Veteran restaurant executive brings decades of franchise experience as the World’s Meltiest Burger brand prepares to launch its franchising platform.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Melt, the fast-casual brand known for its signature MeltBurger and home to the “World’s Meltiest Burger”, has named Greg Vojnovic as head of franchising as it prepares to expand beyond its current company-owned footprint in California and Arizona.
Vojnovic brings over 30 years of experience in restaurant and franchise development to the role. A third-generation restaurateur, gold medalist in the U.S. Chef’s Open and former “Hot Concept of the Year” operator, he has held senior leadership roles across some of the industry’s most recognizable brands. His career includes leading development efforts at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, where he helped reposition the brand and double its size by adding more than 1,000 restaurants. He also served as Chief Development Officer at Arby’s during a period when the brand returned to net-positive unit growth. Following Arby’s acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings, he helped in the creation of Inspire Brands as the sixth employee hired.
Most recently, Vojnovic served as a restaurant operator and consultant, advising brands on growth strategy and acquiring and operating multi-unit restaurant portfolios across multiple brands and states.
Vojnovic joined The Melt following a strategic consulting engagement that began in the fall, during which he worked closely with the leadership team to assess the brand’s readiness for franchising. That process led to the creation of a new franchising entity and Vojnovic’s transition into a full-time leadership role.
“There was no assumption that franchising was the next step,” said Ralph Bower, CEO of The Melt. “The real question was whether The Melt had all the pieces that make a concept durable and appealing over the long term. Great food alone is not enough. After going through the business, the operations, the culture and the economics, we concluded that offering a franchising opportunity in addition to our company expansion would be an attractive and responsible next move for this brand.”
Unlike many emerging concepts, The Melt has historically operated entirely through company-owned restaurants, an approach Bower believes gives the brand a meaningful advantage as it enters franchising.
“Everything here has been built, tested, and refined in company stores,” Bower said. “The operating model is tight. The culture is authentic. And the food delivers every single time.”
At the center of the menu is the MeltBurger, the brand’s signature offering and the foundation of its identity. Each MeltBurger features a craveable blend of 100% all-natural Angus and Wagyu beef, cooked on the grill and smothered in aged cheddar, with the brand’s house-made pickle-jalapeño mix.
“You walk into a Melt and it’s busy, but it’s also relaxed,” said Vojnovic. “Execution is straightforward. There’s no specialized equipment, no over-engineering. Two clamshell grills, two fryers, two impingers, a shake machine, and smart prep. It’s a durable kitchen designed to support high volume, strong profitability, and a reasonable investment. That combination is hard to find.”
Today, the brand boasts average unit volumes of approximately $3.4 million across its corporate locations open for more than 12 months and over $5 million for the top third of company restaurants open for more than a year. Those results are supported by a streamlined kitchen design, a strong late-night and delivery business, and a culture centered on delivering an “I Love It Here” experience to every guest.
At the heart of that momentum is a leadership team deeply rooted in restaurant operations.
“Ralph Bower is a proven, operator-first leader,” Vojnovic said. “From his time as President of Popeyes and CEO of Pei Wei, he understands how to build brands that last. Rick Federico brings decades of experience scaling iconic restaurant concepts as the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc., and Norman Award recipient. This is a team with a real, battle-tested perspective and that matters when you’re building for long-term growth.”
As Head of Franchising, Vojnovic will oversee the development of The Melt’s franchise platform, including franchisee recruitment, market strategy and long-term system growth.
“Our mission at The Melt is to deliver an ‘I Love It Here’ experience to every guest,” said Vojnovic. “By staying nimble and relentlessly guest-focused, we’ve grown sales fivefold. Now, we’re ready to thoughtfully expand beyond California and share the world’s meltiest burgers with even more fans.”
Vojnovic emphasized that franchising will follow the same disciplined, operator-first mindset that has guided the brand’s turnaround and growth.
“This is not about selling out the map,” said Bower. “We’re taking a disciplined, operator-first approach to franchising, and bringing Greg on full-time is a critical part of that strategy. He understands what it takes to build restaurant brands and scalable franchise systems. Our responsibility is to protect the brand, support our franchise partners and make sure this opportunity is built for long-term success. Greg is the right leader to help us do that.”
Now, with its franchising infrastructure in place, The Melt is excited to start welcoming experienced operators who align with the brand’s culture and operational standards.
“The Melt is being handcrafted to be one of the best franchise brands in America,” Vojnovic said. “And we’re going to take the time to do it right.”
About The Melt
Founded in San Francisco in 2011, The Melt is on a mission to serve the world’s meltiest, most craveable comfort food-made entirely with 100% all-natural ingredients and no artificial additives, ever. Best known for its signature MeltBurger-a bold blend of premium Angus and Wagyu beef, topped with aged cheddar, house-made pickle-jalapeño mix, and served on a toasted artisan bun-The MeltBurger delivers unforgettable flavor in every bite. The menu features juicy MeltBurgers, toasty grilled melts, crispy buttermilk-brined chicken, creamy mac & cheese, skin-on fries seasoned with custom Melt Spice, and thick, hand-spun shakes. Every item on the menu is made with real, high-quality ingredients you can feel good about. Recognized as one of the Top 20 Fast Casual Restaurants for Guest Satisfaction by Nation’s Restaurant News and a Top 50 Brand in Fast Casual’s 2025 Top 100 Movers & Shakers, The Melt is rapidly becoming a standout in the fast casual space. With industry-leading sales comps and double-digit year-over-year growth, the brand is expanding quickly-including recent openings in Arizona and Davis, CA. Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, The Melt delivers bold flavors, feel-good vibes, and warm hospitality that keeps guests saying, “I love it here.” Learn more at www.themelt.com or follow @TheMelt on social media.
Chad Cohen
Mainland
ccohen@hellomainland.com
312.526.3996
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SOURCE The Melt
