Generous portions with hundreds of creative menu selections handmade from scratch with the finest quality ingredients and signature cheesecakes. Their menu includes steaks, chops, burgers, chicken, seafood, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, soups, and salads in various cuisines - it's more than 250 menu items and they are all made from scratch to order.
- Cocktails
- Salads
- Appetizers
- Specialties
Nutrition Guide
- Sourdough
- Whole Wheat
- Avocado
- Sun-Dried Tomato
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Crisp Wrapper
- Tamarind-Cashew Dipping Sauce
- Avocado Eggrolls
- Tex Mex Eggrolls
- Cheeseburger Spring Rolls
- Chicken Taquitos
- Tamarind Cashew Sauce
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Crispy Leaves
- Bacon
- Vermont Maple Butter Glaze
- Crisp Tortilla Chips
- Melted Cheeses
- Guacamole
- Red Chile Sauce
- Sour Cream
- Jalapenos
- Green Onions
- Salsa
- Add Spicy Chicken
- Charbroiled Cheeseburger
- Toasted Brioche Roll
- Grilled Onions
- Sriracha Mayo
- Au Jus
- Green Salad
- Ground Beef
- Carrots
- Peas
- Zucchini
- Onions
- Mushroom Gravy
- Mashed Potato-Parmesan Cheese Crust
- Fire Roasted Corn “Ribs”
- Parmesan
- Chile-Lime Mayonnaise
- Cilantro
Our StoryWe are dedicated to bringing you the best possible food and service.
Every soup, sauce, dressing and marinade is fresh and from scratch. We hand-make every eggroll, bread every chicken breast, grate our cheese, freshly dice our vegetables, and make our famous mashed potatoes from scratch throughout the day. We source not only the highest quality ingredients, but also those that are sustainably grown, harvested and raised that meet our specifications, whenever available. We hope you will taste the difference.Oscar and Evelyn Overton always dreamed of owning a successful family business. An excellent cook, Evelyn's passion for baking led to the creation of her original cheesecake, a hit with everyone who tried it. By the early 1950's, while raising her two young children, David and Renee, Evelyn converted their basement into a professional bakery and supplied her original cheesecakes to the best local restaurants in her hometown of Detroit.
In 1972, once their children were grown, Oscar and Evelyn decided to move their business westward. Using the last of their savings, they opened a small bakery in Los Angeles to sell their signature cheesecakes. They called it The Cheesecake Factory. The original cheesecake inspired their son David to create an original restaurant, unique to this day, and in 1978, he opened The Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. With little knowledge of how to run a restaurant but lots of intuition, David set out to create a dining experience guests wouldn't soon forget - generous portions with hundreds of creative menu selections handmade from scratch with the finest quality ingredients served in a warm and inviting setting.
There weren't any shortcuts - just delicious, fresh food. The restaurant was an immediate success! Today, The Cheesecake Factory continues to be led and inspired by the Overtons' original spirit of innovation, quality, passion and commitment to excellence. Now more people than ever enjoy The Cheesecake Factory's original food and desserts, around the world.
- The One that Started it All! Famous Creamy Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust and Sour Cream Topping
- Layers of Original Cheesecake, Fudge Cake, and Chocolate Truffle Cream
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the Original Cheesecake with Layers of Delicious Fudge Cake and Caramel
- Caramel Cheesecake
- Creamy Caramel Mousse
- Blonde Brownie
- Topped with Salted Caramel
- Hershey's Cheesecake Topped
- Housemade Marshmallow
- Honey Maid Graham Crackers
- Layers of Red Velvet Cake and Cheesecake Covered in Cream Cheese Frosting. Finished with White Chocolate
- Layers and Layers of Fudge Cake with Chocolate Truffle Cream and Chocolate Mousse
The Cheesecake Factory
WIKIPEDIAThe Cheesecake Factory, Inc.
American restaurant company and distributor of cheesecakes based in the United States. It operates 219 full-service restaurants: 206 under the Cheesecake Factory brand and 13 under the Grand Lux Cafe brand.The Cheesecake Factory also operates two bakery production facilities-in Calabasas, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina-and licenses two bakery-based menus for other foodservice operators under the Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe marque. Its cheesecakes and other baked goods can also be found in the cafes of many Barnes & Noble stores.
David M. Overton, the company's founder, opened the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, in 1978. The restaurant established the future chain's pattern of featuring an eclectic menu, large portions, and signature cheesecakes. In 2020, Fortune ranked the Cheesecake Factory at number 12 on their Fortune List of the Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2020 based on an employee survey of satisfaction.
Evelyn Overton opened a business after making a cheesecake for her husband's employer in 1949. She opened a small cheesecake bakery in Detroit, Michigan, in the late 1950s but eventually gave it up to raise her two children. She continued to supply cakes to several local restaurants through a kitchen in her basement. In 1967, Evelyn's son David M. Overton left Detroit to attend Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, but in 1968, decided to be a drummer, performing with the Billy Roberts Blues Band. In 1971, David convinced his parents to relocate to Los Angeles to open a commercial bakery. In 1972, they moved to the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles where they opened the Cheesecake Factory Bakery, in which they produced cheesecakes and other desserts for local restaurants.
In 1978, Evelyn's son David opened the Cheesecake Factory, a small salad-and-sandwich restaurant in Beverly Hills that sold ten varieties of cheesecakes on a one-page menu. In 1983, he opened a second restaurant in Marina del Rey. By 1987, the Beverly Hills location had expanded into a 78-seat restaurant and was experiencing great financial success. This led to the opening of a third, larger location in Redondo Beach, which was eventually renovated into a 300-seat, 21,000-square-foot location. By the end of the 1980s, the Cheesecake Factory's one-page menu had expanded, and the restaurant offered additional fast-food and short-order items.
The 1990s saw the opening of the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant outside of Southern California. The new restaurant was located in Washington, D.C. The Cheesecake Factory was incorporated in 1992 and went public in September 1993. David Overton planned to open 3–4 units a year to generate a 25% yearly increase in sales.
The company began changing its menu twice a year and adding steaks, seafood, and vegetarian dishes. The company continued to open new restaurants and by 1995 was ranked 11th in the United States. As of April 2013, the Cheesecake Factory operated 162 restaurants under the Cheesecake Factory name in 36 states. Plaza Las Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico, opened its first Cheesecake Factory on August 28, 2013.
Menu
The more than 250 menu items are all made from scratch to order.The Cheesecake Factory dining menu includes steaks, chops, burgers, chicken, seafood, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, soups, and salads in various cuisines. In addition to its regular dining menu, the company offers a lower-calorie menu that includes salads, burgers, sandwiches, and small plates. The brunch menu is offered on Saturdays and Sundays and includes pancakes, waffles, French toast, and eggs.
The dessert menu offers 35 cheesecake flavors and cakes, milkshakes, and specialty and ice cream desserts. Per a company spokesperson, the restaurant sells almost 35 million slices of cheesecake annually.
The Cheesecake Factory boasts one of the largest menus in the restaurant industry (consistently more than 250 dishes to choose from!) and represents a major buyer of seafood in the United States. In 2016, The Cheesecake Factory made a commitment to work towards sourcing environmentally-responsible seafood as defined by programs such as Seafood Watch. With a dedicated sustainability team, the company is taking active and laudable steps to motivate improvements within their supply chain and the industry. From pre-competitive collaborations with other companies, to specific supplier improvement projects, The Cheesecake Factory is a best in class example for how restaurant companies can proactively engage on sustainable seafood within their operations.The Cheesecake Factory
Cheesecake FactoryOscar and Evelyn Overton
The Cheesecake Factory inherited a tradition of excellence from our founders, Oscar and Evelyn Overton, whose values have shaped our culture and continue to define the character of our company. In their honor, in 2001, The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation was proudly created. We give back to the communities we serve, and we offer our staff members opportunities to give back, too.As of October, 2021
- 1 Million pounds of food for local Feeding America food banks
- $3.6 Million donated to City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
- $1 Million to support Give Back Team Sponsorship
Peanut Butter Drive
September is Hunger Action Month, and our staff takes action by collecting dollars and jars of peanut butter for local Feeding America food banks. Since 2008 we have donated more than one million pounds of food to Feeding America.Charity Golf Tournament
Our invitational charity golf tournament is supported by our business partners. Relationships are built while raising money for the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. City of Hope is an innovative biomedical research, treatment and education institution in Duarte, California. As a result of the tournament the Foundation has donated more than $3.6million to City of Hope.Give Back Team Sponsorship
Our signature program, Give Back, sponsors teams of staff members who volunteer their time for fundraising and community service projects for the charities they care about the most. The larger the team, the larger our donation! Hundreds of non-profits are served each year.South L.A. Youth Center
Since 2006, the Foundation has funded Saturday programing at The Salvation Army's youth and community center in south-central Los Angeles, the Siemon Center. Giving the children of this neighborhood, and their families, a safe place to play and learn each Saturday.Join Us
Your contribution to The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation helps us support non-profit organizations and unite our caring and conscientious staff members with volunteer opportunities to serve their communities. Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law.
