THE MELT
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
THE MELT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- THE MELT
- Legal name
- Fish Six Restaurant Corp.
- Website
- https://themelt.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where THE MELT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices24 records
Markets served
THE MELT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Sales: Revenue from company-owned restaurant locations serving food and beverages. The company operates approximately 19 restaurants across California and Arizona, generating average unit volumes exceeding $3.4 million for mature locations.
- Franchise Development: Revenue from franchise fees and royalties as the company expands through franchise partners. The brand is actively seeking multi-unit operators for national franchise growth, with initial focus on Florida markets (Tampa and Orlando).
- Catering Services: Catering revenue through EZ-Cater partnership for party and event delivery orders.
- Gift Card Sales: Revenue from Melt Card (gift card) sales at restaurant locations and online, with stored value for future purchases.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
THE MELT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
THE MELT operates a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in made-to-order premium burgers featuring 100% all-natural Angus and Wagyu beef, alongside grilled cheese sandwiches, crispy chicken sandwiches, mac n cheese, salads, and hand-spun milkshakes. The brand sells through approximately 19 company-owned locations primarily in California and Arizona, complemented by online ordering via mobile app and website, third-party delivery, catering, and an emerging franchise program.
Product overview
The Melt is a fast-casual burger restaurant brand offering a menu centered around premium Angus and Wagyu beef burgers (MeltBurgers), crispy chicken sandwiches, melted grilled cheese classics (Melted Classics), mac n cheese, salads, soups, and milkshakes. The company operates primarily in California and Arizona with expansion plans into Florida. The product portfolio includes a loyalty program (Melt Rewards), online ordering via a mobile app and website powered by Thanx, catering services through EZ-Cater, and Melt Card gift cards. The brand positions itself on natural ingredients free from artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MeltBurgers
Quantifiable outcome
- Record-breaking 2025 revenue of $58.3 million across 19 company-owned restaurants
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use THE MELT
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
THE MELT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Feature3 records
THE MELT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- EZ-CatercorePartnership for catering delivery services. EZ-Cater delivers The Melt's platters to customers for parties and events. Customers can place catering orders through the EZ-Cater website, select menu items, set delivery time, and checkout.
- DoorDashminorThird-party food delivery partnership enabling customers to order The Melt menu items for delivery through the DoorDash platform.
- Uber EatsminorThird-party food delivery partnership enabling customers to order The Melt menu items for delivery through the Uber Eats platform.
- thanxcoreLoyalty rewards platform provider powering The Melt Rewards program, mobile app ordering system, and Melt Card digital integration. thanx handles points accumulation, reward redemption, and customer engagement features.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
THE MELT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Smashburger: Premium fast-casual burger franchise concept with comparable AUV profile and a heavily franchised footprint; offers a useful reference for franchisee economics and multi-state expansion pacing.
- Shake Shack: Premium fast-casual burger chain with a similar 'better ingredients, made-to-order' positioning, comparable AUVs, and a national footprint that the Melt is attempting to scale toward via franchising.
- Culver's: Midwest-based fast-casual chain best known for ButterBurgers and grilled cheese on the menu; highly comparable on product mix (grilled cheese + burger), premium-ingredient positioning, and family-run operating culture.
- Wayback Burgers: Franchised fast-casual burger chain with a similar 'classic American comfort food' menu and a recent pivot to franchising-led growth; closely comparable to The Melt's strategic posture in 2026.
- The Habit Burger Grill: West Coast-rooted premium fast-casual burger brand with chargrilled menu and California heritage, directly comparable to The Melt on geography, price point, and target consumer; acquired by Yum! Brands in 2020.
- Five Guys: Direct competitor in the premium fast-casual burger category with a heavily franchised operating model that the Melt is now adopting; serves as the benchmark for franchisee unit economics in this segment.
- Fatburger: Premium fast-casual burger franchise with a similar made-to-order model and a long franchise history; directly comparable as a franchised burger concept at similar AUVs.
Broad incumbents
- Red Robin: Casual-dining burger chain with broader menu and table service; comparable on burger-centric positioning but operates in a more dine-in segment than The Melt's fast-casual model.
- Jack in the Box: Large-scale QSR burger incumbent with a heavily franchised West Coast presence; provides reference for scale economics and franchising infrastructure that The Melt is now entering.
- A&W Restaurants: Long-standing franchised burger and root beer concept operating under Yum! Brands; comparable as a mature franchise-system burger brand that newer entrants like The Melt must compete with for franchisee partners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
THE MELT social profiles
Digital presenceTHE MELT compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
THE MELT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
THE MELT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
THE MELT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
THE MELT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about THE MELT
What does THE MELT do?
THE MELT operates a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in made-to-order premium burgers featuring 100% all-natural Angus and Wagyu beef, alongside grilled cheese sandwiches, crispy chicken sandwiches, mac n cheese, salads, and hand-spun milkshakes. The brand sells through approximately 19 company-owned locations primarily in California and Arizona, complemented by online ordering via mobile app and website, third-party delivery, catering, and an emerging franchise program.
Is THE MELT a public or private company?
THE MELT is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was THE MELT founded?
THE MELT was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is THE MELT based?
THE MELT is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does THE MELT make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Development, catering Services and gift Card Sales.
Who are THE MELT's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Smashburger, Shake Shack, Culver's, Wayback Burgers, The Habit Burger Grill, Five Guys and Fatburger. Broad incumbents are Red Robin, Jack in the Box and A&W Restaurants.
Does THE MELT have an API?
No public API is recorded for THE MELT.