I like this story.
Jonathan Kaplan invented the Flip Video Camera, sold it to Cisco for $590m USD in 2009 and since then has been been working on his next big idea.
And that idea is… melted cheese sandwiches. With soup.
Of course it has a nice technological bent to the whole idea. For example, here’s how you order your meal:
THE MELT uses mobile technology that allows customers to remotely place a meal order from their computer or mobile phone and pick it up at any MELT location, always hot and ready, anytime. When ordered via the mobile application, the customer will receive a QR code on their smartphone that can be scanned at any restaurant location, allowing them to pay through their phones, skip the line, and pick up their freshly made order within minutes.
With serious venture cap backing, a board full of business superstars and a goal of opening 500 stores in 5 years, Kaplan’s new business The Melt looks destined for big things.
In my opinion time will tell if the idea has enough breadth of offering in a food market that prides itself on ‘more is more’ when it comes to menus and servings. However I suspect they’ll do just fine.
Here’s a story from Mashable, with pics that show how it all works:
http://mashable.com/2011/08/29/the-melt-opens/
And here’s a quality interview with Jonathan Kaplan about his new venture, and why the Flip Video Camera was actually a dud:
