PrintDo you like the Cheesecake Factory as much as NBA players?
Saw this today and it seems that NBA players love the Cheesecake Factory. :
I've never been, but now I'm intrigued. But it seems like one of those places that is shunned by the 'evolved' or 'enlightened' food community. Are the NBA players crazy or is the food alright?
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22 Comments:
I couldn't get your link to work.
Recently, my 20 year old son came home from a trip to Chicago where he'd had prime rib at a Cheesecake Factory. The boy likes good food and he could not stop raving about it. I've never been. I thought it was a franchise restaurant (which I mostly shun) and that all they sold was cheesecake.
Library Lady at 11:36AM on 02/29/08
Ugh. The food is mediochre and overpriced, and I've never gotten good service. Not at the two here in Pittsburgh that I've visisted, and not at the one in Seattle I visited some 6 years ago.
People who will like it? People who want mediochre greasy fatty food in too-large portions for too much money and who don't know what real good food is like.
EtherMaiden at 11:36AM on 02/29/08
I've read that Cheesecake Factory is the most profitable chain restaurant in the country. It's got a huge menu with all different kinds of cuisine that is done satisfactorily. Great for large groups because they have a lot of seating usually. And of course, the numerous cheescecake options for dessert! There's definitely something for everyone.
That all being said, I haven't eaten there in years and won't be going back because I just find it cacophonous! Too many people and dishes clattering on their marble tables. Their long waits are their best advertising: the food must be good because so many people are willing to wait! I guess if you've got a group with eclectic tastes, it's a good choice for the crowd that is impressed with huge portions. If you want ambience and conversation, definitely avoid it on the weekend! If you want real cuisine, there are so many other choices for the money!
Otabenga at 12:16PM on 02/29/08
I don't much like the Cheesecake Factory, but I guess I like it more than I like NBA players....
Cary at 12:17PM on 02/29/08
I've eaten there a couple of times and always enjoyed my meals and dessert. I love the sweet corn tamale cakes and Chris' Outrageous Cake. I've never liked cheesecake, but the other desserts I've had there were good. The restaurant can be noisy, as someone else mentioned, so you certainly don't go for a quiet, romantic meal.
jmoilanen at 1:04PM on 02/29/08
We have eaten there a few times and while the accidents almost outweigh the perfect dining experiences, they were great in making up for everything - comping meal, free dessert, etc.
My coworkers were the ones who pretty much made me stay away at first, saying it was an extremely expensive place.
The first time I went there, the wait was miserable since we went right at dinner time. I was surprised at how cheap the meals were. I loved the look of the place, 2-3 story high ceiling, gaudy, but it reminded me a lot of Vegas so it was a good thing.
I quite enjoyed my Bang Bang chicken and shrimp, a Thai inspired curry with coconut milk served with jasmine rice. The server was awesome. He said I could order it with shrimp only, so that's what I did. I don't recall what other dishes we ordered. The servings were humongous...waaaay too much. We ended our meal with a cheesecake. I wish I could remember which one - I think we wanted Bailey's but my husband was leary about alcohol (even tho it burns off). It was all right. It was our first and last time we ordered cheesecake there though (no specific reason why).
The last time we went there over a year ago, my husband and I decided it would be the last time. I ordered the same dish I ordered the first time I went there. The meal and service were technically all right, but we just had a mediocre time. We couldn't put our finger on why we felt that way, but we both came to that conclusion.
Cassaendra at 1:32PM on 02/29/08
Their menu is so large that it's a bit of a crapshoot, I think. The four or so times I've been there with friends, I've managed to get something I simply didn't want to finish, but everyone else seemed very happy with their meals (and when I sampled their superior plates, I had to agree that they were fine). So anyway, Cheesecake Factory: when it's good, it's perfectly satisfactory and tasty, and when it's bad, it fits all the stereotypes.
Christina at 1:53PM on 02/29/08
I like the sweet corn cakes too. We usually get the burgers or a sandwich and the drinks are always good. I do not like their cheesecake, in fact in my opinion it is pedestrian and could be compared to the twinkie of cheesecakes. Mass produced junk.
At over 6 bucks a slice it is the funniest thing on their menu.
JerzeeTomato at 4:13PM on 02/29/08
Well, now I know why my son liked his meal there - huge portions!!
Library Lady at 4:39PM on 02/29/08
The cheesecake is whatever. The cocktails are skimpy on alcohol. The portions are disgustingly huge. Summary: skip it. Any city with a Cheesecake Factory is bound to have a better restaurant somewhere.
K at 5:27PM on 02/29/08
I remember watching a show on the Food Network about the Cheesecake Factory. One of the founders (I believe), stated something to the effect of, "We find interesting and unique dishes, make them so everyone will like them, and make them really big so that there is a lot for sharing."
And that pretty much sums up why I don't want to go to the Cheesecake Factory. If I am dining out, I want to experience new things--I want to be a bit challenged. I can make my own food that makes me feel comfortable. Large portions are one of the reasons why the U.S. has problems with obesity and weight. If each person gets one entree, it's still fairly easy to share.
If they can make money with their formula, then good for them. But I don't think it is necessarily good for us as a culture.