The Cheesecake Factory Beginnings
Overton FoundationAs a part of the company's continuing legacy, The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation was established in 2001. Its purpose is to enhance the well-being of our restaurants' surrounding communities, and to unite our staff members behind common causes.The story of The Cheesecake Factory begins with Oscar & Evelyn Overton, raising their two children in a small duplex in Detroit, Michigan. They were a family of humble means in their early years. Evelyn stayed at home with the kids, David and Renee, and refined her talents in the kitchen. She quickly became known to family and friends as an exceptionally gifted cook and baker. Nowhere was Evelyn's talent more prevalent than in baking her legendary one-of-a-kind New York style cheesecake. That recipe is the very same recipe that goes on to fuel and inspire the creation of an American success story: The Cheesecake Factory.
The Overtons were hard working, determined and resourceful people. While the couple had always dreamed of owning a successful business, their first priority was raising their children. Their dream would have to wait, but not for long.
The Year that started it all was 1949. Evelyn baked on of her classic cheesecakes as a gift for Oscar's boss, a well-connected businessman. After tasting the dessert, the man requested that Evelyn bake additional cakes that he could give as gifts to his associates. Before long, the requests for cakes began to mount, and the Overton's basement became the first bustling cheesecake Factory bakery. It was a true family business: Evelyn would bake the cheesecakes, David and Renee folded pink cardboard boxes, and Oscar peddles and sold the product.
In 1971, with the business having long outgrown the basement, and David and Renee having outgrown their childhood, Oscar & Evelyn decided that the time was ripe to advance their dream to the next level. They relocated their cheesecake enterprise to the west coast, where they used the last of their savings to open a small bakery in North Hollywood, California. Evelyn baked and managed the office, while Oscar continued to concentrate on sales. Renee worked a day job and would help with baking at night.
The year 1975 Marked a defining moment for the new and quickly growing Cheesecake Factory. David finished college and joined his parents' company full-time, and he had ambitious plan for his parent's growing and thriving company. He make his vision a reality in 1978, when he opened the first restaurant to showcase his mother's increasingly popular cheesecakes. The rest, as they say, is history. David has since worked tirelessly to refine The Cheesecake Factory, Inc. with an exciting and fresh menu that is constantly evolving.
Overton FoundationThe dedication and commitment of David Overton, along with his parents Oscar & Evelyn, and his sister Renee, have made The Cheesecake Factory the success that it is today. that success is maintained by a tireless commitment to adhere to the highest quality standards of food and service. With their entrepreneurial drive, enthusiasm and careful attention to detail, the legacy of the Overton family and The Cheesecake Factory is bound to remain and inspire for years to come.
The Aptly Long History of The Cheesecake Factory
The history of The Cheesecake Factory could easily fill a 12-page menu.ThrillistThe Cheesecake Factory
Sometimes you just want to dine somewhere with endless options, most of which don't seem to go together, but are tasty nonetheless. No, we're not talking about diners. We're talking about The Cheesecake Factory. You know, the place known for its delicious brown bread, its cheesecake, and that one Drake line. Long before Drizzy and suburban moms put The Cheesecake Factory on the map, it was a small basement operation.It all started in Michigan in the early 1940s. Evelyn Overton, a home baker, stumbled upon a recipe for cheesecake in her local newspaper and decided to give it a shot. She nailed the recipe and it became her signature. Overton's friends and family loved her cheesecake so much she decided to open a small bakery outside of Detroit. The shop doesn't last for long, but that didn't stop Overton from slinging cheesecake from her basement, selling to local eateries to help raise her two boys.
Overton's kids were grown by 1972 and moved out of her house. Officially an empty nester, she and her husband packed up and moved to California. They decided to use their life savings to continue living out Overton's dream: opening the Cheesecake Factory Bakery. Unlike the bakery in Michigan, the Cheesecake Factory Bakery was a success. The Overtons developed a dependable customer base in the Los Angeles area and things looked good.
Things were looking even better when Mrs. Overton's curious and ambitious son, David Marshall Overton, started dreaming bigger. He wondered what would happen if they opened a whole restaurant based around his mom's cheesecakes. A year later, they opened the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills. The eatery didn't have the expansive menu we all know and love now, but it was pretty impressive. The Cheesecake Factory sells sandwiches, salads, and cheesecakes. Duh.
By the early '80s, David was an accomplished cook and businessman, so he set his sights even bigger. The Cheesecake Factory opened more locations across Southern California with expanded menus. Like, seriously expanded. During their initial growth stage, David kept an eye on all the hot restaurants in his area. Whatever he saw people flocking to, he added it to The Cheesecake Factory's menu. It was an interesting strategy for sure, but it seemed to work.
