The Melt

<a href="https://meltfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-melt-greg-vojnovic-head-of-franchising-2731824" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Melt</a>, the tech-forward, fast-casual sensation known for its innovative take on melted comfort food, has hired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvojnovic/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-melt-greg-vojnovic-head-of-franchising-2731824" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Greg Vojnovic</a> as head of franchising to lead its next phase of growth, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fastcasual.com/news/greg-vojnovic-leading-franchise-expansion-at-the-melt/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-melt-greg-vojnovic-head-of-franchising-2731824" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">recent article from Fast Casual</a>. Previously, the brand has only operated company-owned locations across California and Arizona. Vojnovic, a restaurant industry veteran, will help the brand expand beyond the West Coast.&nbsp;The third-generation restaurateur is joining the team following a consulting engagement of several months that evaluated&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-melt/info">The Melt’s</a> readiness to franchise.&nbsp;"There was no assumption that franchising was the next step,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-bower-237b475?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-melt-greg-vojnovic-head-of-franchising-2731824" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ralph Bower</a>, CEO of The Melt, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-melt-welcomes-greg-vojnovic-as-head-of-franchising-to-lead-its-national-expansion-302694038.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-melt-greg-vojnovic-head-of-franchising-2731824" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">company press release</a>. "After going through the business, the operations, the culture and the economics, we concluded that offering a franchising opportunity ... would be an attractive and responsible next move."Vojnovic has over 30 years of franchise development experience. Previously, he served in senior leadership roles at brands including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Arby’s. Founded in San Francisco in 2011, The Melt specializes in comfort food made with natural ingredients, including its signature MeltBurger, made with a blend of Angus and Wagyu beef.The brand will take a "disciplined, operator-first approach" to growth, according to Bower. Vojnovic will oversee franchisee recruitment and market strategy as the brand expands.&nbsp;Read the original article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fastcasual.com/news/greg-vojnovic-leading-franchise-expansion-at-the-melt/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-melt-greg-vojnovic-head-of-franchising-2731824" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>.&nbsp;To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-melt">https://1851franchise.com/the-melt</a>.&nbsp;

Fast Casual: Greg Vojnovic Joins the Melt as Head of Franchising

The Melt Hires Greg Vojnovic to Lead Franchise Growth

1851 Franchise

The restaurant industry veteran will lead the fast-casual brand into its next phase of growth beyond its corporate-owned West Coast locations. 

