Am I the only one who thinks Cheesecake Factory is overrated?

Question

So I've been going to various Los Angeles-area Cheesecrack Factories since childhood, and honestly, I've never been able to figure out the insane appeal. The pastas I've had are pretty average. Salads can be hit-or-miss. The desserts are great, but really, is there anything more to the CF than the cake? Opinions please.

Answer

Why do you keep going?
Stop being one of the sheeple. 

I really don't even think the desserts are even 'great' as you claim they are. The cheesecake factories are for tourists and it's a safe option for business lunches or dinners in a casual setting. That being said, I'm a sucker for thier tex-mex egg rolls. Everything else, I find average at best - including their cheesecake.

Answer

One thing I think about CF is that they are easy - they have a 15 page menu and everyone can find SOMETHING to eat. 

As for quality - naw. Quantity is large, lots of choices and good locations. That's their secret. And million calorie cheesecake for those who like that kind of stuff.

Answer

A moot Question! but it is very popular because it has identified and has served it's target market very well. Walk in and look around, as Chow Hounds you can pick out the target demographic.We deride this concept on this board , but CF thrives because as consumers we have decided that mediocre food and vast portions of it is what we consider to be "A special night out" Sad but never the less very real.

Answer

I don't think it is overrated. It's always a great safe choice, and the food, atmosphere, and ambiance is so much better than other chains like Chili's, TGIF, or Bennigen's. I think it's hands down the best restaurant chain out there. I love it. The restaurant is just absolutely SOLID in every aspect. Nothing spectacular, but it's SOLID, and that's why people keep coming back. I never left the restaurant feeling like I spent too much cause I've always had a good time there.

And to be honest, the whole place seems very American, and I think that's why it's so popular. Everything about it just appeals very much to the American consumer. It's good American food, the portion sizes are large, and the menu is very safe. Straight-foward good comfort food with upscale looks, It's absolutely the perfect place for the typical conservative American who wants to eat out at a nice place with friends. I can't imagine a more perfect resaurant chain. It's a Walmart without the bad image. :)

Answer

I've never been a fan. The only one I've been to that was any good was the one inside Disney Quest at Downtown Disney (Orlando). I actually, have had much better cheesecake, too.

The appeal I think is the familiarity, as it is with most chain restaurants.

Answer

I go there for the avacado egg rolls and the thai lettuce wraps, both are excellent. I do enjoy their desserts but they are too darned big. We usually go to share appetizers and have dessert, I feel that they do what they do well.

They have hit their target demographic very well, definitely a place for the desperate housewives to gather and drink foo foo martinis.

Answer

I always thought you had to be rated in the first place to be ever considered overrated.

Bad food, worse service. One of the last places on earth I would go. I would actually probably skip a meal, and go hungry rather than go to CF again in my lifetime.

Answer

Judging by the other posts in this board, obviously not. Simple solution. Stop going.

Answer

I've been once, chosen carefully, HUGE menu, EXPENSIVE, I liked the food, what I thought was totally cheesy and bizarre, ads for other businesses in their menu!

Answer

It's okay I suppose. Not really great but not horrible. Kind of pricey for what you get, but when you are near a mall or something and don't want to eat at Red Robin, Chili's, or one of those type of chains it can be a better option. I will go if someone else insists, sort of a random thing. I don't think to myself wow I'm can't wait to eat there tonight.

Answer

Love the cuban sandwich and peach bellini... for a chain I think it's one of the best. Much better than Chili's, etc.

Answer

Why are people down on the food at Cheesecake factory? Yes, the portions are huge, but that does not automatically mean the food is bad. I've had a lot of good meals there. Are my standards too low? I'm not saying that the food is outstanding, and its a long way from being gourmet, but most of it is tasty and I've never had any food there that I'd classify as being bad. So I just don't get all the negativity directed towards the food there. And I'd have to say that, for a chain - except maybe the chains that attempt to be much more upscale (Houstons, McCormick and Schmidt, etc.) the food is right up there.

Answer

I've been there twice: OK, nothing special. The location here in San Francisco that I've gone to is on the top floor of a downtown location with a view. I personally believe the lines here are location and not the quality of the food.

Answer

If you've noticed how many people emphasize "portions" when they review a restaurant, then there's your answer. I've seen it right here on CH many many times. People talk about Portions, Location, Atmosphere, Service.....somewhere further down the list is the actual *quality* of the food.

Here's what I typically hear about a CF experience from coworkers: "oh there was an hour-long wait but they gave us a pager so we were able to do walk around the mall while we waited. Then we got our table and we all got huge drinks that they kept refilling....for free! The menu was huge, and we ate soooooo much. The portions were huge! There was so much food that we didn't have room for dessert....but we got it anyway. I got the peanut butter cheesecake, Rosie got the Oreo Cheesecake, Randy go the Chocolate Cheesecake, and I'm on a diet so I got the sugar free cheesecake (Yes I made that last part up)."

Many people are obsessed with the amount of food they get, as long as it's edible. They also center their lives around Shopping Malls. Put the two together and you've got a winning combination in the USA.

Answer

sometimes it's precisely what is called for amongst a diverse group of friends, at varying stages of life - culinary elitism, portion bang for buck, fears of haute or ethnic cuisine, etc... sometimes it's the least of evils to satisfy most.

when i'm there, the egg white omelette is good. the chicken madeira over their ridiculous mashed potatoes. the pasta with four cheeses if your arteries are not antithetical. the biscuits. desserts: linda's fabulous fudge cake, oreo cheesecake, vanilla bean cheesecake, boston cream pie cheesecake, white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake, all w/ no whipped cream. oh, and the brown bread.

Answer

I'll admit, I've only been one time. I went to the one in White Plains, NY on a weekday night. Here is my feeling on it after one time. 

AtmosphereAmbience - like sitting in grand central terminal -minus the homeless people.

Service - prompt and professional.

Food 
Appetizers: 
Hot Spinach and Cheese dip. Good, but not any better than similar jarred dips. 
Fried Calamari - definitely store bought frozen calamari.

Entree:
Wasabi Crusted Ahi Tuna - cooked perfectly but the portion was tiny (6 slices). It was such a small portion that I ended up eating someone's leftovers, and paying for their meal. They had the Fettucini with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a garlic parmesan cream sauce - definitely nothing to write home about. Either the tomatoes were added to late, or they just didn't have enough flavor to make the dish a little more robust. I also tasted someone's farfalle with chicken and roasted garlic. Once again a little bland, especially considering it's a garlic sauce.

For dessert we all shared each others
Original Cheesecake - I am not exaggerating. The worst I've ever tasted.
White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. Couldn't taste the white chocolate.
Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake - fresh, haha
Someone had the Blackout Cake which I passed on, they seemed to like it.

Overall my opinion is that like any restaurant who has a menu you need a bookmark to read, the food is what you would expect - wonderfully average. What surprised me even more was that it's namesake, the holy cheesecake was some of the worst cheesecake I had ever tasted, and believe me, I've tasted some homecooked ones at parties that were horrendous. I went two years ago, and have not been back. Would I give it a second try? Maybe!

Answer

The only thing I like from them is their cheesecake. The last time I went there I had a plate of nachos that was soaked in oil and tasted freezer-burned.

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