Melting Pot — Restaurant in Huntersville

Generally I don't provide this kind of review, as ultimately it is my choice to voluntarily spend my money how and where I see fit. However, I must caution others on what is an apparent newer phenomenon at the Melting Pot. We've been going to the Melting Pot for years because it's a cool experience and their service and food are regularly good. When reserving this time around they asked for my credit card #, which is something I've never had to do booking a reservation with a restaurant before, even the Melting Pot. Oddly, I had to pull "the why" out of them, as they weren't offering from the outset. Digging deeper, they finally admitted that if I didn't show or cancel 12 hours before they would charge my card $25. Big turnoff, as life happens and this is not a customer friendly policy, but I let it slide. They gave me a short spill about the menu being fixed because it was around Valentine's (2 days removed) and I acknowledged.

However, their menu has since changed in that they are now charging PER PERSON, vs per meal. When we arrived I did not initially catch this detail, nor was it mentioned on the phone during my reservation. Because of the amount of food that is usually offered, my wife and girls usually order only two 4 course meals separately, instead of 4 meals, as it's plenty of food for us 4. This usually saves us money and ensures no wasting of leftovers. However, after we had been seated 10-15 minutes, one of my teenage girls mentioned the per person bit to me, remarking how it was going to be $240 minimum ($60 per person), which startled me as I had never paid that much before in all my years coming to the Melting Pot, even around a holiday. This is almost double what we normally end up paying. Because we were essentially already committed and hungry, I didn't want to disappoint my ladies so we did not leave.

This evening the food and service were of high quality, so please don't get me wrong...the cook(s) and servers did a great job. Just appears to me that the owners/management have gotten unnecessarily avaricious, which will regrettably lead me to pause before deciding to come or recommend the Melting Pot in the future.

Finally, automatically providing the tip on the total for the check is not acceptable in my book. I always tip in cash, to avoid any possible shenanigans (history there), but primarily so that servers can pocket the money without reporting the entire amount (if they choose to do so) to the raiders at the IRS. The amount of my tips are always based on the quality of service I receive. And while I welcome the opportunity to progressively reward good service, I don't like being forced to contribute based on an arbitrary % amount set by any business, 20% in this specific case. With a note to add up to 5+% more, which I found bold, especially after they had already cost me about double what I normally would have paid in the past. With all that said, just keep these particulars in mind when you visit. The service/food was 4 stars easy, the dubious change in policies pulls this...

Very disappointed. My family has been going to The melting pot for the last 6+ years. We have always had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the staff and our experience until this year. We were informed that our family of eight would not be able to sit together and would have to split up (due to Cooper's eo 🙄). After speaking to the manager we were able to sit in a private room with two booths that were next to each other however they removed the innermost burners so that we would have to sit on opposite ends of the booths. We came to enjoy time with family but now we are having to yell at each other from across the room. We are family.... that lives together, works together, are around each other constantly, and even drove together on the way there. Yet for some reason common Sense does not prevail and we were made to separate. Does common sense and concern for the customer exist anymore? We are not strangers asking to sit next to strangers, We are family members who were shoulder to shoulder next to each other in the car ride just before we came into the restaurant. I was also very disappointed to see the price changes in melting pots Valentine's menu. It has went up $100 since last year. What was $99 per couple is now $190 per couple. Again having frequented the melting pot often in the past we are all well aware that it is a higher priced restaurant however to increase your menu price $100 and to receive less is unacceptable. There was no vegetable bowl with the meal, in years past the women would get a complementary rose as they left, we used to be given complementary chocolate strawberries, and our gift bags used to include their wine and salt seasoning amongst other things. However this year none of that was present.

My bill for 2 people was $320....yep $320. We payed twice as much, received less than in the past, and our time with family was complicated. I don't think after 6+ years we will be going back for quite a long time. There are plenty of other restaurants willing to honor the family unit, have some common sense about all this covid stuff, have respectable prices, and still provide a great environment to enjoy special occasions. I will end by saying that the staff there did an amazing job. As usual they always knock it out of the park and do such an amazing job. I understand that many of these changes probably come down from corporate and have less to do with the actual restaurant however I feel like these things should be heard so that changes could be made for the better. Until they do our family may be looking at a new place to attend for our...

My husband had reserved our spot at this location for my birthday. During his reservation he stated it was his wife’s birthday and to add any extras they could to make the experience special. I will say he had already racked up a bill of approximately $40 before we even arrived for the occasion. Upon arrival we did not enter the building with our masks on. For reasons I don’t have to reveal. We were then asked if we had our masks. When we answered No, as we had made prior reservations and should be seated upon our arrival and cannot wear the masks as we dine! We do not wear masks due to other conditions I don’t have to reveal. We were then told they had masks. As they handed me mine it was crumpled and appeared to have a body hair attached to it. I asked for another mask, They obliged. My husband took his we placed them over our face. We were then told they would add $2 to our bill. I quickly let my husband know I was ok with Not dining there as I felt I had just entered a low class fast food chain. He said it would be ok, Just to seat us. I was now very frustrated as I started my experience. We then were seated at our table pre arranged with the roses my husband requested and the chocolate covered strawberries my husband requested. My husband wanted so badly to make this experience a nice one for me as we are all in trying times. My advice to you is to be aware of the reservations. Knowing that a person already has reserved a table saying during the reservation that it is his wife’s birthday and wants whatever he can get money not being an option to make her happy. Do Not treat guests arriving as if they’ve stepped into a low grade restaurant. Please have your act together for others who are dining with you. As my husband worked really hard to calm the fuel once we sat at our table by pointing out the wonderful things he arranged for my special night. He really wanted it to go well as it meant so much to him to please me. A little polishing up at the front is advised. I will add that after our almost $200 bill minus tip. They did not add the mask fee which should be complimentary anyways if you make people put them on to dine your establishment. The NC state governors order does state there are exceptions to people Not being able to wear a mask. You might need to take note...