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For restaurant brands, growth headlines can be easy to generate. Sustainable financial performance is much harder to achieve. In 2025, West Coast fast casual premium burger brand&nbsp;<a href="https://meltfranchising.com/">The Melt</a> proved that its operating model works - not in theory, but in real restaurants, under real market conditions.&nbsp; “Our goal was never to build a franchise business; our goal was to build a great restaurant business,” said CEO<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-bower-237b475/">&nbsp;Ralph Bower</a>. “When you own and operate every restaurant, there’s nowhere to hide. You feel every decision in real time... the labor, food costs and guest experience. Our success is what gives us confidence that we’re ready to introduce franchising and prepared to scale the right way.”With record revenue, strong unit-level profitability and strategic system expansion, the brand enters 2026 positioned not as a concept chasing growth, but as a company scaling with discipline.<h2>Record Corporate Revenue and Profitability Validate the Model</h2>In 2025, The Melt generated record revenue of $58,280,558. Operational performance improved meaningfully in 2025. Cost of goods sold (COGS) was 29.6% on average, remaining stable despite a difficult beef and commodities environment. Total unit-level labor was 25.5%, reflecting disciplined scheduling and streamlined kitchen execution.Because all locations are company-owned, the leadership team feels the same cost pressures as any operator, from commodity volatility to labor challenges, and must perform in real time.“Our operations performance improved with continuing stable COGS in a difficult beef and commodities environment,” Bower said. “We continue to provide leading operational performance.”For a premium burger concept built around Angus and Wagyu beef, holding COGS under 30% while delivering strong profitability speaks to purchasing strength, menu engineering and kitchen simplicity.<h2>High AUVs Demonstrate Consumer Demand and Scalability</h2>The Melt’s financial strength is further validated by its unit volumes. In 2025, the AUV for restaurants open more than one year (14 units) was more than $3.4M and the top third of mature locations (7 units) generated more than $4.5M in average sales.&nbsp;The Stanford location generated more than $6.1M in sales from just 1,900 square feet. That Stanford restaurant performance is especially notable. A compact inline footprint generating over $6 million demonstrates how the brand’s format can produce high volumes without oversized boxes or excessive buildout requirements. The ability to generate strong sales in relatively efficient footprints reinforces The Melt’s long-term scalability. These results are not isolated spikes. They are tied to a repeatable formula built around craveable menu items like the MeltBurger, late-night strength and a hospitality-first culture the company calls “I Love It Here.” “I read a review from our Stanford location that simply said, ‘I just love it here,’” Bower said. “The ‘I Love It Here’ philosophy became our mission. Every guest. Every visit. Every team member. That’s not a tagline and it’s much more than a filter. It’s how we conduct business every day.”&nbsp;<h2>System Growth That Reflects Discipline, Not Speculation</h2>While many brands pursue rapid expansion, The Melt’s 2025 growth was measured.The company opened three new restaurants in 2025, representing approximately 20% system growth and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/locations">expanding from 15 to 18 units</a>. Most notably, 2025 marked the brand’s expansion beyond California into a new state. The Melt opened its first Arizona restaurants in Paradise Valley and Tempe. Entering Arizona signals the beginning of a new growth phase, but leadership emphasizes that expansion will remain grounded in operational readiness and market fit.<h2>Financial Discipline as the Foundation for 2026</h2>As The Melt positions itself for larger expansion ahead, leadership remains anchored to the same principles that drove 2025 performance: operational simplicity, financial discipline and a culture built around both team members and guests.“As we continue to position ourselves for larger growth, we are excited for the future,” Bower said. “We continue to produce record-breaking results based on the foundation of our ‘I Love It Here’ culture. This is unique to The Melt and our teams and our customers. Our goal is to have everyone happy.”Heading into 2026, The Melt is not chasing momentum. It is building on validated performance.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-melt">https://1851franchise.com/the-melt</a>.

Corporate store results, systemwide sales growth and disciplined unit expansion highlight momentum for the fast-casual brand heading into 2026.

The Melt Delivered Record-High Financial Performance in 2025, Fueling System Growth and Expansion

