Owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. Got Their Start as Tallahassee Franchisees
The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., the world’s premier fondue restaurant and a leading polished casual dining franchise, announced today that it will commemorate the 35th anniversary of the brand’s entry into one of its earliest markets, Tallahassee, Fla., with a local celebration this September. The original Tallahassee location was opened in 1979 by the Johnston brothers, Mark, Mike and Bob, who now own The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. franchise company based in Tampa, Fla.
In honor of this milestone, the Tallahassee restaurant, today located at 2727 N Monroe St., will feature a special anniversary menu supporting the Children’s Home Society of Florida from Sept. 7-21. The Melting Pot of Tallahassee will offer guests a special four-course menu, which includes cheese fondue, salad, a chef-selected entree and chocolate fondue for $35. To give back to the community while celebrating this occasion, the restaurant will donate $5 from each dinner ordered from the special menu and half of all sales of its Love Martini to the Children’s Home Society of Florida.
“We are very proud of the success and longevity that our Tallahassee restaurant has achieved over the years,” said Mark Johnston, president and chief concept officer of Front Burner Brands, management company for The Melting Pot. “This celebration is a great way to thank our loyal guests for their patronage and allowing us to be part of the community for so many years. We look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional service to the community for years to come.”
Today, The Melting Pot of Tallahassee is operated by Mark’s sons, Ryan and Robert Johnston, who took over ownership of the restaurant last year. The Tallahassee restaurant is a monumental location for the brand as approximately eight current franchisees got their start at this location and more than 20 of its team members have been promoted to management positions at other Melting Pot locations.
“My brother and I are thrilled to keep The Melting Pot of Tallahassee in the family and we’re very pleased with how the community has embraced our restaurant,” said Ryan. “Our first year of ownership has far exceeded our expectations and we have built a solid foundation with a loyal customer following that will help our business continue to grow.”
The Melting Pot opened its first location in Maitland, Fla., in 1975. While working as a waiter at The Melting Pot’s second restaurant in Orlando, Fla., where he attended college, Mark recognized the strong potential for growth and opened The Melting Pot of Tallahassee, Fla., alongside his brothers, Mike and Bob. The restaurant grew enormously popular, which led to the brothers’ purchase of all rights to The Melting Pot brand. Today, the restaurant chain has grown to 135 restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and continues to seek franchisees to pave the way for future expansion both domestically and internationally.
The Melting Pot made a strong showing in the 2014 Nation’s Restaurant News Consumer Picks Survey ranking sixth out of 38 concepts in the casual dining segment. In the varied menu/specialty sub-segment of the casual dining industry, The Melting Pot ranked first in the categories of cleanliness, service and likelihood to recommend. Overall in the casual dining segment, the brand ranked second in cleanliness, second in service and fourth in likelihood to recommend.
With 135 restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and more than 25 locations in development internationally, the concept is known for offering an assortment of flavorful fondue dishes including a variety of unique entrees served with signature dipping sauces. The menu features a variety of a la carte selections, highlighting customizable options that invite guests to enjoy one, two, three or more courses as they select any combination of individually-priced cheese fondues, salads, entrees and chocolate fondues.
To further fuel its national expansion, the company is actively seeking qualified franchisees and will host a franchising webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. (EDT). To register, please visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/481256242.
The Melting Pot is seeking entrepreneurs with business backgrounds and/or preferably restaurant experience who are passionate about the brand and want to be their own bosses. Franchisee candidates should have a credit score of 650 or higher, a minimum net worth of $750,000 and liquid assets of at least $325,000 per unit. Depending on the real estate site selected, franchisees can expect the total investment for one restaurant to be approximately $977,000 to $1,436,000. Single-unit and multi-unit franchise opportunities are available with an initial franchise fee of $45,000 per unit.
To learn more about ownership opportunities with The Melting Pot, contact Ashley Pollard, franchise development manager for The Melting Pot, at 813-425-6228 or visit www.meltingpotfranchise.com.
To learn about fondue history and facts, check out The Melting Pot’s fondue infographic.
With 135 restaurants in North America, existing locations across 35 states, Canada and Mexico and more than 25 locations currently in development, The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. is the premier fondue restaurant franchise and a leading polished casual dining franchise. Founded in 1975, The Melting Pot has offered a memorable dining experience for nearly 40 years. Guests enjoy a choice of fondue cooking styles and a variety of unique entrees combined with dipping sauces. The menu also includes cheese fondues, salads, fine wines and chocolate fondue desserts. The Melting Pot is an affiliate of Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. For more information, visit http://www.meltingpot.com.
Front Burner Brands is a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. It is affiliated with the corporate owners of and its management services extended to The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., founded in 1975 with 135 locations in North America and more than 25 locations currently in development, Burger 21 with 14 locations open in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Virginia, and more than 20 in development in eight states, and GrillSmith with five locations in the Tampa Bay area. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com.
