Your Essential Melting Pot Dining Guide (+10 FAQs)

(UPDATED NOVEMBER 2022) My family has been eating at The Melting Pot for nearly 20 years now. By my count, we have dined at more than 20 different locations across the country. Having dinner at The Melting Pot is a lot of fun and a unique experience. Your first visit can be overwhelming because it’s unlike anywhere else, and the menu can be confusing. Let our Melting Pot dining guide help!

What is the Melting Pot?

The Melting Pot is the original fondue restaurant, opening in 1975. It is perfect for any occasion: everyday dinner, a get-together with friends, a romantic meal, or a celebration. Known for offering a choice of fondue cooking styles, including the new grill cooking style and variety of entrees, Melting Pot’s menu also features cheese fondues, salads, fine wines, and chocolate fondue desserts. 

The Melting Pot experience is unique because you choose your entire dining experience from four courses of cheeses, salads, entrees, and chocolates.

No matter the occasion or how many courses you choose to partake in, The Melting Pot provides an unforgettable, interactive dining experience that turns moments into memories.

Fun Fact: There are Melting Pot locations in 31 states and Canada.

How Does The Melting Pot Work?

When you arrive at the restaurant, you will be seated at a table with a cooktop. The number of cooktops on the table dictates the number of fondue pots you can have going at one time. So, if you have one cooktop, everyone at the table will need to agree on the same cheese and chocolate fondues and cooking styles.

If you have two cooktops, you can have two different cheese fondues, chocolate fondues, and cooking styles going simultaneously (because there is a separate burner for each pot).

You will order your meal (more on that later) and your server will prep the fondues at your table. Each fondue will come with dippers for eating.

Cheese fondues are served with artisan bread, seasonal fruit, and veggies (apples, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower in our experience); entrees are served with seasonal vegetables (typically potatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms).

Chocolate fondue has a tray of sweet treats (marshmallows, pound cake, brownies, Rice Krispie pieces) and fruit (strawberries and bananas). You can ask for more dippers, but an additional charge may incur.

Has this Melting Pot dining guide intrigued you yet? Keep reading.

Cooking Your Food

When it’s time for your main course, your server will bring out your fondue cooking style to warm up. Then, your server will bring your raw proteins (or vegetarian items) and vegetables. You place the vegetables in your fondue pot to begin cooking, and each entree item will go on a skewer and into the fondue pot to cook. You can have up to three skewers at a time, which is how many are provided to each guest.

When your entree has cooked the allotted time (your server will prep you ahead of time), you remove it from the pot, place it on a clean plate, and enjoy. Vegetables can be taken out of the fondue pot when they’re to the doneness you like with the provided “search and rescue” spoon.

Six dipping sauces will be served with your entrees, which depend on your meat selections. Green Goddess (cream cheese and sour cream) is the most popular, but there is also teriyaki, ginger plum, Gorgonzola port, and horseradish, just to name a few.

How To Order At The Melting Pot

You can order from two Melting Pot menus—a Complete Fondue Experience For Two or an Á La Carte menu.

The Complete Fondue Experience For Two is just that–a set price for two people to enjoy four courses. You choose a cheese fondue, salad, entree, and chocolate fondue from the list for one price. You can upgrade to a Big/Bigger Night Out with more entree selections (like Lobster Tail and Premium Filet Mignon) for an up-charge.

On the Á La Carte menu, each course is priced separately. You can order one course or all four; the choice is yours. Keep in mind that cheese and chocolate fondue are priced for two servings on this menu, while salads and entrees are priced individually.

If there are two of you, both ordering all four courses, the Complete Fondue Experience For Two will save you a few dollars, but if you are sharing an entree or not having all four courses, the Á La Carte option will be your best bet.

When ordering, your server will also ask you which cooking style you prefer. This is the broth flavor that will cook your entrees (again, limited to one per cooktop). All cooking styles are listed on The Melting Pot’s menu.

Melting Pot FAQs

Are there gluten-free menu items? Yes! Learn about The Melting Pot’s gluten-free procedures here.

How long does it take to eat at The Melting Pot? Plan for around two hours if you are eating all four courses.

Does The Melting Pot have a dress code? No. That being said, I wouldn’t personally wear athletic clothes–but you don’t need a suit and tie either.

Do I need a reservation? No, but reservations are strongly encouraged. Try sitting at the bar if you show up without a reservation and the restaurant is booked for the evening.

Questions We Get About Eating at Melting Pot

Is there a way to eat cheap at The Melting Pot? Traditionally, no. But you could always stop in and just have cheese or chocolate fondue. It’s cheaper than having an entire meal, and you can see what The Melting Pot is all about. Another way to save money is to order from the Á La Carte menu and split an entree.

There are also promotions throughout the week offering discounts (vary by location)–like Thursdate, Friendsday, Happy Hour, Kids Eat Free on Sunday, Wine Down Wednesday, and ‘Tini Tuesday. 

What is the best cooking style? We have always chosen the Court Bouillon cooking style because all others previously had an up-charge. All cooking styles are now included in the price.

What is the best cheese fondue at The Melting Pot? Wisconsin Cheddar, Classic Alpine, and Fiesta are our favorites!

Can I get food from The Melting Pot to go? Yes, some locations offer take-out.

Are all Melting Pots the same? No. Each location is decorated differently and may do things slightly differently. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is our favorite–and has been since our first visit almost 15 years ago.