Anonymous wrote:
Here are two anecdotes about Cheesecake Factory:

1. I live near the CF in Friendship Heights. One of our babysitters used to also work as a server at CF. She said that, on a few occasions, people walked out of the restaurant without paying (dine and ditch). I was pretty surprised to hear that, and it made me think that this is a restaurant that attracts people from outside of Friendship Heights.

2. I recently visited the CF at the Spectrum in Irvine, California. That restaurant was immaculate and seemed very lively and busy. So not all CF's are the same. The location is pretty important.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe that there's a thread this long about a CF location. Restaurants in this area come and go all the time; it's a tough business. And leases are often 10 years or longer, so sometimes when the lease is ending, a restaurant will simply not want to make the commitment, or the landlord will increase the rent too much. My personal guess is that the landlord--realizing how valuable the land is and how promising the area is right now--tried for a big rent increase, and CF chose to walk. But that's just a guess. With all of the development happening and planned for FH, I wouldn't bet against the area.

Most restaurants close within a year, CF was there for a long, long time which makes it notable.
Mostly I’m annoyed with DC regulations that make it so easy for landlords to increase rent and leave empty storefronts. Compare to Bethesda Row, which is a much more successful model. Few, if any, empty storefronts.

This isn’t unique to DC. Bethesda has a ton of vacant storefronts— the old Army Navy surplus store, the old bank opposite Bethesda theater, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe that there's a thread this long about a CF location. Restaurants in this area come and go all the time; it's a tough business. And leases are often 10 years or longer, so sometimes when the lease is ending, a restaurant will simply not want to make the commitment, or the landlord will increase the rent too much. My personal guess is that the landlord--realizing how valuable the land is and how promising the area is right now--tried for a big rent increase, and CF chose to walk. But that's just a guess. With all of the development happening and planned for FH, I wouldn't bet against the area.

Most restaurants close within a year, CF was there for a long, long time which makes it notable.
Mostly I’m annoyed with DC regulations that make it so easy for landlords to increase rent and leave empty storefronts. Compare to Bethesda Row, which is a much more successful model. Few, if any, empty storefronts.

Anonymous wrote:Please. No one take my Bloomingdales. It’s the only good thing CC has left of yesteryear!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe that there's a thread this long about a CF location. Restaurants in this area come and go all the time; it's a tough business. And leases are often 10 years or longer, so sometimes when the lease is ending, a restaurant will simply not want to make the commitment, or the landlord will increase the rent too much. My personal guess is that the landlord--realizing how valuable the land is and how promising the area is right now--tried for a big rent increase, and CF chose to walk. But that's just a guess. With all of the development happening and planned for FH, I wouldn't bet against the area.

Most restaurants close within a year, CF was there for a long, long time which makes it notable.
Mostly I’m annoyed with DC regulations that make it so easy for landlords to increase rent and leave empty storefronts. Compare to Bethesda Row, which is a much more successful model. Few, if any, empty storefronts.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t seem like the big Bloomingdales mall thing is doing well. The fancy retail strip was a flop. Maybe they should turn the Chevy Chase pavilion back into woods.

They should turn every building there into high end condos and apartments with retail on the street level and include 3br units for families who want to get in the desirable school zones nearby.

They should move Bloomingdale’s and Saks up to the White Flint site and turn it into a nicer town center than Pike and Rose. Think Tyson’s Galleria mixed with Bethesda Row. Rework the I-495 intersection nearby to allow eastbound traffic to go up Wisconsin / Rockville Pike without doing a U Turn while you’re at it.

Problem solved and everyone wins. No one wants to go to department stores and deal with that traffic near Friendship Heights, but high end condos and apartments would do great because of Metro proximity and great schools. White Flint needs to be redeveloped.

That White Flint site has been completely abandoned for going on a decade now, which is absolutely astonishing because it is such a prime location. Will anything ever get done, or is it completely hopeless?

I mean, they do run a motorcycle school there now...

But they had been hoping Amazon would come, and then they didn't. There's no plan at this point.

Actually there is a plan:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/07/white-flint-mall-redevelopment-subsidy-consider/

After the lerners wasted tons of money in a protracted, losing court fight against lord and Taylor, it seems that they were waiting for a government handout to develop the site.

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe that there's a thread this long about a CF location. Restaurants in this area come and go all the time; it's a tough business. And leases are often 10 years or longer, so sometimes when the lease is ending, a restaurant will simply not want to make the commitment, or the landlord will increase the rent too much. My personal guess is that the landlord--realizing how valuable the land is and how promising the area is right now--tried for a big rent increase, and CF chose to walk. But that's just a guess. With all of the development happening and planned for FH, I wouldn't bet against the area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe that there's a thread this long about a CF location. Restaurants in this area come and go all the time; it's a tough business. And leases are often 10 years or longer, so sometimes when the lease is ending, a restaurant will simply not want to make the commitment, or the landlord will increase the rent too much. My personal guess is that the landlord--realizing how valuable the land is and how promising the area is right now--tried for a big rent increase, and CF chose to walk. But that's just a guess. With all of the development happening and planned for FH, I wouldn't bet against the area.

Why? It’s a sign of a bad economy. It’s expensive to build a CF and they have a large staff.

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe that there's a thread this long about a CF location. Restaurants in this area come and go all the time; it's a tough business. And leases are often 10 years or longer, so sometimes when the lease is ending, a restaurant will simply not want to make the commitment, or the landlord will increase the rent too much. My personal guess is that the landlord--realizing how valuable the land is and how promising the area is right now--tried for a big rent increase, and CF chose to walk. But that's just a guess. With all of the development happening and planned for FH, I wouldn't bet against the area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Why is Cf considered low class? I just went there with a friend and 2 mains, appetizer and a split dessert with tip was over $100. We got water/no drinks.

You can’t buy taste and class. Trump has gold toilets and orders Big Macs for State Dinners.

I love it when the UMC tries to tell others (and themselves) that fast food doesn’t taste good. Poor people, middle class people, rich people all know it. But yet the UMC persists.

It’s an age thing — in that some of it used to be better. Anyone remember McDonald’ beef fat fries?
And some of it is still awesome on a good day. Love that chicken from Popeye’s.
(Middle class with an UMC and beyond education and eclectic tastes)

McDonalds fried apple pies were the best. About 6 years ago they brought them bag to the San Diego market for a two-year promo.