From Serving the Country to Serving Franchisees: Veterans’ Roles in Melting Pot’s RSC

Service is at the heart of the Melting Pot system, so it’s only natural that the fondue franchise has become a welcoming landing place for current and former service members. Much of the brand’s reputation for service is built on the experience guests have when they dine, but the entire system is powered by members of the team at the Restaurant Support Center, the central hub that ensures each of the 94 fondue franchise restaurants across the country — and their owners — have what they need to succeed.

“People thank veterans for their service because we do things that those who haven’t served often aren’t willing to do,” said Justin Cross, senior director of digital and creative marketing at Front Burner Brands. “There’s a similarity in terms of the courage that it takes to open a business. I think our entrepreneurial franchisees are a really important part of our country’s fiber. They’re taking chances to do things that will give people opportunities and develop their communities, and I want to both recognize them for that and lead and support them through it.”

Cross, who now leads digital efforts for The Melting Pot, has been in the Navy for 26 years. After nine years of active duty, he transitioned into a reserve capacity and continues to serve in a leadership role with the Navy while he works full-time with The Melting Pot.

Through service in Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and counter-narcotics missions, Cross developed valuable leadership skills and a strong understanding of the importance of understanding the end goal of any mission or organization and acting accordingly. 

“The military is quite flat. It’s hierarchical in its formal structure, but it pushes decisions as far down as it possibly can all the time. There are decisions that you have to make in the military where you don’t get to phone a friend — that’s not what leaders do,” explained Cross. “We want leaders in the military to be able to navigate challenging scenarios and use the skill sets that we give them to solve problems. I think that’s exactly what running a business is, too.”

At the Restaurant Support Center, team members provide local Melting Pot owners with the tools they need to be successful, but they don’t prescribe steps or give a specific answer for every challenge. Through mentorship and encouragement, local owners are able to build the skills and confidence they need to make the calls they know both align with the expectations of the system and fit the unique needs of their own location.

Kristy Galke, who served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 10 years and is now the Director of Operations and Development at the Restaurant Support Center, agreed that the ability to “think on your feet,” leveraging the training and information you’ve gathered through previous training, is both a skill learned through military training and service and one that is especially helpful in franchise leadership and ownership.

“One of the things you come to understand very quickly in the military is that the world is not about you. You have to figure out how to work with people who have personalities that are different from your own. It’s important to always be willing to listen and learn,” said Galke. “A lot of what I do is overseeing and testing new initiatives, and I’m always willing to say, for example, ‘So, you don’t want to do this happy hour program the way that we’re proposing. What are you thinking?’ And we can talk through that.”

When working with support teams and guests alike, franchisees have to think on their feet and know to pivot if something isn’t working. Because all layers of the franchise system understand the importance of these skills, the cooperation flows between all levels of the organization, ultimately ensuring that everyone from unit-level team members to executive leadership share the same vision and are aligned to reach it together.

“You can’t go through military life without a system of support, both formal and informal,” added Cross. “That’s the biggest parallel between military and business life, and I think that’s what we provide really well — a support system for our franchisees, both formal and informal.”

Melting Pot consistently works to support veterans in their entrepreneurial journeys, ensuring the system is veteran-friendly and lowering the barrier to entry. Through its affiliation with VetFran, Melting Pot offers qualified veterans a 20% discount on the initial franchise fee and encourages veterans to reach out and explore potential ownership opportunities.

For more information, visit https://www.meltingpotfranchise.com/.