Except for the Cheesecake, why would anyone go to the Cheesecake Factory?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

We ate there tonight, and the food was way too over spiced. It was like, damn, are they trying to overload my tongue? We did get cheesecake, and it was really good, but why would anyone go there for anything but cheesecake?
Duckie

[Critters2]

1. I've wondered the same.

I haven't been there in a long time (don't live near one anymore), but the first time I went I had a quesadilla. It was like $17 dollars. And it was nothing special.

I don't understand it.

[TZ]

2. I've never had a bad meal there

although its been a while. I find the food good and the portions generous. And its not just me judging by the crowds that are ALWAYS there.....

[lost-in-nj]

3. Never ate there

It always has a waiting list

guess I will have to try it



lost

[YellowRubberDuckie]

5. Pop in and get Cheesecake....

I wouldn't eat there again unless I had the Grilled Cheese I saw on the little girl's plate across the aisle. IT looked amazing.
Duckie

[supernova]

4. Went there for the first time

for my birthday last month. I just had cheesecake and a drink. :-) I felt the main meal food was over priced for a place that specializes in dessert.

[grateful581]

6. so I guess I'm not missing much then

I've always heard that the cheesecake factory is good. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=292043 "> We are too dumb for a Cheesecake Factory in my state

[Neshanic]

7. Well the one in Phoenix offers this that the others do not.

Hepatitis exposure possible at Phoenix eatery

06:00 AM Mountain Standard Time on Monday, July 30, 2007

By The Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Vaccinations are available today and tomorrow at the Maricopa County Health Clinic in Phoenix for people who may have been exposed to hepatitis A while eating at a popular Phoenix restaurant.

Related News
Health Department warns of hepatitis exposure at Phoenix eatery
County health officials are urging people who ate at the Cheescake Factory at 24th Street and Camelback Road on July 20, to get the vaccinations, which can lower the chances of becoming ill.

The reason for the concern, say health officials, is that a restaurant employee who was working that day has hepatitis A.

[Generic Brad]

8. They sell food other than cheesecake?

I have learned something new today.

[grace0418]

9. I don't even like their cheesecake. Too much sugar masking mediocre ingredients.

The rest of the food is oversalted and painfully average. It's a wonder you can taste anything after a meal there, with your tongue so overloaded with salt and sugar. It's like going to a rock concert where they aren't that good live so they just turn up the amps to ear-splitting levels. Then you can't hear for days afterwards.

[amitten]

13. That's a perfect description of the food.

I am not fond of the Cheesecake Factory.

Any restaurant with "Factory" in the name is probably just not a great thing in general...

[HughBeaumont]

10. We have one at Crocker Park and I wouldn't know.

I've never really made it past the 45 TO 90 MINUTE WAITING TIME to find OUT!!!!

Seriously, no matter what day or what time of the day I've been there, no matter that it's been up for nearly 2 years now . . . that place's traffic NEVER WAIVERS. It's always packed to the rafters with suburbanites, housefraus, tanned couples, families of 10, teens on their first date, etc, etc. It's unbelievable. There's about a dozen other restaurants these people can go to, but they all, ALL flock to this one.

Really, all I would WANT there is to sit down and eat some damned cheesecake and I can't even do that.

[WCGreen]

11. We duck in at about 10:00 on a week night to get a snack or a meal...

I think the food is too much, too many ingredients it's like they don't trust the main thrust of the dish...

The salads are good...

But I'd rather head on over to Max and Erma's or The Stonehouse by Stein Mart or Aribaiata's down in Bay or better yet, hit this little Italian place on Center Ridge just west of Dover Center...

[HughBeaumont]

15. It seems to me like their food would be too spicy.

You can sometimes smell it when you walk in . . . amidst the expensive cologne and bad perfume of the guests, that is.

Stonehouse serves some killer subs.

[WCGreen]

36. They got that chicken wing salad that makes it easy to eat healthy...

The Pizza's pretty good as well...

[amitten]

12. It's where Midwesterners go to get fat.

They prefer doing so in large groups...

[HughBeaumont]

14. Q: What is Cracker Barrell?

A: The only restaurant that aptly describes the people who eat at it.

Don't really see many obese people, just lots . . . and LOTS of people. All the time.

