Any Reason to go to Cheesecake Factory?

[phatch]

This chain is opening a restaurant in Utah. For many of my acquaintances, they think this means that Salt Lake City has arrived. From what I've read of the cloned recipes from Cheesecake Factory via Todd Wilbur, i have doubts.

Most of my acquaintances consider my cheesecake the best they've had. One considers CF the pinnacle and I score a close second.

So what's the scoop on this chain?

Phil

[Harpua]

Meh. Their food is acceptable because it is a popular chain and his has to be, but it's really nothing special.

[henry]

I've been to CF's in 5 cities. Other than the LONG waits you might have, I find the decor interesting, the service is mediocre but professional, and the servings are HUGE. From almost any dinner you could easily bring home leftovers and eat two more times. I have never tried their cheesecake, because (1) I'm too full; and (2) it's about $6 per slice. According to a newspaper review I read when they opened one in my city, the desserts are all made in CA or somewhere and shipped to the stores.
My wife did have the carrot cake, another humongous serving which we both shared for several days.

Their menu is a book, and it's online at their website.

We're going to the one in Dallas this weekend. It's a good place to people watch too.

H.

[shel]

Eh! Just a plain ol' commercial chain restaurant, seem to recall large portions of average food. Cheesecake is so-so - have had worse but have also had lots better. Caveat: been awhile since I visted on of the restaurants. Low on my priority list.

shel

[oldschool1982]

Yeah! Okay! Inspite of what others have said the place is pretty decent. Great standards and the food is very good for the kind of place that it is plus the desserts have never dissappointed us.

I'll argue the fact as to whether or not it's mediocre.... With some of their units doing between 10 and 15 million or more a year in sales....... In order for them to do that the recipes need to be executable. It's not a boil in bag place. And as far as I'm concerned and IMHPO Kudos to them for keeping the standards they do in the face of the sales. How many $12,000.00 in sales hours have ya'll worked in your careers!!!

[KYHeirloomer]

>How many $12,000.00 in sales hours have ya'll worked in your careers!!! <

So, does that just make it an upscale cafeteria?

I've never eaten in one, so have no opinion. But they were featured on Into The Heat, and one thing did turn me off: their style of touring great reastaurants across the country and developing versions of the chefs' best sellers.

[oldschool1982]

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer

>How many $12,000.00 in sales hours have ya'll worked in your careers!!! <

So, does that just make it an upscale cafeteria?

No. Not at all. But then again I have never run a cafeteria so can't say whether or not they are even capable of performing a 12,000.00 sales hour and if they did I have to believe it would be no where near the quality you find at Cheese Cake Factory. But I have run an upscale food court on the Sprint World Campus and even with the number of folks we fed in the diningroom as well as the Executive dining and catering we rarely came close to that number for daily sales let alone an hour. And as far as my experience with a 12K hour? Cinco de Mayo when I worked for Rio Bravo in Atlanta. Rio Buckhead's numbers for the single day were close to 105,000.00 and that's beer, quesadillas and tacos. Crappy food by some standards here

But that's not the issue. It's just gets my blood boiling with the unsubstantiated or blanket "opinions" from people that believe the way to post new and interesting recipes if to do a cut and paste to the Food Network site. They're insulting and counter productive to the industry. Things are always going to be what they are and not what you want them to be. Food is food and as Chefs we produce all types. Ya know a good friend of mine who is also a very successful Chef once told me that as a Chef you can't always write menu's with world class cuisine. Sometimes you have to do the chicken wings and Cobb Salads as well. Just part of being a Chef or at the least a TRUE FOODIE!

Yeah there are plenty of things I personally and professionally don't like about what people or corporations in the industry throw our way. But then again some people don't like my concept or menu ideas and that's all well and good. Just spouting some cliche or "one of the flock" statements like "Just a plain ol' commercial chain restaurant" doesn't do any good. And don't base things off of one visit 10 years ago or what ever. Cheese Cake Factory is what it is. And so are many of the other concepts out there. A good portion of my career was working in many of those so called "plain ol' commercial chain restaurants". And yeah, many of them have sold out to the way of the mass produced and boil in bag menu. But it wasn't always that way and there are still that some that believe that much of the food they serve should be brought in the back door and produced on site. And as far as I know Cheese Cake is still one of those. Plus their food was once considered out of the ordinary and exciting too. And I wager a bet that there are a good many of ya'll out there that are my age or older who frequented places like Cheesecake factory, Bennigans, TGI Friday's or similar more than once or twice.

As far as Cheese Cake Factory goes...We have one here, there was one in Atlanta and KC had one as well. From my experinece with them I know they draw a wide range of clientele and have never reall heard too much negative other than the looooong wait. So they must be doing something right to be on a 2 hr wait 'til 11pm and continually do the sale they generate. Of course they've been doing it at some of their locations for close to 20 years too.

Rant over! Soapbox neatly tucked under table!

[phatch]

I don't begrudge a business success or popularity, nor the people who enjoy whatever product. I may not agree with their popularity nor understand their enjoyment of it.

I'll probably end up eating there because my friends will all wanna go at some point. And I can go enjoy their company. But it's nice to know what others with similar standards think of the food.

Phil

[Mezzaluna]

I enjoy their chopped salad; I think it's on the app menu. It has chopped romaine and other veggies, some chicken plus toasted pecans and bleu cheese. It's my meal of choice there. We don't eat there often though. When I want a treat I get 6-carb cheesecake. It's pretty good for what it is (a dessert from a large chain restaurant).

[shroomgirl]

I've been 2x in the last 1.5 years....
was Ok. why did I go....plan old curiosity. 2 hour wait....is common.....just blows my mind, people would wait that long for dinner.

So go the Asian salad last time and it was heavy in cabbage light on chicken but monstrous. Lots of various veg., good dressing.
Service was good.

Frankly, can't remember the meal before and that says alot....

What is pretty interesting is the various ethnic combinations.....for the life of me it's hard to figure out what's mainstream ingredients and what are "weird", some of the chains are bringing novel ing. into play.

[Chad Aaland]

I don't really like that place. Every time I've gone there, I was dissapointed with what I got. I don't plan on it being a 4 michelin meal, but I think it could be improved. On my last visit however, my wife got a cobb salad and it was delicious.

[ALynch]

I really like Cheesecake Factory. I agree the servings are huge, but it is a great example of how a restaurant should operate. The whole science behind the place is impressive. Most if not all Cheesecake Factories are in high traffic areas, (malls, tourist traps, etc.), so that when you take home that half eaten piece of cheesecake that is still bigger than your head, you carry it around through that mall and everyone sees your bag that says "Cheesecake Factory." It's genius.

[shel]

Originally Posted by ALynch

I really like Cheesecake Factory. I agree the servings are huge, but it is a great example of how a restaurant should operate. The whole science behind the place is impressive. Most if not all Cheesecake Factories are in high traffic areas, (malls, tourist traps, etc.), so that when you take home that half eaten piece of cheesecake that is still bigger than your head, you carry it around through that mall and everyone sees your bag that says "Cheesecake Factory." It's genius.

So, what's that got to do with the quality of the food?

shel

[henry]

Mr./Ms. Shel,

If the food is average or above, there may be other qualities that draw customers. I happen to like the unique wall paintings/murals, nice ambience, lighting, usually higher level income well-dressed customers, HUGE variety of menu options, waiters are nicely dressed and professional, etc. I can take my family and friends there and know MOST everyone will be happy. At the end of the day, I don't feel so bad about dropping $150 or more there. and bringing home some lunch for tomorrow.

So maybe there's more than food quality someone might look for? After all, it's only a one-night visit. Isn't it nice we have options.

H.

[shakeandbake]

TCF is a fine place for what it is, a clean, friendly, well decorated, well run, many options chain restaurant. The menu offers something for everyone, and from my experience, if you are unhappy with the quality of the food, your expectations were probably too high.

We go their a couple times a year, usually for group birthdays, etc. I think the cheesecake is okay, but serves more as part of the marketing than for the meal. Like everyone said, the portions are (too) huge and usually you won't be able to eat desert if you finished your meal.