The idea is simple and special. When you are the recipient of something good, be grateful and then pay it forward. Spread the love.

Katie Catlin is a restaurant owner in Lapeer, and like many restaurant owners Katie has dealt with struggle during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdowns and restrictions that have come along with it. Caitlin was dealing with keeping things going and coming up with a way to keep paying her employees and keep the business running, but she wanted to do more for others as well.

Caitlin, the owner of the popular downtown Lapeer restaurant Teriyaki Madness, came up with a "pay it forward" concept to be a win/ win for both Caitlin and others in the community that may be struggling to put dinner on the table.

“The concept is if you need a meal, you can come in and go through the different tickets on the wall, find the bowl of your choice, present it to the cashier and we’re going to make a meal for you, and you’re going to walk away with a free meal,” she told ABC12. 

Caitlin even has a plan for those that can't physically make it into her location on South Main Street. She and her husband will help out and bring the meal to those in need.

She knows how hard the past year has been on not only her business, but on others and knows that good deeds and hard work pay off.

“Right now, everyone’s hurting, everyone’s scared and they don’t understand how the world is going to change, what it means for them and a lot of people are out of work right now. So for me doing something like this makes my heart explode,” Catlin told ABC12.

She notes the support for the pay it forward idea has been incredible with donations coming in not only from around the state, but places like California, Texas, and New Jersey as well.

Be sure to give some love to Teriyaki Madness in Lapeer and if you love HOT check out the Mad Sauce.

 

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