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Most restaurant turnarounds start with a bold new idea.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">The Melt’s</a> started with two simple questions.“When I joined The Melt in August of 2016, I asked our guests and our crew members: If you were CEO of The Melt, what would you change - and what would you never change?” said CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-bower-237b475/">Ralph Bower</a>. “We received over 1,000 replies.&nbsp; That input became the backbone of everything we’ve built.”What followed was not a quick fix, but a disciplined rebuild. The leadership team listened closely, tightened operational fundamentals, and aligned the organization around a singular goal: delivering an “I Love It Here” experience for every guest, every visit.Fast forward nearly 10 years, and all that hard work has totally transformed The Melt into a fast-casual spot that handles big crowds, is open late, uses smart tech and is designed from the ground up for profitable franchise expansion.<h2>A Turnaround Rooted in Operational Discipline and Guest-Led Insights</h2>Before changing the menu or accelerating growth, The Melt focused on fundamentals. Bower personally visited every restaurant to identify where the experience was breaking down.“If you're going to have a great restaurant company, you have to run great restaurants. At the time, we lacked some of the most basic operational disciplines that make restaurants successful,” Bower said. “Guests were standing in long lines just to place an order. Something as simple as adding a second register and closely monitoring service levels immediately improved the experience.”Those early fixes set the tone for the broader turnaround. The Melt clarified standards, established accountability, and ensured that every improvement was tied directly to the guest experience.Still, Bower is quick to note that operational excellence alone doesn’t create demand.“You can’t operate your way out of an average product,” he said. “We had to ask ourselves a hard question: Is our food truly as good as it could be? And what makes it special?”<h2>A Differentiated Brand Experience That Drives Demand and Loyalty</h2>In 2017, The Melt rebuilt its menu from the ground up. Anything guests felt they could easily make at home didn’t make the cut.“Our Grilled Cheese sandwich was good,” Bower said. “But people told us, ‘I can make that at home.’ So we created our “Three-Cheese Classic.” An indulgent, unique and unmistakably Melty Grilled Cheese sandwich that our customers think is the best they’ve ever had.”That same philosophy guided the development of the MeltBurger, now the brand’s signature item. Made with a third-pound blend of 100% all-natural Angus and Wagyu beef, chopped and smothered in aged cheddar right on the grill through a proprietary cooking process, it delivers a craveable, melty experience guests can’t replicate anywhere else.&nbsp; It is unique….it is differentiated….and it is unforgettable.”“We even created a specialized chopper so the cheese and our house-made pickle-jalapeño mix melt directly into the burger as it cooks,” Bower said. “That’s how you get what people now call the ‘World’s Meltiest Burger.’”In early 2019, a single guest review helped crystallize the brand’s direction.“I read a review from our Stanford location that simply said, ‘I just love it here,’” Bower said. “The ‘I Love It Here’ philosophy became our mission. Every guest. Every visit. Every team member. That’s not a tagline. It’s how we decide what belongs and what doesn’t.”That philosophy extends beyond guests to the people running the restaurants.“The guest experience will never exceed the crew member experience,” Bower said.During the pandemic, that belief was put into action as The Melt continued paying team members during closures and provided free meals to first responders.“It wasn’t a PR move,” Bower said. “It was about doing the right thing.”The result has been uncommon stability in leadership. Nearly all of the brand’s general managers have been with The Melt for five years or longer, providing consistency, stronger training, and operational continuity across locations.<h2>Built to Win Where Others Can’t: Late-Night, Tech-Forward and Market-Smart</h2>One of The Melt’s most powerful differentiators is its late-night business.“Most fast-casual places close around 9 or 10 p.m., but The Melt decided to keep their doors open until 2 a.m. or even later in many locations,” Bower said. “Our move to focus on late night came about by listening to our guests. In most areas guests are left with fast food as their only option late-night. We decided to change that”&nbsp;&nbsp;Technology plays a supporting role, not a leading one. The brand has implemented DoorDash smart scales to reduce order errors, large-format kiosks to improve throughput and average check, and a growing loyalty program to drive repeat visits.“We don’t chase trends,” Bower said. “We implement tech that solves real problems.”<h2>Why The Melt Is Ready for Franchising</h2>Looking ahead, The Melt is using its “Live, Work, Play, Learn” approach to target high-traffic areas that draw mixed crowds, especially late-night customers, while keeping day-to-day operations efficient. With the average corporate location pulling in about $3.4 million in sales in a 1,900 to 2,300 sq. ft. endcap, the company can grow at a comfortable, efficient pace rather than being pressured into expanding too fast.“Our mission at The Melt is to deliver an ‘I Love It Here’ experience to every guest,” Bower said. “By staying nimble, innovative, and guest-focused, we’ve grown sales fivefold and are now expanding beyond California and sharing the world’s meltiest burgers with even more fans.”The brand’s growth philosophy remains deliberate.“We’re not trying to be the biggest brand out there,” Bower said. “We’re building something that lasts. Something people love.”For experienced operators seeking a long-term opportunity, The Melt’s journey offers a clear signal. The brand’s success was not overnight. It was earned through years of listening, refining, and executing with intention.“And when guests walk in and say, ‘I love it here,’” Bower said, “that’s when you know you’re doing something right.”For more information, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">https://www.meltfranchising.com/</a>.

Over the past decade, The Melt successfully overhauled everything from its menu to its operations. Now, the brand is ready for franchise expansion in busy markets.

