From Employees to Franchise Owners: How Brian and Shannon Sikorski Dreamt Big, Became Franchisees With Melting Pot

Like many owners with The Melting Pot, the 94-unit fondue franchise that has built a strong brand thanks to its experiential dining model, Brian Sikorski first found his way to the restaurant as an employee. Brian first experienced the restaurant in Virginia Beach where he worked as a server and bartender. Over the years, he moved up the ladder and eventually came to purchase the Melting Pot location in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business now for 22 years,” said Brian. “I first got plugged in with the Harrisburg owner through another connection I had, and I was a general manager there for eight years before I purchased the restaurant. I’ve owned the Melting Pot in Harrisburg for seven years now, and I’m looking to be a multi-unit owner. I’m doing my due diligence for another restaurant in Pennsylvania.”

Brian’s now-wife, Shannon, has a similar experience with the brand. She started going to her local Melting Pot location for meals but quickly decided she wanted to play a bigger role.

“Brian and I went there all the time to eat when we were dating. Over time, I came to think, ‘I really want to be a part of this,’” she said. “That’s when I decided to join the team, and I started working there. I put a lot into my job because I really wanted to have that longevity with the brand. I could see a future with it.”

Because Shannon worked in the family-owned Newville Country Diner growing up, she had plenty of experience in a restaurant environment. However, the diner world is very fast-paced as teams work to keep up with high levels of traffic. Through The Melting Pot, she has been able to leverage her prior experience while exploring a more relaxed environment that focuses on the experiential dining aspect of the guest experience.

As the pair’s relationship grew, so did their intentions with The Melting Pot. Over time, Shannon has grown to learn more aspects of the business, both in and out of the restaurant.

“I’m now learning the online portion — doing payroll and invoices, for example,” said Shannon. “I’m working on learning the behind-the-scenes things that will get me prepared for manager duties. That’s the most exciting thing for me; I feel like it’s going to prepare me to be more successful with another location.”

Looking to the future, the pair said their goal is certain to enter multi-unit ownership, starting with a potential location in Lancaster. 

“Once Lancaster comes full circle, we would also look into the possibility of minority ownership in some other locations,” said Brian. “We would partner with other franchisees and new locations, but the goal is absolutely to continue to grow with The Melting Pot.”

Much of the pair’s passion for the brand comes back to the strength of the Melting Pot identity and what the restaurant means to so many of its guests. The unique concept stands out in the fondue space nationwide; Brian said the competitors simply “don’t hold a candle to what Melting Pot does.” The leadership team’s passion for the brand has also been a key driver.

“The corporate team is very friendly, welcoming and family-oriented. There’s a feeling of belonging,” said Brian. “That is something that has definitely kept me in good standing with the company.”

“I’m happy. I’m where I want to be,” added Shannon. “There’s so much to learn, but getting to do it with my husband and with the help of Collin [Benyo], Bob [Johnston] and the rest of the team makes it so great. Brian and I are just one family in the larger Melting Pot family.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/meltingpot/info.