[Connonym]

23. we don't need to go anywhere to GET fat

we're born that way

[amitten]

27. Well the people at Cheesecake Factory seem hell-bent on

having a heart attack.

One meal there is like the equivalent of a day-long binge at McDonald's.

Oh, and I have no problem with overweight people...I didn't mean it like that. I just have a problem with pure gluttony.

[asthmaticeog]

16. Huh. The one time I ever went there we got seated right away.

And astonishingly, their Cuban Sandwich was really fucking good. (I live in a near-west 'hood where brilliant Cubanos are cheap and plentiful, so I know of what I speak.)

[HughBeaumont]

20. Never here. Got no luck with that place.

It's sad . . . I like their New York Chocolate Cheesecake, if they still make that.

[seemunkee]

18. Same here in the DC burbs

Tried to go there a couple of times and was told 1.5-2 hour wait. Who the hell waits that long for a table?
Accorgding to my son its the same thing in Boston and seems to be the place a lot of college kids go when their parents come into town.

[HughBeaumont]

21. You live north of my sister in Silver Spring.

So I can vouch for those long DC burb waits.

That's why sometimes, I just eat downtown at the Bucas in DuPont before I'm ready to go home. :)

[seemunkee]

22. Grew up in SS

Had the Beltway in my backyard

[supernova]

26. I often do take out

at such places. I often dine out alone and, like you I don't want to wait in line. So I either wait until mid week or just get take out.

The CF here is in the middle of a huge new shopping mall. So, sometimes after shopping all day, I get a slice on my way back to my car.

[pippin]

17. Portions too big

Their portions are way, way too big. I'm always grossed out by huge servings.

[Lex]

19. I just take half home for the next day.

No big problem. They sort of expect you to ask for a take-home box.

[amitten]

29. Ditto. It's like buying a Hummer but in food form. n/t

[begin_within]

43. You would hate the Claim Jumper restaurants

They practically set down a buffet of food instead of a plate in front of you. And they have this chocolate cake that is about 10 inches tall.

[BuddhaGirl]

24. They have killer ice cream cocktails

but the food? Ho-hum. The last time we ate there the service was amateurish and horrible :-(

[Lex]

25. Chain restaurants are just that

"but the food? Ho-hum. The last time we ate there the service was amateurish and horrible"


That's exactly how I feel about most chain food 'restaurants.'

Designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I usually go only when others insist.

[Midlodemocrat]

35. I ate at TGIF Friday, ironically.

Hadn't been to one in many, many years.

Not great, not terrible. Ordinary cobb salad with unsweet iced tea. Not much you can do to muck that up.

[begin_within]

44. Cobb Salad is a good test of a restaurant's ingredients.

You get to see what they're really buying, unmasked, simple and honest.

[GirlinContempt]

28. Whats a Cheesecake Factory?

That sounds unsavory.

[Left Is Write]

30. I've never eaten anything from there, not even cheesecake.

Not that I wouldn't try it, mind you, I just haven't had strong enough motivation to go.

[Faygo Kid]

31. Breakfast. But only breakfast (on Sunday)

We were in Chicago in July and looking for a place for a Sunday breakfast, and stumbled on the Cheesecake Factory (believe me, we left many $$$ at elegant dinner establishments, but just wanted something quick before sightseeing). It was great! Reasonable, too. I had some kind of "breakfast burrito" thing that was a knockout. I will definitely go back some time for a weekend breakfast at the Cheesecake Factory. Can't say I've eaten there otherwise, though. . .

[KamaAina]

32. Oddly enough, it is one of the few reasons local people will go into Waikiki

I've been twice (while staying with Mom down there). It's not bad, really, but why put up with the lines for "not bad"? (we went early both times and mostly beat the lines. They actually give you a little pager thingie to let you know when your table's ready. :eyes: )

I simply don't get the appeal of chain restaurants in places that have authentic dining options of their own. I understand there are even chain Italian restaurants in NYC...

:hide: :popcorn:

[DarkTirade]

33. I've never eaten there...

but then again, it isn't all that close to my house and I rarely eat out. I only knew it existed because its close to my parents' house.

[Midlodemocrat]

34. We have a Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro here and

they have a pasta salad with crayfish that is to die for.

Ironically, I've never had their cheesecake. I usually get a whole one to go, but it disappears in record time if my son is home.

