Cheesecake Factory in TIME

I learned a lot about the Cheesecake Factory in TIME magazine this week. I had no idea how well they were doing. The food may not be "real", but they sure know how to cater to the people who eat at casual restaurants. I have not eaten there in several years. I remember it as being good, but not good enough to make an effort to go back. With over $900 per sq ft in sales, they don't need me!! After reading about them, I will now make an effort to go back and see what makes them soooooo popular.

My wife - an unabashed lover of certain chains (the much maligned Olive Garden being a prime example) - told me during our single visit to this eatery that the Dove Chocolate cheesecake she had for dessert was the single best chocolate item of any kind she has ever eaten.

My reply was of course that she needed to try some more brands of chocolate

But still....

Ate their once. Great looking place! Food was over-priced and over-rated imo.

Plus the portions are so large that they should be served in a trough.
The only thing my wife really likes from there is the Godiva cheesecake, and I got the recipe off Godiva's web site and make it myself now. There are 2 Cheesecake Factories in Kansas City, and so many better places to eat when we go over there.

I'm going to disagree on this one. I've ate at the Cheesecake Factory. While, sure, the portions are huge and the price tag reflects that, the meal I had was quite good. Go ahead and knock me down for enjoying the food and my obviously unrefined palate.
Sure, I hate to give "props" to a chain, but I had a good meal and I wouldn't protest going back if that's where my party wanted to go.

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

I'm going to disagree on this one. I've ate at the Cheesecake Factory. While, sure, the portions are huge and the price tag reflects that, the meal I had was quite good. Go ahead and knock me down for enjoying the food and my obviously unrefined palate.
Sure, I hate to give "props" to a chain, but I had a good meal and I wouldn't protest going back if that's where my party wanted to go.

Excellent..I wish my experience had been as good as yours. Of course, I'm not a chain-hater...a good meal is a good meal regardless of where it comes from as far as I'm concerned.


I like what I like ;-)

quote:

Originally posted by Niagara

Plus the portions are so large that they should be served in a trough...........

From reading the story, that is part of the plan. They want to serve enough so that you take some home, and remember your visit when you eat it. BTW, I don't remember the portions being that big.......oink

Over priced and over rated. Been there once but NEVER again.

quote:

Originally posted by Niagara

Godiva cheesecake

ah...maybe it was Godiva. Not a big chocolate fan myself, so I didn't pay as much attention as I should have.

The wife is a big choco-holic and rarely offers strong compliments on good eats, but she was very enthusiastic about this one

Most of their food is mediocre but I highly recommend the Avocado Egg Rolls and their Strawberry Lemonade.

I've never eaten a meal at a CF (just like most chain restaurants they're insanely packed), but I've done take-out cheesecake. Pretty good.

Uninspiring, and lots of it.

Ate there while visiting Cesar's with MRDD travelers. Huge portions, passable food.

Having seen their menu, I know I could never decide what to get..
Just way too many items.
Maybe that is why I never tried them.

Went once to the one at Easton Town Center in Columbus. We had to wait in line for over an hour. Yes the portions were huge, though I was not impressed by the size of the cheesecake itself. The food was pretty good but for that amount of waiting it should have been spectacular. What amazes me is the number of people who wait in line to eat there in Chicago. When you can walk down the street and get to tons of other, better, less expensive places. Last time we were there a clerk at a clothing store kept telling us to go there but we insisted that we were going to go to Tempo. He thought we were crazy.

Count me in with those who think this place is overrated and tremendously overpriced. Having said that, it's kind of a fun place to eat...and those who like cheesecake will probably find something to love on the dessert menu. I would go back if I was with a group who wanted to eat there, but it would not be my first choice at all. Service has always been top-notch when I've eaten there, for what it is worth.

After much media hoopla we are getting our own Cheesecake Factory, right here in River City. Indeed it is as if the Chain Food Gods have smiled upon us Upstate rustics. All this and in a mall too!

Festivities start tomorrow with every politician from miles around participating in the great ribbon cutting ceremony. I do hope they save some of the hot air generated for the Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival.

I'm surprised it'll be at Colonie Center a opposed to Crossgates.

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

I'm surprised it'll be at Colonie Center a opposed to Crossgates.

That's because they are rebuilding Colonie Center..or should I say renovating it and are trying to attract an older crowd rather than the teens that are always at Crossgates...also scheduled to open at Colonie Center is a PF Changs and I think a Land's End outlet store...not sure if that's the right store...I hate all the malls and try to only go once a year if at all...though last time I was at Crossgates...had some great appies and beers at Bugaboo Creek...the kids loved the moving animals..etc...and the food was fresh and hot.

The only Cheesecake Factory that I know of in San Antonio is in North Star Mall,that has a seperate side entrance and also valet parking as it gets packed on weekends.
I have eaten there twice,and both times gotten sick.Not go to the bathroom sick,but kind of light headed strange sick.I guess like maybe they used to much MSG or something in the food.
Eaten twice at the one in New York by my sister's house and no problems at all.It was very good. We even split a piece of cheese cake between her,myself and Ross her boyfriend.
The one here does well.We also have only one Dave and Buster's here in San Antonio,on the other side of town.Wish they'd put one on the east side in my area.
Never heard of Bugaboo Creek.San Antonio just got a RainForest Cafe downtown on the River Walk.