DAVID OVERTON... I didn't want another restaurant to open down the block and take my business away. We just kept putting things on the menu that people seemed to like. Finally, I thought, Well, there's nothing that America wants that we shouldn't be able to put on the menu. So, we just kept at it.The Cheesecake Factory's success didn't slow at all when the '90s arrived. The menu kept growing, people kept coming, and The Cheesecake Factory started opening restaurants on the East Coast. By 1992, the restaurant went public and got a new look. For whatever reason the folks behind the scenes decided to go with an Egyptian theme, which has stuck to this day. Throughout the '90s, the restaurant grew in popularity among wine moms and people like Drake. More and more outposts opened across the country and the menu somehow got even bigger.
In the mid-2000s, The Cheesecake Factory had earned a massive following. In 2011, the chain expanded internationally. It opened its first international location in Dubai, casually located at the bottom of an indoor ski slope. Around the same time, Overton decided the menu had gotten big enough. He capped it at a whopping 250 items, but The Cheesecake Factory continued to swap 10-15 items out for new items each year, which is a stellar workaround.
Currently, The Cheesecake Factory is one of the most successful chain eateries in the world.
Why I Love The Cheesecake Factory
Yup, a chain restaurant. Gasp. At this point I always get the same reaction. How can YOU... this huge foodie that eats at some of the best restaurants IN THE WORLD... recommend The Cheesecake Factory?!?!Shared AppetiteFresh from Scratch
Friends. Prepare to have your minds blown as I take you BEHIND THE SCENES at The Cheesecake Factory. Please forgive the lengthy post that follows, but I'm so freaking excited to share everything I learned as I toured my local Cheesecake Factory kitchen and came to the realization that their 250+ menu items are cooked fresh from scratch every day!!!I hope you're sitting down, because this is going to blow your mind. As I walked through the prep kitchen at The Cheesecake Factory, I saw that this wasn't just a heat + serve operation. It's a LEGIT kitchen where actual cooking is taking place. There are no microwaves. There's no reheating. Everything I saw was being made FROM SCRATCH.
Every marinade. Every dressing. Every sauce. MADE FROM SCRATCH.
That's 160 sauces & dressings... made from scratch. During my time in the kitchen before service, I watched as prep cooks prepared the spicy caesar dressing for their new Spicy Caesar Salad and the sauce for the new Tuna Poke. I walked into the refrigerated walk-in pantry, where I saw all the freshly prepared marinades, sauces, and dressings neatly lined up on shelves.I saw the pico de gallo being made with the same wholesome ingredients and process that I use in my own kitchen. I even watched as a prep cook painstakingly separated baby gem lettuce into their individual leaves for the Spicy Caesar Salad. That's when I learned that all the vegetables (which are delivered daily to each restaurant) are cut and chopped by hand in the prep kitchen. That shredded lettuce on your tacos? Yup, it was cut by hand.
Even the cheese is grated by hand! I mean heck... even I use pre-shredded cheese at home for convenience. Not at The Cheesecake Factory.
I was in awe as I watched the head chef break down a stunning fresh loin of ahi tuna for the new Tuna Poke bowl. He explained how different sections of the loin get used for different dishes, and how he gets frequent deliveries of both seafood and meat (several each week) in order to give each guest the best, freshest experience possible.
It was at that moment I almost fainted. I turned around to see another prep cook hand forming samosas. COME THE HECK ON. Anyone who's every made eggrolls, dumplings, or pot stickers before knows what a huge pain in the you know what it is to prepare even a small batch of them. I can't even imagine preparing enough for the day's service. But yeah... they hand roll and hand form each and every eggroll, dumpling, and pot sticker that comes through that kitchen. Psst... the fillings are made from scratch as well.
Shared AppetiteWhole ingredients. Real cooking.
This is the level of cooking I would expect from one of the fancy Michelin starred restaurants I frequent in NYC, not a nation-wide restaurant with over 200 locations and 250 menu items!The Chicken Madeira, which is one of The Cheesecake Factory's most popular dishes, features thin-sliced chicken breast. I expected that the chicken breast would come into the restaurant like that (just like you and I could go to the grocery store right now and get thin-sliced chicken breast). NOPE. They prep that by hand as well. The burgers? Hand-formed as well.
There simply is no cutting corners at The Cheesecake Factory. Everything is done correctly, every time. And that, my friends, is why the food tastes so freaking good when you visit.
We Tried Every Single Freaking Cheesecake Factory Appetizer
Here's What To Order And What To SkipUPROXX2024
The Cheesecake Factory has a ton of menu options. It's the one thing everyone knows about The Factory. If you were asked the question, “what kind of food does Cheesecake Factory have?” You'd simply answer "A lot." There is no rhyme or reason to any of these food options, either. There is no unifying theme (unless you count chaos as a theme), and there isn't a singular dish that can represent the experience of eating there. No, not even cheesecake. Of which there are thirty-freaking-five.The long list of menu items makes eating at Cheesecake Factory a stressful experience, especially if it's your first time. Once you hit menu page 14, you're probably going to be juggling at least 37 different dishes in your head that you might like to eat. But don't worry, we're here to help. We're about to review and rank every. Single. Appetizer.
