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Cheesecake Factory? They're famous for having terrible decor, service, and food, yet somehow being an essential part of the American high school prom experience

Cheesecake Factory? They're famous for having terrible decor, service, and food, yet somehow being an essential part of the American high school prom experience. https://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/dude-goes-viral-for-tweet-storm-about-how-much-the-cheesecake-factory-sucks https://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/dude-goes-viral-for...

eBombzor 8y ago
lol the chain of tweets and the reaction at the end was pretty funny.
dragonwriter 8y ago
> Cheesecake Factory? They're famous for having terrible decor, service, and food, I've always found CF to have decent service and good (but not outstanding) food, a ludicrously long menu being the main negative, plus the fact that it's always ludicrously crowded because they underprice for their appeal. The decor is gaudy, but not what I would describe as terrible (or even unpleasant, just incongruous.)
- mixmastamyk 8y ago
  They've got cheesecake, who cares about decor?
hopler 8y ago
Being hated by hipsters who resent simple pleasures available to all is part of the appeal.
ocdtrekkie 8y ago
I get so peeved by the treatment of chain restaurants like this as "poor" or "terrible". Because you know what, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse? These are some of the nicest restaurants the average citizen can hope to afford to go to more than once in their lifetime. It isn't going to impress folks who have a personal chef at home, but the food is pretty darn good, and you don't have to saw off your right arm to pay for it.
- ng12 8y ago
  The value proposition really isn't that great. It's not any cheaper than food from a local Italian joint. What you're paying for is that Olive Garden experience, whatever that is worth to you. A good example is the Olive Garden in Times Square. It's _always_ packed despite there being better Italian places a few blocks away. Not to mention, if you're willing to hop on the subway there's significantly better Italian food available in the outer boroughs for much cheaper. Olive Garden isn't that cheap, that nice, or that tasty which makes it a mystery to a lot of people.
  - jpatokal 8y ago
    Part of that value prop is predictability. There are a lot of people who like to know exactly what they'll get, even when (especially when) travelling, and this is also why highway rest areas and airports so often have national fast food & coffee chains.
  - ocdtrekkie 8y ago
    I would argue the cost is not much higher than fast food, but the quality is arguably still a large step up. Obviously these places get a lot of points for their excellent choice of bread (be they sticks, biscuits, etc.), and there's arguably something to be said for going to a restaurant and knowing they have food you like. If you go to these restaurants a little more regularly, you also can stack up the rewards benefits, sometimes you can get discounted gift cards, etc. All of which you will not find at a non-chain restaurant. Which is to say, if I can get a sirloin for the cost of a Whopper, it isn't much of a mystery why people go there.
  - dsr_ 8y ago
    Olive Garden's appeal in Times Square is the same as McDonald's: you're in a strange place, but you know what you can expect to find inside, and you know your kids will eat it while you have a glass of mediocre wine.
    - ocdtrekkie 8y ago
      FWIW, if you go to McDonald's in some foreign countries you will be in for a shock as they serve many region-specific items. (Though in Paris, it's a pleasant shock, it's mostly the same but all of the food is better/healthier.) Source: Yes, I traveled to the capital of a country known explicitly for it's exquisite food and did patronize a McDonald's.
AjithAntony 8y ago
Wow, I must be pretty unsophisticated. I always thought cheesecake factory was a fancy place. I guess being located at the fancy retail mall must have colored my perception.

eBombzor 8y ago

lol the chain of tweets and the reaction at the end was pretty funny.

dragonwriter 8y ago

> Cheesecake Factory? They're famous for having terrible decor, service, and food, I've always found CF to have decent service and good (but not outstanding) food, a ludicrously long menu being the main negative, plus the fact that it's always ludicrously crowded because they underprice for their appeal. The decor is gaudy, but not what I would describe as terrible (or even unpleasant, just incongruous.)

mixmastamyk 8y ago
They've got cheesecake, who cares about decor?

hopler 8y ago

Being hated by hipsters who resent simple pleasures available to all is part of the appeal.

ocdtrekkie 8y ago

I get so peeved by the treatment of chain restaurants like this as "poor" or "terrible". Because you know what, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse? These are some of the nicest restaurants the average citizen can hope to afford to go to more than once in their lifetime. It isn't going to impress folks who have a personal chef at home, but the food is pretty darn good, and you don't have to saw off your right arm to pay for it.

ng12 8y ago
The value proposition really isn't that great. It's not any cheaper than food from a local Italian joint. What you're paying for is that Olive Garden experience, whatever that is worth to you. A good example is the Olive Garden in Times Square. It's _always_ packed despite there being better Italian places a few blocks away. Not to mention, if you're willing to hop on the subway there's significantly better Italian food available in the outer boroughs for much cheaper. Olive Garden isn't that cheap, that nice, or that tasty which makes it a mystery to a lot of people.
- jpatokal 8y ago
  Part of that value prop is predictability. There are a lot of people who like to know exactly what they'll get, even when (especially when) travelling, and this is also why highway rest areas and airports so often have national fast food & coffee chains.
- ocdtrekkie 8y ago
  I would argue the cost is not much higher than fast food, but the quality is arguably still a large step up. Obviously these places get a lot of points for their excellent choice of bread (be they sticks, biscuits, etc.), and there's arguably something to be said for going to a restaurant and knowing they have food you like. If you go to these restaurants a little more regularly, you also can stack up the rewards benefits, sometimes you can get discounted gift cards, etc. All of which you will not find at a non-chain restaurant. Which is to say, if I can get a sirloin for the cost of a Whopper, it isn't much of a mystery why people go there.
- dsr_ 8y ago
  Olive Garden's appeal in Times Square is the same as McDonald's: you're in a strange place, but you know what you can expect to find inside, and you know your kids will eat it while you have a glass of mediocre wine.
  - ocdtrekkie 8y ago
    FWIW, if you go to McDonald's in some foreign countries you will be in for a shock as they serve many region-specific items. (Though in Paris, it's a pleasant shock, it's mostly the same but all of the food is better/healthier.) Source: Yes, I traveled to the capital of a country known explicitly for it's exquisite food and did patronize a McDonald's.

AjithAntony 8y ago

Wow, I must be pretty unsophisticated. I always thought cheesecake factory was a fancy place. I guess being located at the fancy retail mall must have colored my perception.