I may try the Cheesecake Factory at some point, but in checking out their website plus some online reviews I am very doubtful if I will like it or they me. These are my expectations:

1. A long line of suburban clones dying to enter this long awaited emporium...some actually do expire during the long wait not knowing they woke up dead decades ago.
2. Suburban chic atmosphere so GG has dressed up for the occasion. He no longer looks like Norton from the Honeymooners, but more like the Outlaw Josey Wales. He still gets stares.
3. Along comes the worst thing of all. The pasty-faced kid with the blank stare and the permanently attached smiling wax lips.
4. The fatal words are said: "Hello I am (insert name) and I will..."
5. GG considers the penalty for murder and says "Hold it right there kid, didn't think it would take so long to get a table, I am late for a previous engagement and I have to leave right now.'
6. GG goes to the diner down the street and all ends well.

I first did the Cheesecake place in Chicago about eleven years ago and most recently in Philadelphia. I have done dinner there perhaps a dozen times.

The menu is huge and I always had a difficult time deciding.

Several times I ate at the bar as there was no wait, cocktails was good and my colleagues sort of enjoyed having a cocktail, horse dervers and dinner with close conversation.

Regardless of what others have indicated, I have never had a bad meal there. I have to admit that price was not a problem as it was a company paid meal.

Dessert was always good.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by LindaW

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

I'm surprised it'll be at Colonie Center a opposed to Crossgates.

That's because they are rebuilding Colonie Center..or should I say renovating it and are trying to attract an older crowd rather than the teens that are always at Crossgates...also scheduled to open at Colonie Center is a PF Changs and I think a Land's End outlet store...not sure if that's the right store...I hate all the malls and try to only go once a year if at all...though last time I was at Crossgates...had some great appies and beers at Bugaboo Creek...the kids loved the moving animals..etc...and the food was fresh and hot.

Linda - They are actually putting in an LL Bean outlet Store, one of only like 4 others outside of Freeport Maine.

I think they succeed because of their upscale appearance and the fact that virtually everyone loves cheesecake. The food can be good, depending on what you order. Keep it simple and you'll do OK. I agree with an early poster that said the service is quite good. I like their salads and appetizers. Also, they serve "Roadside Sliders" (believe that's the name)--4 mini-burgers that taste like White Castle. Good!

I travelled around the U.S. for about a 8 months and my two companions and I made a vow not to go to chains unless we couldn't find anything else. We did go to the Cheescake Factory a number of times though. I had a good meal there a number of times. Not the best I've ever had, but I would go back if someone else wanted to. I gotta go with Larry though, a good meal is a good meal, no matter where its from.

We have a couple of them in Milwaukee. I haven't been in either one but I have one major grudge against them-- their El Humongo Rococco buildings take up acreage desperately needed in already overcrowded parking lots. Okay, that's probably more the fault of greedy mall owners but if you cannot find a parking spot, how the hell are you supposed to try a place out? If Cheesecake Factory can't anticipate a fundamental problem like this, one wonders what other potential problems are equally unrecognized.

quote:

Originally posted by roossy90

Having seen their menu, I know I could never decide what to get..
Just way too many items.
Maybe that is why I never tried them.

Many items, but the only one I like is Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp, which I LOVE. I always get takeout from there, however, because the one we go to (Carle Place, NY) almost always has a 2 hour wait. Had CF takeout last Saturday. My current complaint is that they recently discontinued 2 of my favorite cheesecake varieties, German Chocalate & Boston Cream.

A few months ago, a friend and I went for lunch at a Cheesecake Factory in the King of Prussia (PA) mall after a morning of shopping. Once we were seated, I immediately wanted to leave because the place was so LOUD! I think it was a combination of the acoustics related to a high ceiling amplifying people's voices and loud music playing. (Off-topic, I can't stand the loudness of music in stores, restaurants, doctor's offices, etc. that seems to be everywhere anymore! )

I eventually calmed down and I somehow adjusted to the noise, and we ordered. The food was pretty good, but the waitress visibly lost interest in us when we said we were too full for dessert and coffee.

Someone picks this about on ce a year for our Girls Nite Out. The food is too expensive, the wait is way too long for the quality of food or service. I called ahead to find out about the omelets, I was informed they are made from a premade mix, so if you are trying to eat low sodium you are pretty much SOL (SO OUTTA LUCK!) b/c the salt & other ingredients are already added to it.

Also I am the only person on earth who does not like cheesecake.

Their avocado eggrolls are delicious, but It'd be nice to order something else on the menu without spending $40.

I have been to the Cheesecake Factory a couple of times and I was not impressed with the meal but I really liked the cheesecake. Please keep in mind this is from a midwesterner. My favorite cheesecake from there was white chocolate raspberry. Very tasty.