The Melt’s Fast Casual Turnaround Built for Franchise Growth

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LOS ANGELES —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">The Melt</a>, the fast-casual brand known for its signature MeltBurger and home to the “World's Meltiest Burger”, has named&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvojnovic">Greg Vojnovic</a> as head of franchising as it prepares to expand beyond its current company-owned footprint in California and Arizona.Vojnovic brings over 30 years of experience in restaurant and franchise development to the role. A third-generation restaurateur, gold medalist in the U.S. Chef’s Open and former “Hot Concept of the Year” operator, he has held senior leadership roles across some of the industry’s most recognizable brands. His career includes leading development efforts at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, where he helped reposition the brand and double its size by adding more than 1,000 restaurants. He also served as Chief Development Officer at Arby’s during a period when the brand returned to net-positive unit growth. Following Arby’s acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings, he helped in the creation of Inspire Brands as the sixth employee hired.&nbsp;Most recently, Vojnovic served as a restaurant operator and consultant, advising brands on growth strategy and acquiring and operating multi-unit restaurant portfolios across multiple brands and states.Vojnovic joined The Melt following a strategic consulting engagement that began in the fall, during which he worked closely with the leadership team to assess the brand’s readiness for franchising. That process led to the creation of a new franchising entity and Vojnovic’s transition into a full-time leadership role.“There was no assumption that franchising was the next step,” said&nbsp;<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/ralph-bower-237b475">Ralph Bower</a>, CEO of The Melt. “The real question was whether The Melt had all the pieces that make a concept durable and appealing over the long term. Great food alone is not enough. After going through the business, the operations, the culture and the economics, we concluded that offering a franchising opportunity in addition to our company expansion would be an attractive and responsible next move for this brand.”Unlike many emerging concepts, The Melt has historically operated entirely through company-owned restaurants, an approach Bower believes gives the brand a meaningful advantage as it enters franchising.“Everything here has been built, tested, and refined in company stores,” Bower said. “The operating model is tight. The culture is authentic. And the food delivers every single time.”At the center of the menu is the MeltBurger, the brand’s signature offering and the foundation of its identity. Each MeltBurger features a craveable blend of 100% all-natural Angus and Wagyu beef, cooked on the grill and smothered in aged cheddar, with the brand’s house-made pickle-jalapeño mix.&nbsp;“You walk into a Melt and it’s busy, but it’s also relaxed,” said Vojnovic. “Execution is straightforward. There’s no specialized equipment, no over-engineering. Two clamshell grills, two fryers, two impingers, a shake machine, and smart prep. It’s a durable kitchen designed to support high volume, strong profitability, and a reasonable investment. That combination is hard to find.”Today, the brand boasts average unit volumes of approximately $3.4 million across its corporate locations open for more than 12 months and over $5 million for the top third of company restaurants open for more than a year. Those results are supported by a streamlined kitchen design, a strong late-night and delivery business, and a culture centered on delivering an “I Love It Here” experience to every guest.At the heart of that momentum is a leadership team deeply rooted in restaurant operations.“Ralph Bower is a proven, operator-first leader,” Vojnovic said. “From his time as President of Popeyes and CEO of Pei Wei, he understands how to build brands that last. Rick Federico brings decades of experience scaling iconic restaurant concepts as the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc., and Norman Award recipient. This is a team with a real, battle-tested perspective and that matters when you’re building for long-term growth.”As Head of Franchising, Vojnovic will oversee the development of The Melt’s franchise platform, including franchisee recruitment, market strategy and long-term system growth.&nbsp;“Our mission at The Melt is to deliver an ‘I Love It Here’ experience to every guest,” said Vojnovic. “By staying nimble and relentlessly guest-focused, we’ve grown sales fivefold. Now, we’re ready to thoughtfully expand beyond California and share the world’s meltiest burgers with even more fans.”Vojnovic emphasized that franchising will follow the same disciplined, operator-first mindset that has guided the brand’s turnaround and growth.“This is not about selling out the map,” said Bower. “We’re taking a disciplined, operator-first approach to franchising, and bringing Greg on full-time is a critical part of that strategy. He understands what it takes to build restaurant brands and scalable franchise systems. Our responsibility is to protect the brand, support our franchise partners and make sure this opportunity is built for long-term success. Greg is the right leader to help us do that.”Now, with its franchising infrastructure in place, The Melt is excited to start welcoming experienced operators who align with the brand’s culture and operational standards.&nbsp;“The Melt is being handcrafted to be one of the best franchise brands in America,” Vojnovic said. “And we’re going to take the time to do it right.”About The MeltFounded in San Francisco in 2011, The Melt is on a mission to serve the world’s meltiest, most craveable comfort food-made entirely with 100% all-natural ingredients and no artificial additives, ever. Best known for its signature MeltBurger-a bold blend of premium Angus and Wagyu beef, topped with aged cheddar, house-made pickle-jalapeño mix, and served on a toasted artisan bun-The MeltBurger delivers unforgettable flavor in every bite. The menu features juicy MeltBurgers, toasty grilled melts, crispy buttermilk-brined chicken, creamy mac &amp; cheese, skin-on fries seasoned with custom Melt Spice, and thick, hand-spun shakes. Every item on the menu is made with real, high-quality ingredients you can feel good about. Recognized as one of the Top 20 Fast Casual Restaurants for Guest Satisfaction by Nation’s Restaurant News and a Top 50 Brand in Fast Casual’s 2025 Top 100 Movers &amp; Shakers, The Melt is rapidly becoming a standout in the fast casual space. With industry-leading sales comps and double-digit year-over-year growth, the brand is expanding quickly-including recent openings in Arizona and Davis, CA. Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, The Melt delivers bold flavors, feel-good vibes, and warm hospitality that keeps guests saying, “I love it here.” Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.themelt.com">www.themelt.com</a> or follow @TheMelt on social media.&nbsp;

