For its L.A. launch, THE MELT offered customers free soup-and-sandwich combos. (Kelli Shiroma / Neon Tommy)

Now, Los Angeles gets a shot at the unique MELT consumer experience. THE MELT opened a new location at Fig at 7th in Downtown L.A. yesterday and is launching another location in Hollywood tomorrow at Sunset and Vine. 

For Saturday (Dec. 15) only from 12-5 p.m., customers can visit the newest MELT location in Hollywood and receive a free soup-and-sandwich combo hot off the press. This is the company’s way of encouraging customers to try their products, according to THE MELT chief marketing officer Paul Coletta.

The MELT Downtown L.A. location did the same gig for its opening day, and customers received free MELT combos from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“If you go to Facebook and ‘Like’ us, you’ll get our secret password and you can come to our location—only the Sunset and Vine location—to give the secret password and get a free combo,” Coletta confirms. “It’s for that day [Saturday] only. All of our hours and information is on our Facebook page.”

THE MELT, known for delicious and unique twists on the classic grilled cheese sandwich, prides itself on its all-natural products.

“Our products are wholesome; we use only the freshest ingredients and local sourcing when possible,” Coletta says. “[There’s] no high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, no hydrogenated oils; it’s always fresh and hot. [Also], 100 percent of our branded packaging is compostable.”

THE MELT also provides individuals with a unique customer experience through its efficient online “order and pay” system. 

“Go to themelt.com, place and pay for your order, get the QR code, come into the store and scan the code,” Coletta explains. “We don’t charge your card or fire your melt until you scan it [the code]. And you get to skip the line. You can see the status of your order on our electronic order status board. That whole experience of online order and pay is the easiest way for you [our customers] to experience THE MELT.”

THE MELT features a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches on its menu, including Jalapeño Pepper Jack on Sourdough and Fontina & Provolone on Garlic Bread. The most popular customer order is often “The Weekly Special,” Coletta says.

“Our ‘Weekly Special’ is consistently our best seller,” he says. “Currently, it’s the Short Rib Melt with Black Bean Soup [a slow-cooked short rib and pepper jack combo on San Francisco sourdough bread].”

Stay tuned on all MELT-related news by checking out the eatery’s Facebook page and website. Coletta says that they’re excited to be in Los Angeles, and customers can expect other MELT locations to open up across Southern California. 

“We think L.A. is an important market for the company,” he says. “It’s a market where we know that our customers like and appreciate our food and the kind of unique consumer experience that we’re trying to develop. We will definitely be opening several more locations in Southern California; stay tuned at themelt.com to see those locations. As of tomorrow [with the opening of the Hollywood MELT], we’ll have 14 retail locations.”

In addition to these up-and-coming MELT locations, Coletta also says that MELT is expanding to become more mobile. 

“Watch for two L.A. MELT buses that are launching in the next two weeks,” he says. “They’re retro-fitted school buses that serve 100 percent of our menu. If you go to themelt.com, you can find their locations; they’ll be positioned at permanent ‘bus stops.’ They are also outfitted with our online scan and skip [the line] technology that allows you to order and pay on your smartphones.” 

Besides its high-quality products and use of advanced technology, Coletta says that a customer’s good MELT experience if of primary importance to the company.

“At the end of the day, our mission is to make people happy,” he says. “That’s the mission of MELT … it’s what we called ‘grilled cheese happiness.’”

Reach Kelli Shiroma here.