Franchise opportunities compared
The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. vs Village Inn
Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. and Village Inn disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.: 8, Village Inn: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. |  Village Inn |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $5,000 – $1,797,654 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $1,076,000 – $2,745,000 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $20 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14 | $35,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 31 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 5% ITEM 6. OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1 Amount Due Date Remarks Royalty and Service Fee 2 — 5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15 | 4% matic bank transfer through an automated clearinghouse. The royalty is calculated at — 4% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 3% of “bdf”). 2 up to — 3% he Royalty and Service Fee payments. Brand Development Contribution 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15 | 1% ery fees, and other customary promotions or discounts Marketing Fee 1,3, 5 Currently — 1% — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 32 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 93 Outlets at end of 2026 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52 | 218 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +1 Calculated: 92 at end of 2024 → 93 at end of 2026 | −12 Calculated: 230 at end of 2023 → 218 at end of 2025 |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 1984 From a verified franchisor listing | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Top Third 12 restaurants other Franchised Top Third · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Middle Third 14 restaurants other Franchised Middle Third · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Bottom Third $1,570,349 other Franchised Bottom Third · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50 +5 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Systemwide companyandfranchise $658,011 other Systemwide companyandfranchise2025 Low · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised $3,484,052 other Franchised2025 High · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 70 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-owned $1,718,888 other Company-owned2025 Median · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 70 |
Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.
The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. vs Village Inn: common questions
- Which costs less to open, The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. or Village Inn?
- The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.: $5,000 – $1,797,654 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Village Inn: $1,076,000 – $2,745,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. and Village Inn royalties compare?
- The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); Village Inn: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. or Village Inn?
- The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.: 93 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); Village Inn: 218 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. and Village Inn disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Village Inn has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.