A Florida-based fondue restaurant chain eager to set up shop in the Hartford market said it is discounting its franchise fee by $18,000 to attract franchisees.
The Melting Pot said the promotion, which coincides with the company’s 40th anniversary, amounts to a 40 percent discount on its usual $45,000 fee.
The chain has 130 restaurants in North America and Asia, including one in Darien that opened in 2005. It’s also targeting the New Haven market.
Even with the discounted fee, investors must still be prepared to spend as much as $1.5 million on real estate improvements, equipment, training and other expenses.
Overall franchise startup costs vary widely across companies, but by comparison, a franchise fee for an Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar — Mohegan Sun plans to open 15 locations — is $35,000, while Outback Steakhouse charges a $10,000 fee, according to their respective websites.
