Previously, I was a bank manager and worked part-time at a Melting Pot on weekends in Coral Springs. That's where I met my partner. I went to North Miami Beach to manage the restaurant. I liked the idea, loved the concept, and got involved in it. The owners gave us control of the restaurant, and we saw everything from the inside. We met with everybody and decided to be franchisees for a career. It was fun; it was good; it made money. The people who we worked for were great and the franchise was terrific. Today we own and operate three locations and my goal is to open up two more Melting Pots in the Chicago area in the future.

I believe the key factors required to succeed in the franchise business are: stability, ease of operation, good execution and a unique, quality product. The Melting Pot has all of these attributes

- Mike Ruffolo
The Melting Pot Multi-Unit Franchisee

I worked at The Melting Pot in Tallahassee, Florida during college. After college, I worked for a state legislator in New York City. Believe it or not, I found a lack of things to do in New York City - there wasn't a fun place to take anybody out for dates. And I kept thinking 'Wow, The Melting Pot would be great up here in the Northeast.' That's when I decided to inquire about the franchise. I found out that Washington, DC was an available site, so I moved to Washington. Today I'm involved with six locations and I have plans for more growth in the Washington, DC area before I move on to other cities in other areas of the country.

The Melting Pot differs from other restaurant franchises because of the low overhead and the ease of operation. The Melting Pot corporate office makes it easy for the operators. They provide all the top of the line food we need to operate our restaurants. The only thing franchise operators have to do is give good service. And if you love your job, good service is easy.

- Barry Berkowitz
The Melting Pot Multi-Unit Franchisee

Carol and I opened our first Melting Pot in Westwood, NJ at the end of 2003. It seemed to take an eternity to get open for business. The Darien, CT restaurant followed in May 2005 and White Plains, NY at the end of 2007. There was a lot of learning and hard work to get to this point.

We have been very satisfied with our decision to become part of The Melting Pot family. The Johnstons are great to deal with and have assembled a strong team to support the franchisees. The brand is a huge asset and we all work hard to keep it safe.

- Will and Carol Layfield, Ridgewood, NJ
The Melting Pot Multi-Unit Franchisee

Rewarding in everyway possible…that has been our experience with The Melting Pot franchise. The fondue experience is a niche in the market that proves to be successful. The founders and franchise support center are genuine, truthful, and very hands on with our brand and image. Shortly after we opened our first location, it became very obvious we were in it for the long haul and purchased our second Melting Pot Franchise. It truly is a pleasure to be in the business of making memories. We love every aspect of what The Melting Pot enables us to do on a daily basis!

- Lori and Jerod Hagen
Lexington & Louisville KY