The Melting Pot, Tampa, Fla

Nation's Restaurant News, July 26, 2004 by Jack Hayes

Fondue is the adult version of playing with your food, observes Mike Maglin, vice president of operations for The Melting Pot, the 77-unit dinnerhouse chain founded 29 years ago in Maitland, Fla., and based in Tampa.

But, Maglin says, there's more than just Swiss cheese and tenderloin medallions on the chain's popular menu.

"Granted, our concept is well defined, but that hasn't kept us from experimenting with different flavors and other nuances," he adds. "For example, we sell dessert to 85 percent of our guests--and that was not always the case."

In fact, menu creativity may be the biggest reason why The Melting Pot has managed to position itself into the $40-per-person-check-average niche that now is claimed almost exclusively by fine-dining independents.

In addition to its hard-to-resist chocolate fondue dessert menu, the chain also has built up an eclectic wine program.

According to Maglin, the average Melting Pot keeps 100 labels on its wine menu, and some units carry 250. Many of the restaurants serve approximately 30 wines by the glass. In addition, about half of the chain's locations this year received Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence.

Maglin says the chain's wine culture is reinforced with a preshift wine tasting every Saturday at all locations. About half of the chain's units also boast wine rooms in their dining areas.

"We like to sell what guests tell us they enjoy, but because our wine lists are progressive, it's easy for the server to learn if a customer wants to try something a bit more full or dry, based on the occasion," Maglin says.

The Melting Pot also has managed to develop a clear vision for the packaging of its fondue courses into specially priced dinners for both single guests and parties of up to 50 people. Menu options and prices vary by location.

However, the chain's popular Big Night Out, is a four-course meal that offers cheese fondue, choice of salad, an entree and a chocolate fondue dessert.

The Big Night Out with the lobster entree is priced at $100 per couple, including a 48-ounce shared specialty drink for two. The meal is priced at $85 per couple without alcohol, but the chain will offer a 10-percent discount on any bottle of wine that is purchased with the meal. The dinner, when served with filet mignon, is $90 per couple with alcoholic beverage and $75 without. The meal features the same cheese, salad and dessert choices.

All Melting Pot units also showcase three tableside-prepared cheese fondue selections: "cheddar," which features a medium-sharp cheddar melted with Emmenthaler, lager beer, garlic and seasonings; the "Wisconsin trio," made with Fontina, Butterkase and Buttermilk Blue plus white wine, scallions and sherry; and "Fiesta," with cheddar, Mexican herbs, jalapeno peppers and salsa.

The majority of Melting Pots units also feature "traditional Swiss" fondue, featuring a combination of Gruyere and Emmenthaler, white wine, garlic, nutmeg, lemon and Kirschwasser.

Menu evolution has brought the "Pacific Rim" and "French Quarter" fondue entrees and the "fiesta" cheese fondue, all of which were developed through experimentation, Maglin says.

"We're thrilled that fondue's popularity continues growing, but maybe it's because our brand is doing so well," Maglin says.

Running a combined 50-percent food and labor cost ratio, including management salaries, the typical Melting Pot unit aims for monthly gross sales of $140,000 on roughly 3,500 covers, which translates into nearly $1.7 million per year, he explains.

The chain also developed four fondue mediums for entree cooking: Coq au Vin, which combines mushrooms, garlic, spices and Burgundy wine; Court Bouillon, a seasoned vegetable broth; Mojo, a Caribbean broth made with garlic and citrus; and Bourguignonne, which features canola oil and signature fondue batters.

The Fondue for Two, a three-course dinner without dessert, is designed for sharing. It combines any cheese fondue and salad with three entree course options: the Signature, $48; Surf and Turf at market price; and Pacific Rim, $52.

The Signature's entree choice includes beef tenderloin, shrimp, sirloin, chicken breast or fresh fish; the Surf and Turf features twin lobster tails, filet mignon medallions and Portobello mushrooms; and the Pacific Rim combines sirloin, shrimp, pork tenderloin, duck breast, chicken breast and potstickers.

Seven chocolate fondue choices, including such items as strawberries, bananas, pineapple, cheesecake, pound cake and brownies for dipping, are priced at $12 for a small pot, which serves one to two guests, and $24 for a regular pot, which serves three to four.

Chocolate fondue selections include the Amaretto Meltdown, featuring swirled white chocolate; the Flaming Turtle, with milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans; the Yin and Yang, with swirled white and dark chocolate; and the Special Event, featuring a choice of chocolate, liqueur and topping.

Concept: fondue

Location: 77 units in 26 states; original unit at

Opened: April 1975

Number of seats: approximately 170