Discover The Melt’s cheesy fast-casual concept that keeps customers coming back for more
With multiple locations in Northern and Southern California, as well as its first restaurant opening soon in Phoenix, Arizona, The Melt does exactly as its name suggests. Starting out with the highest quality cheeses, all-natural meats and fresh artisan breads, the company melts mouthwatering combinations to make delicious burgers and sandwiches. Every bite of its crunchy, grilled sandwiches and juicy, flavorful cheeseburgers is designed to put a smile on customers’ faces – knowing better-tasting food and better-for-you ingredients go hand-in-hand.
San Francisco, California is the birthplace of The Melt and one of the world’s finest food cities. Founded in 2011, the San Francisco-based fast-casual chain was an early adopter of guest-facing technology, offering mobile and touch-screen tablet ordering from the beginning. Founder and former CEO Jonathan Kaplan, an entrepreneur, debuted The Melt initially as a concept focused only on grilled cheese and soup – stressing 100-percent all-natural ingredients: no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, and no high-fructose corn syrup – for simple great-tasting food. The menu was expanded further in its first half-decade to include burgers, chicken, fries, mac and cheese and shakes.
Ralph Bower joined as CEO in 2016 and was introduced by Kaplan: “Ralph has the experience, vision, leadership and knowledge of the industry to build on the successful foundation we created…and the national expansion of our restaurants.” Since Bower came aboard, The Melt has enjoyed unrivaled success in guest reviews and average unit-volume growth.
Bower brought exciting changes to the menu – improving every item on the menu for cheesier and meatier sandwiches, innovative takes on fries and creamy mac and cheese. His biggest innovation came in the form of The MeltBurger – a burger influenced by the Chopped Cheese of New York City bodegas. The Melt’s 1/3 lb. Angus-Wagyu patty is smashed, chopped and topped with cheese and a jalapeno-pickle mix on a flattop grill. The chopping allows the flavor and cheese to penetrate the burger and creates a burger with incredibly tender mouthfeel. The Melt cooks the burgers to medium temperature so that every MeltBurger is “pink and juicy.” Bower’s focus on perfecting The MeltBurger has been recognized by both legacy and new customers of The Melt as burgers have overtaken grilled cheese sandwiches as the restaurant’s top sellers.
Taste sensation
The Melt’s focus on guaranteeing 100-percent happiness with every experience was inspired by a customer who wrote to Bower, telling him “I love it here.” Bower took this cue as a rally mantra for the entire organization – putting every decision through the filter of whether it was “I love it here.” Guests have noticed the improvements and commitment to quality experiences. Thanks to a large volume of incredible Yelp reviews, The Melt was recently named “the highest-rated burger joint in California.”
For those looking for meat-free or chicken alternatives on a bun, The Melt offers all of its MeltBurgers with grilled chicken or Impossible patties. Gluten-free buns and bread are also available for those who need or prefer to avoid gluten in their diet.
The Melt’s sandwich options offer tasty alternatives to burgers. Customers can choose from the Three Cheese Classic to the Mac Daddy: a creamy mac ‘n’ cheese sandwich with sharp and medium cheddar and smoked bacon. The Sicilian Chicken sandwich combines grilled, chopped chicken breast with provolone, fontina, and grilled mushrooms on spicy garlic bread. For the best of both worlds, The Melt also offers its signature Patty Melt with spicy mustard and caramelized onions.
Recently, The Melt added crispy chicken sandwiches to the menu – featuring buttermilk-marinated, hand-battered, 100-percent all-natural chicken breasts. The
Classic Crispy Chicken sandwich features pickle-jalapeño mix and Melt sauce, while the Hot ‘n’ Spicy Crispy Chicken sandwich gets a spicy crunch from fresh jalapeños and a big kick from the signature Spicy Melt sauce.
Beyond its classic Tomato soup – flavored with basil and a dash of cream, meals can also be complemented with thin-cut Idaho Russet fries – hot and crispy and sprinkled with signature Melt spice. Guests can also choose from Garlic Parmesan Fries – featuring spicy garlic butter, garnished with fresh garlic and shredded parmesan or Cheddar Bacon Ranch Fries – smothered in cheddar sauce, with crispy bacon and ranch. For those looking for a little green with their meal, entrée and side salads are available – with new salads on the way this coming Spring.
The Melt also features all-natural, hand-spun shakes – including its signature Snickerdoodle and popular Cookies & Cream. The shakes are served thick and even available on delivery orders.
Elevated experience
In addition to delivery services such as DoorDash, UberEats and GrubHub, The Melt offers online ordering through both its website and app and recently introduced a new rewards program where customers earn points with every purchase to apply for free items. Along with earning ten points for every dollar spent on direct purchases, Melt Rewards members also enjoy exclusive offers, invites to local store events and early opportunities to taste new menu items.
The Melt is proud to give back to its communities through its fundraising program. Over the years, The Melt has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars by partnering with schools, youth sports teams and other local community groups and non-profits. Hosting in-store fundraiser events, The Melt turns meals into meaningful support by donating up to 25 percent of every check to important community causes.
As the company expands into new territories, adding new flavor and product combinations, with Ralph at the helm, The Melt looks set for growth while still guaranteeing high-quality food and service. “We are completely committed to delivering an ‘I Love It Here’ experience to every guest, every time,” Bower says. “Whether they are dining in our restaurant, grabbing food to go or ordering delivery, we want to ensure that The Melt guests receive a best-in-class dining experience.”