image of Greg Vojnovic,  Head of Franchising for The Melt

Veteran restaurant executive brings decades of franchise experience as the World’s Meltiest Burger brand prepares to launch its franchising platform.

The Melt Welcomes Greg Vojnovic as Head of Franchising to Lead its National Expansion

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What does a three-star admiral’s aide in the Pentagon have in common with a manager in training at Domino’s Pizza? For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-bower-237b475/">Ralph Bower</a>, CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">The Melt</a>, the answer is everything.&nbsp;In this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMQtmYsiEmA">episode of the “Meet the Franchise” podcast</a>, 1851 Franchise Publisher&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/powills/">Nick Powills</a> sat down with the man who traded a prestigious military career for a $4.75-an-hour entry-level restaurant job because he saw a newspaper ad claiming pizza managers made more than admirals. That leap of faith kicked off an impressive trajectory through the executive ranks of Yum! Brands, Popeyes and Domino’s, led Bower to his current mission: transforming The Melt from a startup into a high-volume powerhouse.Under Bower’s leadership, The Melt didn’t just grow. It exploded. By stripping away complex corporate mission statements and replacing them with a single core value, he pushed average unit volume from a modest $700,000 to a staggering $3.5 million, with some locations topping $6 million.As The Melt prepares to bring its fanatical culture to the national stage through franchising, Bower shares the operational playbook he learned at sea and perfected in the kitchen.A transcript of Bower’s interview with Powills has been provided below. It has been edited for style, brevity and clarity.Nick Powills: All right, Ralph. I usually start with a scripted question, and I’m still going to ask it in some form. You’ve got plenty of credibility, so you don’t need to give the full backstory. I usually ask how people accidentally fell into franchising, because everyone seems to fall into it. Start with your story before The Melt, then we’ll get into The Melt.Ralph Bower: I came to franchising in a pretty unconventional way. I went to Annapolis, was aboard a ship and then stationed in the Pentagon. While I was there, I was getting ready to go back to sea and saw an ad in the newspaper saying Domino’s Pizza store managers were making more than the admiral I was working for.I thought, “I think I could be an average Domino’s Pizza store manager.” So I went from being an admiral’s aide to a three-star admiral in the Pentagon to being a manager in training at Domino’s making $4.75 an hour. I had a 1-year-old at the time. I’m proud that it only took me six months to work my way up to $5.25 an hour.But I worked my way up through the Domino’s system and then spent several great years at Yum!, eventually becoming COO and president of Popeyes and CEO of Pei Wei.Powills: I hear something in that opening story that I think will matter as we go: A military background teaches operational discipline better than almost any other kind of training. You didn’t have a traditional restaurant background when you saw that ad. Did your time in the military set you up for success? Did it give you a playbook you could rely on when you got to Domino’s?Bower: I think running a restaurant is more similar to being in the military than one might guess. The first thing the military teaches you is how to work with people from all walks of life. Aboard a ship, you’re going to have people who are extraordinarily smart and people who maybe aren’t. You’re going to have extremely hard workers and others not so much. You’ll have people with a ton of natural talent who need very little leadership and others who need a lot more. That’s not all that different from being in a restaurant. One of the things I love about the restaurant business is the opportunity to work with an extraordinarily varied cross-section of people.Great leaders figure out how to adapt their leadership style to what each individual needs. Those individuals shouldn’t have to adapt to you. You learn that in the military and it’s true in restaurants.People often say it must be easier in the military because everyone has to do what you tell them to do. But that’s an extraordinarily broad misconception. The military is no different than anywhere else. The best way to build alignment and a team is through influence. It’s always better to lead people to self-discovery than to force them to do things your way.Powills: Another aspect that seems transferable is the ability to deal with crises. Business owners who can push through brick walls succeed and those who can’t stall out. Is that another part of this?Bower: I definitely think that’s true. I talk about three principles of running a shift at The Melt: be in charge, give direction and attack bottlenecks. That’s true in anything you do. In a crisis, you want a leader who’s in charge and giving direction. Where things break down is when leaders go silent. The crises in the military are different from those in restaurants, but the leadership requirement is the same.Powills: You’re a humble guy, but I’m going to say this: your principles and philosophy on leadership give foundational elements from the bottom all the way to the top. And they carry on beyond Domino’s, Popeyes or Pei Wei.Is part of the magic that instead of putting pressure on the business, you put pressure on operational leadership and people development?Bower: People misunderstand what makes a restaurant successful. As leaders, it’s important to take the complicated and make it simple. I always say simple is better than perfect.I believe two things are required to be a great restaurant company: You have to run great restaurants and you have