Melting Pot’s newly designed restaurants have radically changed the experience that diners have when visiting, including encouraging them to return and dine again more often. In the past, The Melting Pot’s fondue restaurants were billed as a place for all your special occasions—whether it’s a promotion celebration with co-workers, a romantic night with a special someone, or enjoying another year of life on your birthday. While that certainly has not changed, The Melting Pot’s re-designed restaurants and updated menu have encouraged customers to return for their non-occasion dining as well, and early results show that it’s working!
In a statement to the Nation’s Restaurant News, President Mike Lester discussed how customer feedback surveys indicated that customers were happy with their experience, but wished they could come back more often. Early indications from our locations in both El Paso, TX and Red Bank, NJ have shown that the many elements of the re-designed Melting Pot restaurants not only encourage more casual visits, but have seen tremendous increases in repeat visits.
In the past a customer would typically dine at Melting Pot three to four times per year, but that number is now up to around three times per month thanks to these changes.
Bar Design
Melting Pot restaurants initially included a bar area as a place where customers could get a drink and wait for a table, but the bar itself was never considered to be an integral part of the dining experience. That entire philosophy has been changed completely with this new re-design, with the bar now playing one of the central roles in the dining experience. The bar itself is now surrounded by cocktail tables where customers can chat with each other and enjoy their drinks. On one end of the bar is a “peninsula” table, which extends at a 90 degree angle and can accommodate a group of four.
The bar menu has been completely re-worked and customers can now choose from a variety of snacks and appetizers. Selections include lollipop lamb chops, rosemary fries, sliders, and “drunken bread,” a crowd favorite. This new layout and philosophy encourages diners who wish to simply grab a drink with friends or a snack before a movie to stop in for a completely new but entirely authentic Melting Pot dining experience.
Restaurants have also been updated to include a wine bar. This addition carries a large selection of labels and brands which are carefully chosen and expertly paired with some of restaurant’s most famous fondue dishes as well as new menu offerings. Customers will be able to try a variety with a taster flight or even “blend” their own wine from premium vintners.
Restaurant Design
In the past, Melting Pot locations prided themselves on offering an intimate setting for patrons, but that’s changed completely with the new design. The new “hot kitchen” is completely open for customers to watch as chefs prepare their dishes, a process which is as beautiful as the food itself.
The interior of the restaurant has been opened up with fewer walls and larger spaces, as well as brighter lights and warmer colors to foster a more casual but still elegant environment that caters to customers celebrating any type of occasion—or no occasion at all.
Finally, restaurants now also include a retail shop space, which carries blocks of cheese, cured meats, and chocolate desserts that customers can take home and continue their experience even further.
Menu Re-Design
The restaurant menus have radically changed as well. While the famous fondue dishes are still an integral part of the experience and are still one of the most prominent features of the menu, new selections are designed for the more casual diner.
The most radical change is that restaurants are starting to include grills on tables. In the past, customers could cook their proteins in oil or one of three different broths, but new grilled options are healthier and offer a different flavor to pair with cheese fondue selections. The new grills work on the same induction cooktop that the fondue pots use.
The restaurant has also added a new lunch menu, which customers can purchase during the extended 10 AM to 3 PM hours on weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays, customers can enjoy a brunch selection, including one of the hottest sellers of the new menu, The Alpine Benedict. Both the lunch and dinner menus also include entrees which do not require cooking on the table grills for a truly customizable experience.
“This is an exciting time in the history of the brand when we have recreated ourselves and we look forward to sharing it with our guests in communities across the country as we continue to expand,” Lester said.
If you’re interested in acquiring your own Melting Pot franchise, get started by contacting us today!
