Melting Pot

Fondue restaurants
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Franchise 500 Rank
N/R Not ranked last year
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Initial investment
$1.4M - $2.1M
Units as of 2024
93 Decrease 3% over 3 years

Melting Pot is a restaurant franchise known for providing one of the United States’ most well-known fondue dining experiences since its founding in 1975. When the brand opened its first location in Florida, the business began to attract the interest of then-enterprising waiter and college student Mark Johnston. Believing in the concept’s potential for greatness, Johnston opened a second location in Tallahassee, Florida in 1979 with the help of his brothers, followed by a third in 1981 in Tampa.  

By 1985, the Johnston brothers had purchased the rights to the Melting Pot and established an incorporated franchise company. Today, the franchise is over 80 units strong and continues to offer national and international opportunities.   

Why You May Want To Start a Melting Pot Franchise

If you value hard work, excellent customer service, and making precious memories, you could be a good fit for Melting Pot’s franchise family. While having business experience could be a plus, it’s not a requirement. The company does prefer candidates who have a background in restaurant management, although, again, this is not a requirement.

Melting Pot has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

What Might Make a Melting Pot Franchise a Good Choice

One unique feature of Melting Pot as a franchise restaurant is its nontraditional nature. For one, it does not require a chef or a whole army of skilled kitchen staff. Its menu may be small and straightforward, and even the kitchen could offer a very simple setup and require minimal equipment and upkeep. Nonetheless, you have a business formula that has been in existence for over 40 years.

To be part of the Melting Pot team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements. 

How To Open a Melting Pot Franchise

As you decide if opening a Melting Pot franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Melting Pot franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Melting Pot franchising team questions.

The Melting Pot corporate team will be there to assist you every step of the way and set you up for success as the newest Melting Pot franchisee.

Find Your Perfect Franchise

Company Overview

About Melting Pot

Industry Food
Related Categories Miscellaneous Full-Service Restaurants
Founded 1975
Parent Company Melting Pot Restaurants Inc.
Leadership Bob Johnston, CEO
Corporate Address 7884 Woodland Center Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33614
Social Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1984 (40 years)
# of employees at HQ 56
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises worldwide.

This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia

# of Units 93 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Melting Pot franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$45,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$1,364,514 - $2,069,764
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$1,000,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$500,000
Veteran Incentives Information Circle
20% off first-unit franchise fee
Royalty Fee Information Circle
5%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
1.69%-3%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training 208 hours
Classroom Training 15 hours
Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Melting Pot landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022