[JI7]

37. i think i like their appetizers more than the main meals

of the main meals i'm not sure i have gotten anything that i thought was very good. of the appetizers their avocado eggrolls are very good.

i don't think their main entrees is bad, but it just wasn't all that great from thet hings i have tried so far. but i do want to go back and try other things though.

the cheesecake is great of course.

[WindRavenX]

38. as far as chains go, i love it

They have a pretty decent bar, too.

[S n o w b a l l]

39. I loved the one in Marina Del Rey

Never had a thing I didn't like. They have excellent pasta dishes and the outdoor patio over looking the marina had a great ambience.

I had their white chocolate rasberry truffle cheesecake as my wedding cake. It was wonderful.

To me, this one didn't seem like a chain...not been to any others though.

[Joe Fields]

40. Food there is good, but way overpriced.

Can get better, for much less elsewhere.

[Taverner]

41. Large Portions.

And if you're in one of *those* states, they sell Mixed Drinks.

[deucemagnet]

42. Because it sounds like it could be a strip club?

:shrug:

But then, I guess you'd still be going for cheesecake. :evilgrin:

[begin_within]

45. Or it sounds like a strip club supply company

[huskerlaw]

46. I like it.

I think it depends a LOT on the specific restaurant.

The Cheesecake Factory originated here in LA, so maybe it's better than most places. :shrug:

I love the herb-crusted salmon. :P

[lizziegrace]

63. I do too

I've only been to one in San Francisco though.

[Guava Jelly]

47. The food there sux's

But damn they can make a good cheesecake....

[Cabcere]

48. I didn't even know they had anything besides cheesecake.

:shrug: Call me uncultured, I guess! :P

[mvd]

49. I would never go back again

Waited almost 2 hours. The booths were uncomfortable. Waitress was terrible. The burgers came on the same sour bread that I didn't like to begin with. I could get better fish at the local diner. The cheesecake was good, but not so good that I wouldn't just get cheesecake at the grocery store.

[skygazer]

50. Because they enjoy it?

Why do people seem to think that because they don't like something, anyone who does must be an idiot? That's such a charming quality here at DU. :eyes:

[supernova]

51. Snobs

It gets boring trying to talk about different things with someone who can't enjoy simple pleasures.

[mvd]

55. I actually like Olive Garden

That's not popular here, but I do.

[VLC]

58. I used to love the soup/salad deal...

until I became more conscious of ingredients and found that their corporate offices could not be sure what possible allergens were in their food! Their minestrone soup is really good, though.

[mvd]

60. I've tried the salad many times without problems

I love the salad and the Fettucine Alfredo.

[Rabrrrrrr]

52. With over 200 items on the menu, you KNOW it's all fresh and made on premise!

:eyes:

[LuckyLib]

53. And when even the cheesecake is mediocre, why would anyone bother? Nutritionally,

it completely explains the American weight problem. Nutrition Action Newletter, from Center for Science in the Public Interest, says,

<snip> Cheesecake Factory’s “Chris’ Outrageous Chocolate Cake.” There’s room enough on Cheesecake Factory’s sprawling menu for advertisements, but evidently no room for nutrition information. If one is undecided among brownie, pie, or cheesecake for dessert, this 1,380-calorie menu item helpfully provides all of the above. It’s the equivalent of eating two Quarter Pounders plus a large fries—for dessert.

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200702262.html

1380 calories for one dessert? Gross!

[Fire Walk With Me]

54. Except for the Olives, why would anyone go to the Olive Garden?

[MsKandice01]

56. I always end up ordering the wrong thing there...

The menu is entirely too big and most things I've ordered there, I wasn't too pleased with but I enjoyed what others ordered. I can't deal with that many choices.

The vanilla bean cheesecake though? To.die.for.

[gmoney]

57. They enjoy waiting in line?

"ooh, people watching!"

[lost-in-nj]

59. People watching is cool

the best place to do it is in the lobby of a hotel/casino in LV....

WHOA what diversity

we made up stories about the people we saw

:rofl:

lost

[deepthought42]

61. I went to one in Seattle a couple years ago.

I actually enjoyed it. The martini I ordered tasted too much like cough syrup so I had to switch it, but otherwise a good meal. :)

[terrya]

62. Good food? Generous servings? Reasonable prices?

Large menu?

There's 4 reasons right there.