So many questions about Cheesecake Factory…

[Anonymous]

Cheesecake Factory is fine. It has actually solved a bunch of problems with picky eaters and a group who can’t decide “what they feel like eating today” - the menu is so huge that there will be a least one thing that each person will eat. Is it fine dining? Nope. Is it tasty? Yep. I used to eat there a lot when I was young and starting out because with the portion size, I had food for at least three days with one meal. Get the cheesecake slice to go and eat it later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re not fans. One of my kids loves it and picks it for all of his special celebrations. It’s ridiculously expensive every time we go and the food is mediocre.

I actually think it is quite cheap, especially for the portion sizes. $150 is a lot of $$ there IMO. OP, anything on the regular menu will basically be two adult portions. There are some decent options on the skinnylicious menu (I like the turkey burger). As for cheesecake, my family likes lemon meringue cheesecake, key lime cheesecake, tiramisu cheesecake and the salted caramel cheesecake. The cheesecake slices are large as well, we split them in two and eat them over two days.

You’re assuming adults are sharing meals which is tacky.

At a fast casual restaurant, if you still tip as though nobody is sharing? I mean, what about Wendy’s!? Is it tacky there? At what price point does it become tacky? (Also I noticed that on the cheesecake factory’s website, to justify their large portion sizes, it points out that they don’t charge for splitting meals. They know what’s going on)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I’m the OP and I don’t mean to be snotty. I follow the Instagram “middle class fancy” and they reference the Cheesecake Factory a lot.

It now occurs to me, based on that name, that I should have realized that the Cheesecake Factory is fancy for the middle class.

[Anonymous]

When we're traveling, we always look for a Cheesecake Factory if we don't know where to go for dinner. You always know what you're going to get and it is exactly the same in every place. I love the Cheesecake Factory because of that. Plus they don't have a lot of gimicky foods and they don't try to pretend to be something they aren't. Give me a Cheesecake Factory over Rose's Luxury every day. For real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I have fond memories of taking the Metro to Friendship Heights back in my college days and shopping then stopping at Cheesecake Factory for the avocado rolls and that Cobb salad. It was huge, but I'd get the dressing on the side and have it for at least 2 meals. I kind of want one now!

[Anonymous]

Obesity epidemic. That is all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fine. Some days you want to be fancy some days there's something to be said for eating potato skins and cheap beer at Chili's with some buddies from high school.

I mean known what you're getting yourself into and temper expectations. Anyplace with a menu that big uses frozen/reheated stuff. They have to. But so do most chain places and hey, you've got a gift card and aren't paying for it. So don't look at is as a fancy meal and you're fine.

The portions are crazy. You can literally order a lunch portion and save half and have two big lunches. But it's fine. Don't eat that stuff every day, but but some of the salads and pastas are perfectly fine.

I think most of the cheesecakes there are way too sweet, but again just plan to save half and it's fine.

Thank you! I have always thought this but noone else ever said it.

I would save the gift card for a time when my MIL is in town. I do like the apps there and the salads are decent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I have fond memories of taking the Metro to Friendship Heights back in my college days and shopping then stopping at Cheesecake Factory for the avocado rolls and that Cobb salad. It was huge, but I'd get the dressing on the side and have it for at least 2 meals. I kind of want one now!

But really, who wants to eat leftover restaurant salad for 3 days?

Cheesecake factory leaves you three options:

1) Be a total pig and eat your whole meal
2) waste a ton of food
3)be stuck with 3 days of leftovers, which you will likely never touch and toss anyway..or get food poisoning on the third day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I have fond memories of taking the Metro to Friendship Heights back in my college days and shopping then stopping at Cheesecake Factory for the avocado rolls and that Cobb salad. It was huge, but I'd get the dressing on the side and have it for at least 2 meals. I kind of want one now!

But really, who wants to eat leftover restaurant salad for 3 days?