The Great
- Eggroll Sampler
If you need one reason to hit up Cheesecake Factory, this perfect appetizer is it! Don't stop at one order - get two!- Fried Macaroni and Cheese
A must-order at Cheesecake Factory. It's easily the best mac and cheese you're going to find from an American chain restaurant.- Roadside Sliders
A perfect little burger bite that captures some of the magic of the Factory's bigger burgers but enables you to still order a main dish. We suggest you order it with cheese, because that doesn't come stock.- Buffalo Blasts
It's essentially a cheese and buffalo sauce stuffed fried boneless wing with more meat and more flavor. Sounds confusing but also, delicious!- Housemade Meatballs
A truly mind-blowing meatball.The Good
- Chicken Pot Stickers
- Spicy Tuna
- Buffalo Wings
- Fried Calamari
- Thai Lettuce Wraps With Chicken/Avocado
- Ahi Poke Nachos
Non Essential
- Hot Spinach and Cheese Dip
- Factory Nachos
- Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes
- Warm Crab Dip
- Quesadilla
- Pretzel Bites With Cheddar Cheese Fondue
TimelineThecheesecakefactoryMade from Scratch
With more than 250 items on our menu, it may be hard to believe that we make things fresh and from scratch in each restaurant – but it's true! Our prep kitchens are one of the busiest spots in our restaurants, and it's where the magic begins every day.In the 1940s, Evelyn Overton found a recipe in her local Detroit newspaper that inspired her “Original” cheesecake. Everyone loved her recipe so much she decided to open a small bakery, but eventually gave it up to focus on raising her children, David and Renee. She moved her baking equipment to her basement kitchen and continued to sell cakes to some of the best restaurants in town.
In 1972, Evelyn and her husband Oscar moved to Los Angeles to try one last time to have their own business. With the last of their savings, they opened The Cheesecake Factory Bakery and began selling Evelyn's cheesecakes to restaurants throughout L.A.
Their son David decided to open a restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1978 to showcase his mother's cakes. Somehow, he just knew that a restaurant with an extensive dessert menu would be a hit. There was a line out the door on opening day. More than forty years later, many say the line has never stopped!
THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY: From very humble beginnings, The Cheesecake Factory has grown to become a great American success story! 1972 Oscar and Evelyn Overton leave Detroit to open a bakery business in Southern California. 1975 David Overton joins his parents' business. 1978 Our first restaurant opens in Beverly Hills, CA. 1983 Our second restaurant opens in Marina del Rey. 1986 A new 16,400 square foot bakery production facility opens in Calabasas Hills to provide cheesecakes to our restaurants, other restaurants and club stores. 1991 Our first restaurant outside of California opens in Washington, D.C. 1992 We go public on NASDAQ with our CAKE stock offering. 1995 Our new 60,000 sqft. bakery production facility is opened in Calabasas Hills, CA. 1998 Our 25th restaurant opens in Irvine, CA. 1999 Our first Grand Lux Cafe opens in Las Vegas at The Venetian. 2001 The Cheesecake Factory Oscar and Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation is established. 2005 We open our 100th restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. 2006 Our second Bakery production facility opens in Rocky Mount, NC. 2008 We celebrate our 30th anniversary. 2012 The Cheesecake Factory opens outside the U.S. in the Dubai Mall, and more international expansions follow. 2014 We are named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the first time. The first Cheesecake Factory in Latin America opens in Guadalajara, Mexico. 2016 We enter into a strategic relationship with Fox Restaurant Concepts to help grow its North Italia and Flower Child brands. The first Cheesecake Factory in Asia opens in Disneytown at the Shanghai Disney Resort. 2018 We celebrate our 40th anniversary. 2019 We acquire North Italia, Fox Restaurant Concepts and its twelve other brands. 2021 We are named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the eighth consecutive year. 2022 We are named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the ninth consecutive year and to the PEOPLE Companies That Care list for the second consecutive year. 2023 We celebrate our 45th Anniversary and are named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the tenth consecutive year.
- Fresh Ingredients
We are passionate about creating delicious, memorable experiences for our guests, and it all starts with fresh, high quality ingredients - in each and every dish.- Great Technique
Our dishes are freshly prepared by our talented teams who show great care and finesse in handcrafting each item to order.- Delicious, Memorable Meals
Some in the restaurant industry have called us crazy for having such an extensive menu that's made fresh and from scratch, but nothing makes us happier than creating delicious memorable experiences for our guests.Corporate social responsibility is not just a strategic priority for us, but is at the heart of what we do. From the staff we employ and the food we source, to the buildings we operate, we strive to make meaningful and positive change.