to have great food. If you do those two things, you’ll be successful.Most people understand the great food part. What’s harder to grasp is how important it is to run great restaurants. That’s the blocking and tackling you do every day, and it’s probably more important than the food.During COVID-19, over an 18-month period, our sales more than doubled and nearly tripled. If we hadn’t had the processes and systems to run great restaurants, guests would have come once, seen chaos and never returned.The reason we’ve quintupled our average unit volumes is that when the business came, we were fanatical about running great restaurants. Today, our average unit volumes are $3.5 million. We have several restaurants over $5 million and a couple over $6 million. Back when our AUVs were $700,000, we were just as fanatical about what we called peak-period performance.What we thought was a peak period at $700,000 is very different at $6 million. But because we built those foundational steps early, we were ready when sales came.Powills: That speaks to negative and positive crises. At $700,000 or $6 million, you still need a leader who calms nerves and keeps consistency so things don’t go off track.Bower: I was fortunate early in my career to meet Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s. He was a former Marine and I was a former Navy guy. I asked him one day, “What’s the best way to raise sales in a restaurant?” He said, “Handle the rush.”That’s what he told every franchisee. Handle the rush. I think that gets lost sometimes. I talk to my operators seven days a week at 9 a.m., and we talk about how we handled the rush the night before.If you handle the rush and deliver what we call an “I Love It Here” experience, guests will come back.Powills: Handling the rush applies to customers, but also to your staff. Showing compassion, empathy and appreciation afterward matters too.Bower: Absolutely. The guest experience will never exceed the team member experience. If you don’t deliver an “I Love It Here” experience to your team, it’s hard for them to deliver it to guests.We had a situation recently where two team members had to leave early due to a family emergency. We were short-staffed for hours late at night. Service suffered a little. But what I thought about the next morning was the stress on those team members.Powills: You once told me you only have one core value: “I Love It Here.” You shared a story about an employee who didn’t speak English and what that meant to you. Why just one core value?Bower: Leaders need to make things easy to execute. When I first came to The Melt, our average unit volumes were about $700,000. I thought $1.5 million would be nirvana.I’m fanatical about guest feedback. One day, a guest review at one of our highest-volume restaurants said, “I love it here.” I started thinking about what would happen if every guest felt that way. Within weeks, we ripped up every mission and vision statement and replaced them with one goal: deliver an “I Love It Here” experience to every guest. We don’t tell our teams how to do it. Twice a day we rally and ask team members what “I Love It Here” means to them. And then we say, “Just do that.”I’ve worked for companies with beautiful mission statements that never translated to the restaurant level. At The Melt, any team member can tell you our number one goal.I once asked a team member who spoke almost no English what our goal was. Seeing him work so hard to say, in English, “Deliver an ‘I Love It Here’ experience to every guest,” gave me goosebumps.Powills: Was that a moment where you paused and realized you’d done something bigger than building a good burger brand?Bower: Absolutely. Recognition matters. I had a fry cook named Zach in downtown San Francisco. I asked him what it meant to deliver an “I Love It Here” experience on fries. He said, “I want my fries so hot they burn your hands.” I gave him a “baddest alligator in the swamp” pin in front of his team. He cried and told me it was the first recognition he’d ever received. He said he’d be buried wearing that pin.I’ve thought about that every day for the past 10 years.Powills: You’ve built volumes that put you at the top of franchising. How long did it take you to realize culture is currency?Bower: I’d like to say I knew it right away, but it took me 25 years. It wasn’t until The Melt and “I Love It Here” that I fully understood the power of alignment. Everyone has values. The magic is getting everyone aligned around them.Achieving something as a team is far more meaningful than achieving it as an individual. I learned that in the military, then again at Domino’s and throughout my career.Powills: As you launch franchising, does it worry you that franchisees need to be true extensions of the culture? And how do you build a team within a franchise system?Bower: The only people we want at The Melt are those who get excited about delivering an “I Love It Here” experience. If you can’t be fanatical about that, it’s not a fit. As a franchisor, your job isn’t to deliver “I Love It Here” to the guest; it’s to deliver it to the franchisee. That means profitable restaurants, great training and great support.At Popeyes, the turning point was realizing the franchisee was our customer. We’ll have that same culture at The Melt.Powills: What’s the dream now?Bower: I want to deliver “I Love It Here” to every state in the country. The best way to do that is with franchisees who know their markets. With the right partners, I believe we can take this nationwide.Powills: Love it, Ralph. Seeing this in action changed my perception. The foundation here is incredibly strong. The sky’s the limit. Thank you for sharing your story.Bower: Thank you, Nick. I appreciate the time.Powills: For Ralph, I’m Nick. This was another episode of “Meet the Franchise.”Watch the full interview&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/IMQtmYsiEmA">here</a>.

