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Teriyaki Madness is "paying it forward" to help healthcare workers

Posted at 6:48 PM, Apr 08, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-08 20:49:55-04

GREAT FALLS — An empty dining room isn’t how Teriyaki Madness owner Aaron Weissman likes his restaurant to look. But it’s a sign of the times. The COVID-19 pandemic has limited many restaurants to delivery and take-out only, but the Great Falls community has helped keep things running.

And now, Teriyaki Madness is lending a hand. The chain has a new promotion aimed at helping healthcare workers. It’s called the Pay It Forward campaign. Sponsors spend $75, and Teriyaki Madness will match that to cater a teriyaki bar at hospitals and other facilities, enough to feed 10 people.

“I think they really appreciate having a nice meal, having good food and not having to travel out and put themselves more at risk to go find food,” Weissman said. “As they're having to do longer and longer hours in their in their respective offices in the ER in the ambulance service. Finding the time to make food is something that they don't necessarily have. And being able to bring hot food, hot filling food with healthy ingredients to them, is something that I think is just a win-win.”

And while being able to help the healthcare workers is a bonus, there is another silver lining. Great Falls Teriyaki Madness is using this time to renovate its dining room, and Weissman is having his own employees do the work to avoid reduced hours and layoffs.