26901 Malibu Hills Road
Calabasas Hills, CA 91301
(818) 871-3000
13 Secrets About The Cheesecake Factory Every Fan Should Know
From hidden menu hacks to confidential recipes, there's a lot you don't know about the restaurant chain.Eat This, Not That!2022
The Cheesecake Factory is one of the most popular chain restaurants in America. With a giant menu and more than 30 cheesecakes available, it's become a staple in suburban dining.Whether you've never been to the popular restaurant or have visited it dozens of times, there's always something new to learn about this family-friendly eatery. For instance, did you know that the restaurant started in a basement? Or that the beloved cheesecakes actually aren't made on location?
Check out these fun facts you might've not known before about The Cheesecake Factory.
- It started in a Detroit basement in the 1940s.
The brand's story starts in 1940s Detroit, where Evelyn Overton made her own version of a delicious cheesecake recipe she found in a newspaper. People loved her cheesecakes so much, she opened a small shop in the basement of her family's home.- The Cheesecake Factory was a bakery before it was a restaurant.
In 1972, Evelyn eventually opened her own bakery named The Cheesecake Factory Bakery and grew it to a modest size. She sold 20 varieties of cheesecake and other desserts to local restaurants around Los Angeles.- The first restaurant location opened in 1978.
Evelyn's son David expanded the business by opening a restaurant in 1978 to sell his mother's cheesecakes. It started with an expansive dessert menu, and the restaurant soon became a success, eventually expanding to the hundreds of locations that are popular today.- There are more than 200 locations worldwide.
Although the chain started in Beverly Hills, CA, there are now locations in Toronto, Mexico, China, Qatar, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Cheesecake Factory's global development plans also include more restaurants in the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.- The cheesecakes aren't made at the restaurants.
The cheesecakes are actually made on-site at bakery production facilities in Calabasas, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The cheesecakes are shipped frozen to the restaurant locations, where they then defrost before being served to customers.- The food is prepared fresh daily.
All of our stuff is prepared fresh daily. If it's a sauce that can't be altered for the dish, it is still a fresh sauce. Everything (mostly) on our menu is modifiable because we do have a scratch kitchen.- You can buy the sauce on your next visit.
You can buy ANY sauce at the store! Visit the bakery and make your request- The menu is 21 pages.
The Cheesecake Factory is known for its massive menu, which features 21 pages and more than 250 items.- There are 35 different types of cheesecakes.
- The cheesecake recipe hasn't changed.
Although there are many different variations you can order now, David Overton insists that it's still his mom's original cheesecake recipe that's being used to make all of the decadent desserts. "We haven't changed the recipe of my mother. We just make new ones with new things inside: flavors. We just try to make it as good as she did. You can't patent it. Good cheesecake is just five ingredients. It's just how you mix them."- You can get cheesecakes shipped to your door.
- There's a tasty menu hack for sandwiches.
The chain is known for its honey wheat brown bread, which comes in a bread basket as an app before your meal. But if you're ordering a sandwich, you can ask for it to be made on brown bread instead. (This is an especially tasty swap for the club sandwich.)- You can DIY some menu items.
[ https://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/recipes ]
The Cheesecake Factory lists recipes for some of the most popular menu items on its website, including the almond-crusted salmon salad, cajun jambalaya pasta, and warm crab and artichoke dip-just no cheesecakes, unfortunately.
The Cheesecake Factory knows what you want
Too big to fail: How the Cheesecake Factory defied the restaurant industry's rules of success.Vox2022
The Cheesecake Factory menu is over 20 pages long and contains 250 items. The menu was seemingly written by someone who was hungry for everything they could think of but couldn't name what they actually wanted at that moment. The dishes, mostly sandwiches and pastas and of course cheesecakes, all have names and descriptions. Occasionally, a female first name precedes the actual dish, indicating a personal endorsement for a fresh turkey sandwich or chicken and avocado salad from a "Sheila" or a "Renee" you've never met. The burgers are not hamburgers but Glamburgers. Getting shrimp scampi along with the steak Diane is known as a "Factory Combination."There's something uncanny about the chain. The very combination of words "The Cheesecake Factory" evokes the idea of a humble, blue-collar dessert diner, yet every Cheesecake Factory looks like what would happen if a time-traveling Italian artisan drew ancient Egypt from memory.
Year after year since 1978, the Cheesecake Factory has succeeded in abundance. And while it has captured hearts by fulfilling the promise of cheesecake and the guarantee of something for everyone, it remains a case study in everything a restaurant should never do. So how do they do it?
The Cheesecake Factory menu, explained
In my informal survey of Factory fans, it wasn't just the memories that stood out, but the absolutely stunning variety.