(True story: I flew from New York to San Francisco to visit a bunch of people. Unless I threw down the gauntlet, the choice for dinner was the Cheesecake Factory. It amazes me that in a city like SF that the Cheesecake Factory could stay in business. But I'm also amazed that the Olive Gardens in NYC stay in business as well.)
greenfield at 8:16PM on 02/29/08
CF has huge portions and the atmosphere is not intimidating...I surmise that the players like it because it is familiar and almost one in every city they probably visit so the know what they are getting. Think about it...If you had to travel constantly wouldnt you want to eat familiar food? Even if it was in a restaurant? I have friends in the NBA who have told me this.
frehug at 8:17PM on 02/29/08
Haven't been, but I remember when Fox Sports did a profile of former North Carolina women's basketball player Ivory Latta. The segment ended with the team eating at the Durham, NC Cheesecake Factory. I guess this could corroborate your theory of NBA players eating at the Cheesecake Factory somewhat.
heartnibbler at 8:44PM on 02/29/08
Everything there is huge: the menu, the portions, the crowds, the calorie counts. If I had to feed a large, hungry, tired, traveling man, then I would take him there. And I do. My husband loves that place (I can get an appetizer and drink; he can consume 3,000+ calories on a hamburger and slice of cheesecake). Is anything there amazing? Maybe not. But in terms of bang-for-buck, what other chain can come close (and I do - too - normally avoid chains)?
pookywookyster at 11:01PM on 02/29/08
Cheesecake Factory isn't so bad...they've got an interesting selection and though their food is tremendously rich and the portions are huge, at least you get the bang for your buck.
I can squeeze two or sometimes three meals out of my order there (doggy bags, naturally).
I've never had a problem with service there either.
Their desserts are delicious but possibly fatal after the enormous entrees. I always rue having to turn down dessert there...
The decor absolutely baffles and vaguely frightens me (who in the world came up with this...its like a cruise ship lounge threw up on a cheap Chinatown lighting store), though.
Its definitely a fun place for a crowd.
fuuchan at 1:20AM on 03/01/08
I have been a couple of times and found the food to be 'ok" but nothing really special (I do have a friend who raves about their chicken madeira). I LOVE cheesecake and while I find theirs good I do not think it is spectacular except for one that I had with lemon and raspberry. I believe it was a special because I looked at the menu the next time I went and the lemon raspberry on on the reg menu was not it. I wish I could remember the specifics so I could try to reproduce it but all I remember is rasp and lemon.
mrsmoosie at 12:46PM on 03/01/08
We have one just down the road. We eat there periodically, usually because we're already at the mall (where it's located), out of desperation due to being burned out on the other nearby options, or when going out with picky eaters or a large group. When we go alone, it's usually get just soup and salad, maybe an appetizer.
But, other than the cheesecake, it's truly mediocre on even a good day, and our bad experiences far outweigh the good ones. The service is adequate at best, and more often pathetic. The food often comes out cold and/or under/overcooked. Most of the recipes are icky, dumbed-down versions of classics, unpleasantly greasy, extremely salty (sometimes to the point of inedibility), and almost everything is bizarrely sweetened. The portions are absurdly huge (sometimes enough to feed 3-4 people). And, unlike cassaendra, we've found that concerns expressed to a manager are typically met with an "oh well" or "why are you bothering me" attitude. Comps, which we aren't even looking for anyway, have been the rare exception, and basically don't happen.
That said, I do feel it's a good choice for groups, especially if you don't know their tastes, the interests are diverse, and/or there are picky eaters in the bunch. The book-sized menu assures enough variety that everyone should be able to find something, they can easily accommodate very large groups together at one table, and it's already really noisy, so less problem with bothering other diners..
LoCo at 2:43PM on 03/01/08
I am curious, the Cheesecake Factory restaurants we've gone to have a lot of advertisements of near-by shops on every other page of their menu. Is that true for all?
Cassaendra at 11:26AM on 03/02/08
I fricking love the Cheesecake Factory. Grew up on it while living in Miami. Miss it like crazy in NYC. Best cheesy chain restaurant ever. We make it a point every few months to have a day of mall shopping and CF eating in Jersey, just to not get our heads too big living in NYC. :)
Lettuce wraps and Sweet Corn Cakes, btw....
DKA at 11:37PM on 03/02/08
I guess NBA players love the Cheesecake Factory because the portions are HUGE!!!!! You need to share when you go.
I love their portobello mushroom burgers. They can feed two people easily. And their spinach artichoke dip... and their avocado spring rolls - yummy!!!
Funny thing, I've never had cheesecake there... I am usually too full to order dessert.
MadelynRodriguez at 4:39PM on 03/03/08
Eww. I can't go back to the cheesecake factory for these reasons:
1) Badddd service and rude hosts
2) I almost ate raw chicken (cooked on the outside... PINK and Gummy on the inside)
3) Cheesecake is only... okay
4) Menu takes about 20 minutes to get through.
ErieIndiana at 11:54AM on 03/24/08
My husband and I like to go to the Cheesecake Factory on occasion, especially since it's right down the street from us at the mall. It's definitely not awesome food, but it's a fun environment and the service at the one close to us has always been very friendly. The menu is certainly creative and there's tons of variety; the last time we went, we just ordered an array of appetizers to share as our meal. It's certainly not our favorite, but we definitely don't hate it. :-)
mrsbao at 12:39PM on 03/24/08