CEO Ralph Bower discusses the "I Love It Here" philosophy that took The Melt to $3.5 million in average unit volume and why simple execution is the key to his new national franchise expansion. 

How Military Leadership and Operational Discipline Drove The Melt to Record-Breaking AUVs

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<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">The Melt</a>, the tech-forward, fast-casual sensation known for its innovative take on melted comfort food, is further building its Southern California presence via a new Torrance location at the Del Amo Fashion Center, according to a report by&nbsp;<a href="https://whatnow.com/los-angeles/restaurants/the-melt-planning-slated-to-join-del-amo-fashion-center-in-torrance/">What Now Los Angeles</a>. This marks another strategic win for the chain as it brings its signature "I Love It Here" culture to one of the largest shopping malls in the United States.The Torrance move signifies a disciplined growth strategy. It’s also one that reflects a calculated move into high-traffic retail. Founded in California’s Bay Area in 2011,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-melt/info">The Melt</a> has grown from a California favorite into a powerhouse with a broader presence. With 11 locations in Northern California, six in Southern California and two in Arizona, the brand is leveraging its popularity to bridge the gap between regional cult favorite and national contender. The new announcement follows previously reported plans for upcoming California locations in Long Beach and Hollywood Park, signaling a concerted effort to embrace the Los Angeles metro area and beyond.&nbsp;What sets The Melt apart in an increasingly crowded fast-casual sector, and what makes the Del Amo expansion particularly noteworthy, is the brand’s commitment to quality and technology. The Melt has built a loyal following through its specialized "MeltBurger," which features a high-quality blend of Angus and Wagyu beef. And, by combining premium ingredients with a seamless ordering experience, The Melt has created a model that thrives in high-traffic retail environments based on the concepts of speed and quality. That operational efficiency has helped it succeed in premier, high-volume shopping destinations.The Melt is part of a larger expansion trend in Southern California, highlighting a shift in the fast-casual landscape. Today, specialized single-concept brands like The Melt are gaining ground on larger competitors. By securing the new Del Amo Fashion Center location, the brand is doing more than opening another restaurant. It is positioning itself alongside larger national brands and signaling that a tech-enabled, guest-focused model is ready for bigger stages.Read the original article&nbsp;<a href="https://whatnow.com/los-angeles/restaurants/the-melt-planning-slated-to-join-del-amo-fashion-center-in-torrance/">here</a>.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-melt">https://1851franchise.com/the-melt</a>.

The Melt franchise expansion, The Melt California

The new Torrance restaurant marks the brand’s latest move deeper into Southern California, pairing its MeltBurger menu with a tech-forward ordering model.