RESPONDERIt's the ultimate our-group-can't-agree-on-a-place restaurant. A mall food court with table service.
RESPONDERThey have a very democratic menu. There's something for everyone at Cheesecake Factory.At 20-plus pages (according to a Cheesecake Factory spokesperson, menus vary slightly depending on location, which may change the page count), the menu is legendary, an icon.
And browsing the Cheesecake Factory's original 1978 Beverly Hills menu is like looking at pictures of a movie star before they got famous.
McCormackIts success comes from offering something for everyone. A large group can go there and everyone will be able to find something they like at a reasonable cost.-The former VP of design
Despite the fact that some meals have been on the roster for over 30 years, the menu does change. Items are swapped in and out every six months.
The Cheesecake Factory is a Marvel
Flip the hood of the Cheesecake Factory and you'll find, as Cheesecake Factory employees will happily tell you, food that doesn't come from a bottle, nor is it simply thrown in a microwave.Proteins, sauces, veggies, the dressings that go in their gigantic salads, the chicken marsala and mushrooms - it's cooked on the spot. If there's any part of the Cheesecake Factory that resembles an industrial machine, it's the multiple stations and line cooks needed to create handmade food for every meal. Ironically, the only foods that aren't cooked fresh are the cheesecakes and baked desserts; they're made at an off-site bakery and shipped in.
Zac YoungTheir quality, their execution, and consistency across the country - it is always the same. And that's a compliment! That's impeccable. The sauces, the dressings, everything is made in-house. That level of consistency doesn't happen anywhere else.-Pastry Chef and Food Network Star
17 Things You Didn't Know About The Cheesecake Factory
Your night out is about to get so much sweeter.Delish2016
If, like us, you think cheesecake should probably be its own food group, then there are a few things you absolutely need to know about the national restaurant chain dedicated to the dessert. The Cheesecake Factory might be your favorite destination for date night or even just a few slices of towering chocolate-chip cookie cheesecake to-go, but we bet you didn't know nearly half of the stuff about the company that you definitely should.
- You Don't Have to Wait for the Check Anymore.
- Drake Name-Checks the Brand in a Song.
- The Chain's Getting in on the Superfood Trend.
- It all began from a1940s newspaper clipping.
- The first official outpost opened in 1972.
Evelyn Overton used a recipe she found in the paper to craft her own "Original" cheesecake that everyone knows (and is totally obsessed with) today. After that, she opened up a small shop in her basement Detroit, MI.- The first official outpost opened in 1972.
The Los Angeles location was called The Cheesecake Factory Bakery and it wasn't until 1978 that Overton's son, David, debuted the first iteration of The Cheesecake Factory in Beverly Hills with a dessert-forward menu.- There are nearly 200 locations today.
- It's one of the best companies to work for.
According to Fortune, the Cheesecake Factory ranked as #92 on the magazine's 2014 list and was the only L.A.-based company to make the cut. Before that, the magazine slated it as the number 6 most-admired company in the food industry in 2013.- You can send someone a slice of cheesecake on Twitter.
- There are 30 different types of cheesecake to choose from.
And the most popular ones are White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and Dulce De Leche Caramel.- Your cheesecake comes from one of two bakeries.
With more than 700 crew members combined the Calabasas, CA and Rocky Mont, NC facilities churn out sweets for the entire company to serve in its restaurants.- Some of the menu items are crazy-high in calories.
We love the warm apple crisp and peanut-butter cup cheesecake as much as the next person, but they each contain more calories than you should consume in an entire day.- The restaurant almost always has a deal going on.
- Your cake always arrives with an intricate garnish.
Delicate scribbles of caramel sauce, perfectly piled dollops of whipped cream, tons of crumbled graham crackers ... you get the idea.- You can eat your favorite dessert and your favorite candy, too.
The chain has partnered with brands like Snickers, Reese's, and even Oreo to bring you authentic riffs on your favorite sweets and snacks.- Brown bread makes for the most epic menu hack.
The renowned pre-dinner snack-always served warm and toasty in a bread basket-can be subbed in for the traditional bread options on the club sandwich or any sub. And it's heavenly.- The drinks are just as decadent as the desserts.
Cafe mochas and caramel-sauced macchiatos, frozen peach bellinis, strawberry creamsicles - the treat yo' self mentality never ends. And we're totally okay with that.- You can get entire cheesecakes delivered to your door.
The Best Things To Eat At Cheesecake Factory
RANKER2024
If you're heading to The Cheesecake Factory and want to ensure you choose the cream of the crop, look no further. This guide to the best cheesecake factory dishes, compiled and ranked by food aficionados, is your ticket to a delightful dining experience. Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, this list, focusing on everything but their famous desserts, is tailored to help you navigate their extensive menu with ease.The Cheesecake Factory is celebrated for more than just cheesecakes; it's a treasure trove of culinary delights. From the best plates at cheesecake factory like the iconic Chicken Bellagio to the unique avocado egg rolls, our list spans a variety of flavors. Not to be missed are the latest additions such as the Spicy Caesar Salad and breakfast tacos, quickly climbing the ranks to become some of the most popular cheesecake factory dishes.
