Cheesecake Factory
Southlake, Texas
Walking into the over-sized doors you are greeted by extravagance at it's best! Then we are walked to the table and seated in the corner booth, surrounded by breathtaking display architecture.
Rating (5 Being the Best)
3It's Good. I'll come back from time to time.
Won't be my first choice, but it's not a bad choice either.
Food: 4.5
Experience Varies: 4.5 on one day to 1.5 on another.
*Full Disclosure I worked here for the last 6 months of 2013 and left just over one year before this writing 02/2014. My review would therefore be more than slightly biased!
Overview
Cheesecake Factory is a story that inspires. I'll let them tell the story. This is an excerpt from their website:In 1978, their son David founded The Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. With little knowledge of how to run a full scale restaurant but lots of intuition into what makes a dining experience great, David set out to offer their guests an experience they wouldn't soon forget - generous portions with unlimited, inventive menu selections all made fresh with quality ingredients and served in a warm and casually comfortable setting. The restaurant was an immediate success! Just over 30 years later with close to 170 locations, the success of The Cheesecake Factory has even surpassed the Overtons' wildest dreams making The Cheesecake Factory a great American success story.
The story given to every server is that David Overton was so nervous on his first day that he didn't announce the opening and even changed the soft opening to 2 PM so he would miss the lunch crowd.
By the time they opened the doors at 2 PM there was a line down the side of the building and around the corner, "...and the line hasn't stopped since!"
If you are a business owner, especially a restaurant owner (or owner to be) this story should inspire you!
There are lessons to be learned from David Overton's story, both his successes and failures. But that's for another article.
Cheesecake Factory Southlake is a treasure of architecture and ambiance.
Food
The portions are over-sized, plan to take boxes home. One plate could serve two people in many cases. Then again, even though I shouldn't eat a whole bowl of pasta, I usually do!
They have hundreds of menu items. Pastas, Pizzas, Burgers, Sandwiches, Entre Items, Small Plates, Apps, Etc, Etc, Etc... The menu changes twice a year. Typically things are only added, rarely are things removed. So it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
In fact bigger is the best way to describe this place. The Architecture, Menu, Environment, Price! LOL.
My all time favorite item on the menu:
The Fettuccine with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato.
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| Linked From: Yelp |
My Wife's favorite Item is the:
Avocado Egg Rolls
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| Linked From: FoodSpotting |
Cheesecake!
So I guess you can't talk about Cheesecake Factory without talking about the dessert! There are just as many to choose from here as their are menu items for Entre's. In case you are wondering, YES, as a former employee I had to try EVERY Cheesecake on the menu. And YES, I do have favorites.
Here are some of my personal Favs:
- Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake
- Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake
- 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake
- Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake
- Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake
Oreo Before Being Eaten:
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| Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake - Cheesecake Factory |
Oreo After Bring Eaten:
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Cost
The cost is medium to high. Can you get out cheap? Theoretically yes, but not likely. They do have smaller portions and apps. I've seen people pay $25 for two people. But this is not the norm.The average party of two leaves having spent $40 - 50 before tip.
As a former server let me just say, that means you left a tip of AT LEAST $10 which means you left paying $60.
Never tip less than 20% at any restaurant... ever... See one of my articles: Tip Your Server
Kids
Yeah... kinda?They have high chairs, it's a semi-loud place, so you can get away with it. In fact, we take our kids, and they enjoy it, especially the CHEESECAKE! So it's not that you must leave the kids at home or anything.
But I wouldn't call Cheesecake Factory kid friendly either... not by a long shot. No Kids Menus. No Crayons. No Coloring Books. No Kids Cups. Nothing that says anything other than, we made room for the kids too.
Honestly, if I had the choice between date night place leave the kids at home, and bring them along... I'd leave them with a babysitter. This place just makes me feel like I ought to be there either on:
- A Date
- Business
- Party-Group Celebration
So, as a family I'd prefer not to go with the kids, but I wouldn't feel bad taking them either... does that make sense?
Tips to enjoy it better...
KIDS
- If you bring Kids ask for a booth. You may have to wait longer, but it's CROWDED, isles are a dangerous place for them.
- Bring a restaurant bag (toys, coloring books, crayons, etc. ).
- Especially here, because they are not equipped with these things.
TIMES
- Best and Worst Times
- Go Monday through Thursday
- Should be able to get in and out and enjoy your time.
- Maybe avoid the lunch rush, come before 12 PM or after 2 PM
- AVOID: Fri, Sat, and Sun 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM
- Way too crowded, expect a 2-4 hour wait during these hours on these days.
Insiders Perspective:
It's not often I get to place a little note having worked on the inside. Here's the thing. David Overton CEO-Founder has certain philosophies about running this restaurant that should ring true across all of them.
I think their own website says it best:
...With little knowledge of how to run a full scale restaurant but lots of intuition into what makes a dining experience great...
Much of his decisions have been spot on because his decisions are based on his dining preferences.
As a result he doesn't see things from a "This is how it's always been done" point of view. He is free to try things out, piece meal ideas together from his favorite dining experiences.
So he is free to experiment.
He tries something he likes somewhere else, he brings it back to his Chef and says "do that... but better!" It's paid off... most of the time.
It's this desire to have the best experience possible that makes this bigger than life restaurant work as a concept!
Several of his decisions have been off because his decisions are based on his dining preferences.
Their own website says that he had little knowledge of how to run a restaurant. Having come from several major former restaurants... from the inside it shows. One example is in the seating style. There is no concept of pacing.
Seating:
Seating is done ASAP style. Which means that the server you get may have just you, or they have just received four tables at the exact same time.
Because of the corporate philosophy is to seat every customer as quick as possible wherever they want to be seated, without any consideration on the effect that will have on the server, your experience can vary wildly!
You would think a server that just got four tables would have help. In fact, the server will have very little help from managers or fellow servers because everyone is too busy. The entire place is run within an environment that can and does fall apart when things get just a bit busier than people are prepared to handle. It's managed chaos, not a finely tuned machine.
Still, little quirks like that aside, it's a nice place. I'll keep coming as a customer... but not likely to ever return as an employee! LOL.
Final Thoughts
Without Kids: This is a place that is great for a night out. Best enjoyed at night when the kids are left at home with the babysitter.With Kids: If you are brining the kids, come between 2 PM and 4 PM Mon - Thu. That'll be a great, slow, time to enjoy without the chaos.
Great Place, on the expensive side, but worth the money if you avoid rush hours!
Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe
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