Mel's Drive-In
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Mel's Drive-In firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mel's Drive-In
- Legal name
- Mel's Drive-In Franchising Group, LLC
- Website
- https://melsdrive-in.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mel's Drive-In industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)
Keywords
Where Mel's Drive-In is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
Mel's Drive-In business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Core revenue from dine-in, drive-through, and online food and beverage orders across all restaurant locations. Point-of-sale transactions at each location.
- Private Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting private parties, bachelorette events, corporate gatherings, and filming productions. Locations offer private rooms, full buyouts, and catering capabilities.
- Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise sales through dedicated Shopify storefront featuring branded apparel and memorabilia.
- Gift Card Sales: Digital and physical gift card sales through Toast Tab platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Full-service restaurant with dine-in, drive-through, and online ordering |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Mel's Drive-In product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mel's Drive-In operates a chain of classic American diner restaurants offering dine-in, takeout, and drive-through service with an all-day breakfast menu, smash burgers, sandwiches, hand-spun milkshakes, and craft cocktails across 8 California locations and 1 Nashville, Tennessee location. The chain also provides private event hosting, filming location rentals, a Toast Tab-powered loyalty rewards program, gift cards, and branded merchandise through a Shopify storefront.
Product overview
Mel's Drive-In operates a chain of classic American diner restaurants offering dine-in, takeout, and catering services. The core offering is all-day breakfast, smash burgers, sandwiches, dinner plates, and hand-spun milkshakes across 8 California locations (Hollywood, West Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Santa Monica, San Francisco's Lombard Street, Van Ness, Geary Boulevard Richmond District, and 4th & Mission) and 1 Tennessee location (Nashville). The portfolio includes private event hosting, filming location rentals, a loyalty rewards program, gift cards, and a merchandise store powered by Shopify.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Restaurant Dine-In, Drive-Through, and Online Takeout Classic American diner food and beverage service offering all-day breakfast, smash burgers, sandwiches, dinner plates, hand-spun milkshakes, and craft cocktails at 8 California locations and 1 Nashville, Tennessee location.
- Private Events and Party Hosting
Quantifiable outcome
- No. 1 in customer loyalty by Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Index
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Mel's Drive-In
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mel's Drive-In technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Mel's Drive-In partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- SKIMS (Kim Kardashian Brand)minorKim Kardashian hosted a SKIMS brand event at Mel's Drive-In featuring family nights and branded experiences. Celebrity events generate organic social media coverage and press mentions.
- Ford Motor CompanyminorFord chose Mel's Drive-In on Sunset Strip as the venue to introduce its new line of Mustangs to automotive press. Over several days, journalists were invited to test drive vehicles while enjoying classic American breakfast.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mel's Drive-In competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Johnny Rockets: Johnny Rockets is a retro-themed American diner chain with 200+ locations globally, offering burgers, shakes, and 1950s nostalgia. Shares Mel's Americana branding and classic diner menu.
- Denny's: Denny's is the largest American full-service diner chain with 1,500+ locations globally, offering all-day breakfast, burgers, and comfort food in a similar casual dine-in format. Direct competitor in the classic American diner segment.
- Eat'n Park: Eat'n Park is a 60+ location family restaurant chain headquartered in Pennsylvania, offering all-day breakfast and classic American fare. Comparable family-owned regional diner chain model.
- Black Bear Diner: Black Bear Diner is a 150+ location family dining chain founded in 1994, offering all-day breakfast, comfort food, and cabin-themed nostalgia. Closest direct competitor to Mel's in positioning around heritage and comfort food.
- Big Boy (Bob's Big Boy / Frisch's): Big Boy is one of America's oldest diner/drive-in chains, known for its iconic Big Boy burger mascot and classic American comfort food. Direct competitor sharing heritage-drivethru model and similar counter/dine-in service.
Broad incumbents
- IHOP: IHOP is a 1,600+ location national chain focused on breakfast and pancakes all day. Broad incumbent in the casual family dining space, overlapping with Mel's all-day breakfast and diner experience.
- First Watch Restaurant Group: First Watch is a 500+ location daytime cafe chain focused on breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Public company (NASDAQ: FWRG) competing in the same all-day breakfast/casual dining space.
Regional players
- Norms Restaurants: Norms is a Southern California diner chain with 100+ locations, known for 24/7 operations and classic American comfort food. Regional direct competitor in Mel's home market.
- The Original Pantry Cafe: The Original Pantry Cafe is a historic 24-hour diner in Downtown Los Angeles serving classic American comfort food. Regional competitor sharing LA diner market and 24/7 operating model.
- Perko's Cafe & Grill: Perko's is a California-based diner chain offering all-day breakfast and comfort food in a family-friendly setting. Regional competitor in Mel's core California market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mel's Drive-In social profiles
Digital presenceMel's Drive-In compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Mel's Drive-In financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mel's Drive-In leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Mel's Drive-In funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mel's Drive-In 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 Mel's Drive-In
What does Mel's Drive-In do?
Mel's Drive-In operates a chain of classic American diner restaurants offering dine-in, takeout, and drive-through service with an all-day breakfast menu, smash burgers, sandwiches, hand-spun milkshakes, and craft cocktails across 8 California locations and 1 Nashville, Tennessee location. The chain also provides private event hosting, filming location rentals, a Toast Tab-powered loyalty rewards program, gift cards, and branded merchandise through a Shopify storefront.
Is Mel's Drive-In a public or private company?
Mel's Drive-In is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Mel's Drive-In founded?
Mel's Drive-In was founded in 1947. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mel's Drive-In based?
Mel's Drive-In is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mel's Drive-In make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Event Hosting, merchandise Sales and gift Card Sales.
Who are Mel's Drive-In's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Johnny Rockets, Denny's, Eat'n Park, Black Bear Diner and Big Boy (Bob's Big Boy / Frisch's). Broad incumbents are IHOP and First Watch Restaurant Group. Regional players are Norms Restaurants, The Original Pantry Cafe and Perko's Cafe & Grill.
Does Mel's Drive-In have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mel's Drive-In.
What industry is Mel's Drive-In in?
Mel's Drive-In's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAC, Family-Style Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.