This list isn't just a random compilation; it's a reflection of popular choices, voted on by those who love food. It includes everything from the best items at cheesecake factory for a hearty meal, like Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Riesling, to lighter and equally tantalizing options like Sheila's Chicken and Avocado Salad. For those with specific dietary needs, we've also highlighted the best vegan options and brunch specials, complete with calorie information.
- Brown Bread
- Fried Macaroni and Cheese
- Chicken Madeira
- Avocado Eggrolls
- Chicken Bellagio
- Thai Lettuce Wraps
- Steak Diane
- Bang-Bang Chicken and Shrimp
- Truffle-Honey Chicken
- Hot Spinach and Cheese Dip
- Buffalo Blasts
- Crispy Fried Cheese
- Crispy Chicken Costoletta
- Parmesan-Herb Crusted Chicken
- Quesadilla
- Chicken Riesling
- Chicken Piccata
- Southern Fried Chicken Sliders
- Tex Mex Eggrolls
- Shrimp Scampi
The Story Behind The Cheesecake Factory's Truly Unique Decor
The Daily Meal2023
It's probably best known for its absurdly long menu (which is a deliberate marketing tactic), but it's also a family-owned business that started as a literal factory for making cheesecakes. Compared to most American sit-down chains, the place definitely has a reputation for quality.But there's one other thing The Cheesecake Factory is known for: Its wacky as-heck decor. While other restaurants typically go for a simple theme that reflects the brand itself (kitsch for TGI Friday's, quick Italian for Olive Garden, Australian for Outback Steakhouse), The Cheesecake Factory tends to feature sweeping columns, palm trees, and wood paneling in every location. If your instinct is, "What do any of those things have to do with cheesecake," the answer is absolutely nothing. It turns out they were just items their designer and the CEO thought were cool.
The Cheesecake Factory was already a success when veteran designer Rick McCormack came on board in 1992, having expanded outside its Los Angeles origins in 1990 with a location in Washington, D.C. But those early restaurants didn't have the same bizarre yet oddly comforting visual flair we now associate with the place. That was the work of McCormack - working in conjunction with David Overton, the company's still-CEO.
No two The Cheesecake Factory locations are quite the same, they all seem to share a riot of influences from Egypt to Victorian England to frescoes reminiscent of Central Europe. According to McCormack, the Egyptian style was mainly because Overton always thought Egyptian stuff looked cool. That's it; that's the whole reason.
The diversity of design, meanwhile, was likewise a deliberate choice. While most American chain restaurants have rigidly-defined design aesthetics, one The Cheesecake Factory location always looks at least a little different from another because McCormack and Overton never wanted their restaurants to stagnate visually. It makes sense; much like the lengthy menu, the weird and idiosyncratic designs are intended as conversation pieces as much as they are fun exercises in design creativity. Though the signature Egyptian columns are common to most locations, even they get swapped out for the chain's flagship locations, such as Las Vegas, where they're replaced with mosaic-style columns.
Cheesecake Factory Logo
1000logosThe Cheesecake Factory's tale is a culinary American dream, sparked by Evelyn Overton's 1940s discovery of a cheesecake recipe in a Detroit newspaper. Her baking business, once a small venture, took root in her basement, later prompting her family to open The Cheesecake Factory Bakery in Los Angeles in 1972. David Overton, envisioning more than just a bakery, launched the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1978, where the extensive dessert menu became an instant hit.The Cheesecake Factory is an iconic American restaurant chain known for its extensive menu, generous portions, and, notably, a wide variety of cheesecakes. It was created by David M. Overton in Beverly Hills, California. Originally, Overton's parents ran a business making cheesecakes for local restaurants, which inspired the creation of a restaurant offering a full dining experience alongside a diverse cheesecake menu. It's a place where culinary abundance meets casual dining, embodying a unique blend of upscale ambiance with a welcoming atmosphere.
The logo of The Cheesecake Factory exudes a classic charm with its golden hue, invoking a sense of warmth and indulgence. Stylized cursive letters flow with an almost calligraphic elegance, while the bold, capitalized "THE" anchors the design, imbuing it with a feeling of authority and tradition. The word "Cheesecake" stands out in a larger, inviting script, suggestive of the restaurant's signature offering, and the word "Factory" maintains a simpler typeface, balancing the logo's overall whimsy with a touch of simplicity.
Their menu is more than 250 items and they are all made from scratch to order.
