“The problem from a corporate standpoint was that most people perceive The Melting Pot as expensive because, frankly, we always advertised our starting point was the $100 Big Night Out,” Haney says.

In September, Castleton restaurant Melting Pot was named restaurant of the year among 92 locations in the company’s national chain of fondue eateries. Franchisee Rob Arias purchased the local Melting ...