---
title: "Melting Pot Franchise Plans for Growth in Bay Area"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/64a6b21d-f59b-4624-b677-bd3cd79b57b3
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/meltingpot/san-francisco-chronicle-this-cheesy-1970s-trend-is-making-its-bay-area-comeback-2725426
category: "Casual dining"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Casual dining"
published: 2024-03-05T21:16:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:09:34.918Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/fa66fda22771e09bbeead8c679ff84ac12.jpg
---

# Melting Pot Franchise Plans for Growth in Bay Area

**TL;DR:** Melting Pot, a 93-unit fondue franchise, plans to grow in the Bay Area, capitalizing on the interactive nature of fondue dining. The franchise had a record year in 2022, with 74 locations setting all-time traffic records.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2024-03-05. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/meltingpot/san-francisco-chronicle-this-cheesy-1970s-trend-is-making-its-bay-area-comeback-2725426).*

## Story

What was once considered a fading trend is more alive than ever. After its peak in the ‘70s, fondue has continued to capture the hearts of diners nationwide. Even in markets like the Bay Area, where there are just three fondue restaurants left, diners continue to seek out the experience. Fondue was even named a top trend of 2024 by Culture, a cheese magazine.

Unlike other traditional dining options, fondue is interactive and encourages connection, and guests see the value in that.

Melting Pot, the 93-unit fondue franchise, had a record year in 2022 — a prime example of the hunger guests demonstrate for fondue.

“Seventy-four locations had all-time traffic records that year,” CEO Bob Johnston told the San Francisco Chronicle. “When we were allowed to serve guests again, they came back en masse.”

After seeing this great response and continued stability in the following years, Johnston and his team are looking to revive Melting Pot’s presence in the Bay Area. The team is actively seeking franchise partners to reopen the Larkspur location, and they also see potential for additional growth in the market.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Melting Pot (company)
- Bob Johnston (person)
- bay area expansion (topic)
- fondue trend (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/meltingpot/san-francisco-chronicle-this-cheesy-1970s-trend-is-making-its-bay-area-comeback-2725426). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/64a6b21d-f59b-4624-b677-bd3cd79b57b3).