The Melting Pot — the Florida-based fondue restaurant — closed its Memphis restaurant at 2828 Wolfcreek Pkwy. near Wolfchase Galleria back in 2014.
And ever since, they've said they want back in the Memphis market. They said it in 2014. And in 2021. And yet again in 2022.
According to Melting Pot CEO Bob Johnston, The Melting Pot looked into opening a corporate-owned location in Memphis in 2019. When the pandemic happened, they focused on getting their franchisees through it.
"What's different now is that we're in a growth mode," Johnston said. "We're putting a lot of effort and resources into prospecting for the right franchise strategic partner."
The Melting Pot, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, has 90-plus locations across the U.S. and Canada.
There are currently seven restaurants in development. Johnston said they'd like to add eight more in 2025.
Johnston has been with The Melting Pot since the late-1970s. It's the only job he's had. His brothers were some of the original franchisees.
"My plan was not to be in the restaurant business for the rest of my life," Johnston said. "I got bit by the bug. In particular, I enjoyed getting to watch people celebrate important moments in their life with people they care about at The Melting Pot, which is the hallmark of the brand."
In pursuing a franchisee for Memphis, Johnston said the franchisee must love the concept, first and foremost.
"They have to get why it's special. That's the first filter," he said. "We are looking for people who have a passion for business and for owning their own business. We enjoy helping people achieve the American dream of business ownership."
A good Melting Pot franchisee has an entrepreneurial spirit and, at the same time, can follow the restaurant's system.
Fondue peaked in the ’60s and ’70s. But, Johnston said that The Melting Pot has proved timeless.
"Fifty years proves that fondue is not a flash in the pan or a here today, gone tomorrow trend," he said. "Fondue was a big craze in the ’60s. Ironically, Melting Pot didn't come onto the scene until after the popularity of fondue had peaked and was on a downward trajectory. Why, then, was Melting Pot successful? The reason why is fondue is a lot of fun. The current iteration of executing a fondue dining experience today is that fun is always going to be a common thread through the experience for the guest."
Over the years, The Melting Pot has modernized. They've focused more on the bar and have added outdoor seating. On the menu side, they've added grills at the table, so that guests can grill their proteins. They're adding gold-themed desserts in honor of the 50th anniversary.
The Melting Pot has had a long relationship with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. They have raised more than $17 million for research over the last 21 years.
St. Jude is one attraction to the Memphis market, but certainly not the only one.
"We think there's good sales potential," Johnston said of Memphis. "If the market didn't have the potential, we wouldn't be interested in it."