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In the restaurant game, some brands get obsessed with chasing the next big fad, while others just focus on getting as big as possible. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">The Melt</a>, the rapidly expanding West Coast burger spot, has staked its entire success on a different approach: delivering an “I love it here” experience to every guest.&nbsp;“Great food alone doesn’t build a great brand,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-bower-237b475/">Ralph Bower</a>, CEO of The Melt. “What matters is having a concept that’s operationally sound, financially strong, and built to perform at scale. The Melt combines craveable food with a proven operating model and a team that knows how to grow the right way.”<h2>A Menu Designed for Craveability and Repeat Visits</h2>The Melt’s menu is the result of deliberate focus. Over time, leadership sharpened the lineup around one core question:&nbsp;How do you make food so incredible that every guest can say “I Love It Here!”?The answer became a menu centered on bold, melty comfort food and familiar favorites elevated through premium ingredients and signature execution. Every item earns its place by delivering flavor, consistency, and repeat appeal.At the core of the lineup are the brand’s signature MeltBurgers. Each features a juicy 1/3-pound blend of 100% all-natural Angus and Wagyu beef, chopped and cooked on the grill and smothered in two slices of aged cheddar melted directly into the meat. Finished with the brand’s house-made pickle-jalapeño mix and signature sauces, guest favorites include the BBQ Bacon MeltBurger and the Spicy Mission MeltBurger.In addition to burgers, The Melt offers a full range of indulgent, comfort-driven favorites designed to round out the experience. “Melted Classics” include toasty grilled sandwiches like the Three Cheese Classic, a savory Patty Melt, and the Mac Daddy, which is layered with creamy mac and cheese for guests looking to lean all the way in.The menu also features crispy buttermilk-brined chicken sandwiches, fresh salads and soups for lighter occasions, skin-on fries seasoned with signature Melt Spice, and thick, hand-spun milkshakes made to finish the meal on a high note.“We focus on craveability, quality, and consistency,” Bower said. “When guests find something they love here, they feel confident coming back and ordering it again. That’s how real brands are built.”The result is a menu that feels indulgent yet approachable, delivering premium quality at a price point that supports frequent visits and long-term loyalty.“From the beginning, we’ve believed that how people feel in our restaurants matters just as much as what’s in their order,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvojnovic">Greg Vojnovic</a>, Head of Franchising at The Melt. “If guests walk out thinking, ‘I love it here,’ they’ll come back. That mindset shapes everything — from menu design to how we hire and train our teams, and how to support our franchise partners.”<h2>Hospitality That Feels Genuine and Not Scripted</h2>The Melt’s atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, but its operations are built with discipline and intention.“If you walk into a Melt, the atmosphere is relaxed,” said Vojnovic. “Behind the scenes, the operations are straightforward and disciplined. Whether it’s a busy Friday night or a slower weekday, the model is built to run consistently and deliver the same great experience every time.”Of course, guests don’t think about systems or workflows. They just notice that food comes out hot, orders are right, and the restaurant doesn’t feel stressed.&nbsp;The Melt delivers bold, comfort-driven food that feels intentional and high-quality, while remaining approachable enough to earn repeat visits. Instead, the experience is designed to feel welcoming, consistent, and easy to say yes to, whether it’s a first visit or a weekly habit.“Even with a value-forward menu, hospitality has to be top-notch,” Vojnovic said. “When teams enjoy being there, that energy carries into the guest experience. That’s what builds loyalty.”<h2>Why Guest Loyalty Translates Into Franchise Growth</h2>Guests return to The Melt for a few consistent reasons. The menu delivers familiar comfort food with enough lift to feel special, the atmosphere stays relaxed even during peak hours, and team members are trained to be genuinely welcoming.&nbsp;“Great food brings people in once,” Bower said. “Delivering an 'I Love It Here Experience’&nbsp; is what keeps them coming back more frequently and telling all their friends.”That repeat behavior is what has turned a strong restaurant brand into a scalable franchise brand. And that is why The Melt is ready to expand to new communities all across the country.&nbsp;For more information, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themelt.com/">https://www.themelt.com/</a>

A craveable menu, simple execution and an “I Love it Here” culture have turned guest loyalty into one of The Melt’s strongest growth engines and a foundation for scalable franchise economics.

Fast Casual: Greg Vojnovic Joins the Melt as Head of Franchising

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