THE INVESTMENT
How Much Can I Make with an AUV Franchise?
$1,400,758 – $3,215,117*
*Average total sales of the lowest 33% and highest 33% volume franchised restaurants that were open for the 12 months ending March 31, 2025, as disclosed in the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”). Some franchised restaurants have sold this amount. Your results may differ. There is no assurance that you’ll sell as much. For a deeper dive into how well our franchise owners do in their stores, please review the information from Item 19 of our most recent FDD below:
AUV Franchise Example
| TOTALS FOR 2025 – FRANCHISED UNITS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchised Restaurants | # of Restaurants | Average AUV | #/% Exceeding Average AUV | Highest AUV | Lowest AUV | Median AUV |
| Total Restaurants | 85 | $2,168,708 | 26 / 31% | $8,489,239 | $938,142 | $1,919,716 |
| Top Third | 28 | $3,215,117 | 12 / 43% | $8,489,239 | $2,146,690 | $2,855,314 |
| Middle Third | 28 | $1,917,677 | 15 / 54% | $2,217,892 | $1,715,014 | $1,925,455 |
| Bottom Third | 29 | $1,400,758 | 18 / 62% | $1,709,867 | $938,142 | $1,433,560 |
| TOTALS FOR 2025 – FRANCHISED UNITS |
|---|
| TOTAL RESTAURANTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| # OF RESTAURANTS 85 | AVERAGE AUV $2,168,708 | #/% EXCEEDING AVERAGE AUV 26 / 31% |
| HIGHEST AUV $8,489,239 | LOWEST AUV $938,142 | MEDIAN AUV $1,919,716 |
| TOP THIRD | ||
|---|---|---|
| # OF RESTAURANTS 28 | AVERAGE AUV $3,215,117 | #/% EXCEEDING AVERAGE AUV12 / 43% |
| HIGHEST AUV $8,489,239 | LOWEST AUV $2,146,690 | MEDIAN AUV $2,855,314 |
| MIDDLE THIRD | ||
|---|---|---|
| # OF RESTAURANTS 28 | AVERAGE AUV $1,917,677 | #/% EXCEEDING AVERAGE AUV 15 / 54% |
| HIGHEST AUV $2,217,892 | LOWEST AUV $1,715,014 | MEDIAN AUV $1,925,455 |
| BOTTOM THIRD | ||
|---|---|---|
| # OF RESTAURANTS 29 | AVERAGE AUV $1,400,758 | #/% EXCEEDING AVERAGE AUV 18 / 62% |
| HIGHEST AUV $1,709,867 | LOWEST AUV $938,142 | MEDIAN AUV $1,433,560 |
For more information on our restaurants, please review the 2024 FDD which you may obtain by contacting Collin Benyo at cbenyo@meltingpot.com and (813) 425-6209.
How Much Does it Costs?
Restaurant Franchise & Fine Dining Franchise: What Are the Opening Costs?
AUV Restaurant Costs
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| Type of Expenditure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $36,000 to $45,000 |
| Real Estate Services Fee (17) | $2,500 |
| Extension for Securing Site or Opening Restaurants (17) | $0 - $12,000 |
| Real Estate (Rent – First 3 months) (2) (3) | $28,500 to $81,250 |
| Security Deposit (4) | $0 to $22,916 |
| Leasehold Improvements (5) | $830,000 to $1,385,562 |
| Computer and Point of Sales Hardware/ Software (6) | $25,000 to $32,000 |
| Computer Software Installation and Training; First Year Subscription (6) | $8,900 to $15,000 |
| Gift Card Processing and Website Development/Enhancement Fee (3 months) (7) | $677 to $747 |
| Restaurant Equipment, Furniture, Fixtures and Signage (8) | $438,826 to $732,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $4,000 to $6,000 |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies (9) | $60,000 to $70,000 |
| Grand Opening Advertising (18) | $15,000 to $20,000 |
| Training Expenses (10) | $90,000 to $170,000 |
| Permits, Licenses – Alcoholic Beverages, Business and Health (11) | $6,000 to $10,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 months) (15) | $65,000 to $125,000 |
| Total Estimated Initial Investment* under the Franchise Program (Excluding Real Estate Purchase Costs) | $1,617,128 to $2,740,600 |
Training & Licensing Fees
Melting Pot charges $1,500 per person in training fees. This charge is for initial operations training for 4 or more people, manager training after opening and a retraining course if you fail to operate the restaurant within franchisor compliance after opening. There is also a fee of up to $200 per person to attend the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Course and ServSafe Alcohol Course. There is an annual licensing fee of $200 per restaurant for access to these courses.
Leasehold & Construction Costs
Cost of leasehold improvements includes flooring, wall treatments, counters, ceilings, paintings and more, which may vary depending on the condition, location and size of the building as well as the demand for the location from other prospective tenants. Your Melting Pot restaurant must be constructed to the proper specifications. When designing your restaurant, you must use Melting Pot’s designated design firm, which costs between $40,000-$45,000. Fire codes vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and Melting Pot reserves the right to require hoods for ventilation. This can cost from $75,000-$100,000.
See item 5 for other fees franchisees are responsible for paying. All fees are payable to Melting Pot and are non-refundable. Item 6 has additional fees you must pay including royalties and marketing contributions.
You must have wireless internet access that meets the proper upload and download speeds that are subject to change. The cost of this varies depending on your service provider, your location and more. If you are in violation of the Franchise Agreement, you will be given a Compliance Fee ranging from $100-$1,500 per notice.
You should have an additional $85,000-$145,000 for expenses for the first three months after opening. This is an estimate and it cannot be guaranteed that your expenses will not supersede these projected numbers.
Advisory & Cost Variability
Melting Pot does not offer financing for new restaurants and all estimates presented are based on past experience of opening Melting Pot locations. Figures should be reviewed with a business advisor before purchasing the franchise. The total estimated cost may exceed the high range based on your location, site conditions, local construction costs, government fees and more.
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Celebrate 50 Years of Fondue with a
Golden Opportunity to Franchise
In honor of Melting Pot’s 50th anniversary, we’re offering a limited-time Golden Anniversary Incentive to fuel continued growth. Beginning July 1, 2025, the first five new-construction franchise agreements signed in key markets will receive 50% off the Initial Franchise Fee, a savings of $22,500.
This incentive is valid through March 31, 2026, or until five qualifying agreements are signed, whichever comes first. It applies exclusively to new builds and cannot be combined with other programs such as VetFran or DiversityFran.
Now is the perfect time to join a brand with five decades of proven appeal — and help shape the next 50 years of Melting Pot.