The Melt seeking operators in Central Florida

The Melt brand of fast-casual burger restaurants has its eyes set on the Orlando and Tampa markets, as they announced this Thursday that they’re targeting Central Florida for their next stage of franchise growth.

“Florida presents a tremendous opportunity for The Melt,” said Greg Vojnovic, Head of Franchising. “Tampa and Orlando continue to attract new residents, businesses and visitors every year. When you combine that population growth with strong retail development, a vibrant dining culture and year-round consumer activity, you have the ingredients for the type of market where our concept can thrive.”

While The Melt is just getting started in Florida, the brand’s reputation as “The World’s Meltiest Burger” is already well established in California and Arizona, where the The Melt has 20 locations and four more opening soon. The brand made its name in San Francisco starting in 2011 and is known for its signature MeltBurgers, which use a blend of premium Angus and Wagyu beef.

According to The Melt, locations that had been open for at least one year averaged $3.4 million in sales in 2025, and the top third of performers had an average unit volume of better than $4.5 million. Those economics are at least in part the result of a low-footprint, streamlined kitchen model.

In addition to those strong numbers, The Melt says their franchise system and restaurant model are built with discipline and intention to support franchisee success. The brand has sufficient infrastructure in place provide dedicated support to operators so they can maintain consistency and operate efficiently.

Moving forward, The Melt is actively looking to connect with potential franchisees who have experience as high-performing operators in the restaurant business.

“We take a disciplined approach to development and focus on partnering with operators who understand what it takes to build a great business,” Vojnovic said. “Our goal is not simply to add locations. We want to work with franchisees who can deliver a consistent guest experience, develop strong teams and grow with us over time.”