Cheesecake factory leaves you three options:

1) Be a total pig and eat your whole meal
2) waste a ton of food
3)be stuck with 3 days of leftovers, which you will likely never touch and toss anyway..or get food poisoning on the third day

OP here. I wouldn’t do salad three days later, but I don’t eat salad anyway. I would definitely eat the pasta for three days. I also wouldn’t admit this in polite company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I have fond memories of taking the Metro to Friendship Heights back in my college days and shopping then stopping at Cheesecake Factory for the avocado rolls and that Cobb salad. It was huge, but I'd get the dressing on the side and have it for at least 2 meals. I kind of want one now!

But really, who wants to eat leftover restaurant salad for 3 days?

Cheesecake factory leaves you three options:

1) Be a total pig and eat your whole meal
2) waste a ton of food
3)be stuck with 3 days of leftovers, which you will likely never touch and toss anyway..or get food poisoning on the third day

Nope. Plenty of us peasants actually eat our restaurant leftovers the next day because we can’t afford to / don’t want to throw away perfectly good food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fine. Some days you want to be fancy some days there's something to be said for eating potato skins and cheap beer at Chili's with some buddies from high school.

I mean known what you're getting yourself into and temper expectations. Anyplace with a menu that big uses frozen/reheated stuff. They have to. But so do most chain places and hey, you've got a gift card and aren't paying for it. So don't look at is as a fancy meal and you're fine.

The portions are crazy. You can literally order a lunch portion and save half and have two big lunches. But it's fine. Don't eat that stuff every day, but but some of the salads and pastas are perfectly fine.

I think most of the cheesecakes there are way too sweet, but again just plan to save half and it's fine.

Thank you! I have always thought this but noone else ever said it.

I would save the gift card for a time when my MIL is in town. I do like the apps there and the salads are decent.

The secret is absolutely tons of restaurants do this, even "mom and pop" types. Huge menu is always, always a tip off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I have fond memories of taking the Metro to Friendship Heights back in my college days and shopping then stopping at Cheesecake Factory for the avocado rolls and that Cobb salad. It was huge, but I'd get the dressing on the side and have it for at least 2 meals. I kind of want one now!

But really, who wants to eat leftover restaurant salad for 3 days?

Cheesecake factory leaves you three options:

1) Be a total pig and eat your whole meal
2) waste a ton of food
3)be stuck with 3 days of leftovers, which you will likely never touch and toss anyway..or get food poisoning on the third day

Nope. Plenty of us peasants actually eat our restaurant leftovers the next day because we can’t afford to / don’t want to throw away perfectly good food.

Cheesecake is too much even for 2 meals though and keeping restaurants food past the next day is pretty dicey

[Anonymous]

I like their salads and carrot cake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone’s so snotty with this middle class stuff!

The portions are large, the food is pretty good, and it’s pretty pricey. The Cobb salad is really good.

I have fond memories of taking the Metro to Friendship Heights back in my college days and shopping then stopping at Cheesecake Factory for the avocado rolls and that Cobb salad. It was huge, but I'd get the dressing on the side and have it for at least 2 meals. I kind of want one now!

But really, who wants to eat leftover restaurant salad for 3 days?

Cheesecake factory leaves you three options:

1) Be a total pig and eat your whole meal
2) waste a ton of food
3)be stuck with 3 days of leftovers, which you will likely never touch and toss anyway..or get food poisoning on the third day

Nope. Plenty of us peasants actually eat our restaurant leftovers the next day because we can’t afford to / don’t want to throw away perfectly good food.

Cheesecake is too much even for 2 meals though and keeping restaurants food past the next day is pretty dicey

I guess it depends. I am small and skinny (always have been) and I can eat most of a cheesecake meal but have enough left over for lunch the next day. There’s def not enough for more than 2 meals for me, at least.
I am also on day 3 of leftover Thai food so I don’t have issues with food more than 2 days past the original meal.

[Anonymous]

My strategies for Cheesecake Factory are:
1. Order an appetizer as my meal, then a piece of cheesecake (which I may eat there or take home).
2. Split an entree and a piece of cheesecake with another adult.
3. Order something that will taste good for lunch the next day, and plan on taking half of it home.

The lettuce wraps are my favorite 'appetizer as a meal'. Lemon raspberry is my favorite cheesecake, but any one I've tried has been good.