee for someone you’ll never meet? It may sound like the latest trend in showy barista techniques, but a "suspended coffee" is much more heartwarming than a snazzy latte.

给你可能从未见过的人买杯咖啡，这个想法你觉得怎么样？“待用咖啡” 光听名字，像是时下最流行的花哨咖啡技艺，但其实一杯“待用咖啡” 比一杯拉花漂亮的拿铁要温暖得多。

Born in the cafes of Italy’s southern city of Naples, the "caffe sospeso" (which literally¹ means “suspended coffee”) is a tradition in which someone pays in advance for an extra cup or two, which can then be consumed by a coffee-drinker-in-need later in the day.

“待用咖啡” 的意大利语是caffe sospeso，这个传统起源于意大利南部城市那不勒斯的咖啡馆，在那里人们可以提前多买一两杯咖啡，给其他可能比较贫困的咖啡爱好者享用。

A customer-in-need can then later ask if there is a “suspended coffee” available and have a hot drink without having to pay for it.

后来的囊中羞涩的顾客可以问问是否有“待用咖啡”，如果有就可以不用付钱也能喝上一杯热热的咖啡。

The idea has become an international internet sensation with coffee shops in Europe and North America participating in the movement. The Facebook page alone has more than 28,000 “likes.”

这个主意如今已经在全球范围内在网络上引起了轰动，欧洲和北美的咖啡店也都加入到了“待用咖啡”运动中来，该活动的脸书主页获得了超过2.8万个“赞”。

The tradition of “suspended coffee” is a long-standing tradition in Italy that increased in popularity after the Second World War. Agence France-Presse reported last week that the practice was starting to take hold in other European countries hit hard economically. More than 150 cafés in Bulgaria were taking part.

“待用咖啡” 在意大利有着悠久的传统，从二战开始慢慢流行起来。法新社上周报道称，在欧洲经济受到重创的情况下，这个传统在其他欧洲国家也渐渐固定下来。在保加利亚超过150家咖啡馆加入进来。

At cafes that participate in the custom, customers can ask if there are any “suspended coffees” available, and if so, they are supplied with a beverage², thanks to the kindness of a stranger.

在加入此项传统的咖啡馆里，顾客们可以问问是否有“待用咖啡”提供，如果有就可以给他们提供咖啡饮品，这都是因为某位陌生人的善心之举。