THE MELTING POT
The Melting Pot franchise allows operators to establish and run polished casual restaurants specializing in fondue dining, featuring cheese fondue, beef, chicken, seafood, and vegetable fondues, chocolate fondue, salads, breads, and a variety of imported and domestic beers, wines, and cocktails, with guests cooking some items at the table for an interactive experience. The business model centers on franchising single-location restaurants that follow the company's proprietary system, standards, designs, menus, and Core Beverage Program requiring alcoholic beverages. It targets individual consumers and the general public seeking relaxed, conversational dining in a unique ambiance.
Franchise Costs
5% royalty + 2.19% brand development fund (increasing to 2.2% in July 2025) + approx $220-$365/mo software, tech, and e-learning fees
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 85 franchised Restaurants open a full 12 months ending fiscal year March 31, 2025.
* Weighted average gross revenue for franchised restaurants was verified using segment data: (28 units × $3,215,117 + 28 units × $1,917,677 + 29 units × $1,400,758) / 85 total units = $2,168,708.4. This is consistent with the stated overall average of $2,168,708. The document explicitly states that cost and profit information is not provided for franchised restaurants, thus profit-related metrics are null.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How THE MELTING POT Compares
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
THE MELTING POT Current | $1.6M – $2.7M | $45K | 5.0% | 85 |
| IHOP & INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES | $1.8M – $4.5M | $69K | N/A | 1,703 |
| BUFFALO WILD WINGS | $2.5M – $4.9M | $25K | 5.0% | 538 |
| GOLDEN CORRAL STEAKS, BUFFET & BAKERY | $2.1M – $8.5M | $50K | 4.0% | 352 |
| GOLDEN CORRAL | $2.2M – $8.7M | $50K | 4.0% | 348 |
| ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE (THE) | $483K – $1.7M | $60K | 2.0% | 146 |
Casual Dining Average 44 franchises | $1.5M – $3.5M | $43K | 4.6% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 44 Casual Dining franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2025)
Outlets by state across the United States
+16 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for THE MELTING POT franchisees (2010 – 2025)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
Franchisee Contacts
167 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
167 Contacts Available
Unlock all THE MELTING POT franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a THE MELTING POT franchise ranges from $1,617,128 to $2,740,600. This includes a franchise fee of $45,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.
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