The fondue franchise is breaking into Arkansas, reviving its Nashville presence, growing in Florida, Washington and New York, and offering a new franchisee incentive to lower the barrier to entry for passionate prospective owners.
Tampa, FL (RestaurantNews.com) With 92 units and six more in development, Melting Pot, the national fondue franchise, has started 2024 strong. The team has seen growing interest from well-aligned prospective franchisees, including new deals signed in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bentonville, Arkansas. It’s making moves in the Reno, Nevada, and Fresno, California, markets too. Franchisees in New Haven, Connecticut, signed a lease for their new location and are on track to open at 20 George Street this fall.
“It’s clear that this goes beyond just a business opportunity for our owners. The people who become a part of our franchise community want to be the caretakers and custodians of the Melting Pot brand in their communities,” CEO Bob Johnston said. “For guests, we offer a chance to escape, make great memories and pursue dreams. For somebody who becomes a franchisee, we do something similar. We give them a chance to immerse themselves in the business and create memories for themselves, their team members and the countless guests they’ll end up serving.”
This is true for the multigenerational family that has signed to open the first Melting Pot location in Arkansas.
“We’ve been long-time Melting Pot guests. It’s a product that we all love and believe in, and it’s something that’s particularly suited for the Bentonville area,” said Chad Hickerson, a member of the new Arkansas franchise team. “We want to deliver a quality food and dining experience that will quickly become a hallmark of special occasions and even routine enjoyment for countless individuals, couples and families in the region and beyond.”
Melting Pot has also executed an agreement in Nashville, Tennessee, to revive its presence in the community. The franchise’s previous location was one of over 60 businesses impacted by a Christmas Day bombing in 2020; this agreement will bring a new location to the area.
“Nashville is a prime market for Melting Pot, and we’re excited to be reviving our presence in the community,” Johnston said. “The people of Nashville were hit hard by the 2020 bombing, and we’re proud to have franchise partners who are so dedicated to bringing comfort and connection back to their communities.”
In addition to the Arkansas and Nashville signings, Melting Pot has restaurants in development in St. Petersburg and Coral Gables, Florida; Lynnwood, Washington; and Syracuse, New York. Johnston noted that, recently, the team has seen an increase in high-quality candidates, and in an effort to empower these prospective owners in their entrepreneurship and maintain its growth momentum, the brand has launched a limited-time franchise incentive.
New Incentives Build Upon a Great Opportunity
A candidate or current Melting Pot franchise owner who is approved may execute a new restaurant franchise agreement, paying only a $5,000 franchise fee per unit (discounted from $45,000 — with a rebate paid at lease signing). Leases must be executed within nine months to earn the rebate. Additionally, franchisees who execute the lease within six months will receive a reduced royalty rate of 3% for the first year.
“We want to continue to show our franchisees that we are sincerely invested in their success,” Johnston said. “This is our way of rewarding and reinvesting in those who have diligently worked through the process from inquiry to ‘graduation’ as a franchisee.”
For prospective owners, Melting Pot continues to prove its strength as an opportunity. Its one-of-a-kind fondue experience has captured diners’ attention nationwide. With a loyalty base of over 2 million active subscribers that consistently grows year-over-year, the brand has maintained its status as the go-to place for celebration and connection between families, friends, couples and everything in between.
This year, over 33,000 guests made Melting Pot a part of their Valentine’s Day celebrations and over 8,000 included Melting Pot in their Leap Day celebrations. National Fondue Day (April 11) was yet another opportunity for Melting Pot owners to drive traffic while offering guests the fun, engaging celebrations it is known for.
Looking toward the rest of the year, Johnston says he is excited to learn more about prospective owners as the brand works to grow in Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Kansas, California, Nebraska, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, Washington, Arizona, New Jersey and Mississippi.
“The franchise development process is a lot like the journey a student goes through. There is learning involved and there are expectations set. If you meet those expectations and grow through the process, you are rewarded by becoming a part of that ‘graduating class,’” he said. “We’re having deeper, more meaningful conversations than ever with people who are interested in learning about the Melting pot business opportunity, and that’s very positive. It’s inspiring to watch these passionate individuals go through their journey to becoming a part of the Melting Pot family.
About Melting Pot
Founded in 1975, Melting Pot has offered a unique fondue dining experience for more than 45 years. As the premier fondue restaurant franchise, Melting Pot has 92 restaurants in 31 U.S. states and Canada. Known for offering a variety of fondue cooking styles and unique entrées, Melting Pot’s menu also features cheese fondues, salads, fine wines, spirits and chocolate fondue desserts. Fondue fans can join Melting Pot’s Club Fondue for exclusive promotions, special events and advance holiday reservation privileges. Melting Pot is an affiliate of Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit MeltingPot.com. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Melting Pot, please visit MeltingPotFranchise.com.
About Front Burner
Headquartered in Tampa, Front Burner is the restaurant management company for Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., and the new casual whimsical dining concept Melting Pot Social! Melting Pot currently has 92 restaurants in 31 U.S. states and Canada. Melting Pot Social opened its first location in July 2021 in Asheville, NC. For more information, visit FrontBurnerBrands.com.
Contact:
Julie Maw
Mainland
209-617-6518
jmaw@hellomainland.com
