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I find this place strangely depressing. It’s like a temple of over-indulgence. The portions are huge and stodgy, so you end up feeling as though you’ve over o

I find this place strangely depressing. It’s like a temple of over-indulgence. The portions are huge and stodgy, so you end up feeling as though you’ve over ordered, over eaten and either wasted food or taking leftovers out which you don’t want to eat till the memories of the first portion have passed a few weeks later.

o1y32 3y ago
Exactly. I have only been to Cheesecake factory twice and have been haunted by the items and the calories on their menu. Despite currently living near a Cheesecake factory restaurant, I have not been there again.
HelloMcFly 3y ago
Once you get into the habit of ordering every meal at major restaurant chains as if you're ordering two meals (one now, one later), it seems much more sensible economically and calorically. I don't approach any dish with a need to clear the plate. I can't say I've eaten myself to discomfort in many years now. Alternatively, if I'm wish my wife, we tend to just order an appetizer/salad and one entree. The portion size tends to be about right in that case in many instances (it's still dish-dependent).
- jfengel 3y ago
  It does help focus one's choices, especially at a place with a ridiculous menu like the Cheesecake Factory. Think in terms not just of what will go down well now, but what will survive best until tomorrow.
  - HelloMcFly 3y ago
    I'll go so far as to stop eating a few bites early (or ostensibly early, probably right on time) so I know I've got the right portions for a good leftover meal!
bluGill 3y ago
I'm glad most restaurants provide large portions - I don't snack between meals, and I have a fast metabolism, so a very large meal is what I need. I'm unusual that way though. the point is one size does not fit all, and so there is no way to make everyone happy. Though most restaurants do not provide healthy food, so I rarely eat out.
- delfinom 3y ago
  >I'm glad most restaurants provide large portions taps on % of population in obesity sign
- asifgnionio 3y ago
  It's easy to order four or five thousand calories at the Cheesecake Factory. A salad, an entrée, and a slice of cheesecake seems like a reasonable order but is actually several days worth of food.
  - bluGill 3y ago
    That depends on your metabolism. Those who spend a lot of time exercising can burn more than that in a day.
    - brandonscott 3y ago
      like <1% of people are realistically burning 4000+ calories in a day
constantly 3y ago
Piggybacking on the class distinctions discussions before, I’ve found that for the sort of people who are or would be regular CCF go-ers a major criterion in restaurant rating and whether they would go back is sheer volume of food, almost at the exclusion of any taste or quality of the actual food. I’ve heard people say about restaurants many times, “this place is so great, they serve soooo much food.”
hgsgm 3y ago
Some people enjoy simple food, and enjoy having a reprise later.
dtgriscom 3y ago
Not to mention the Eye of Sauron motif in the decor.
HideousKojima 3y ago
Not coincidentally, the last time I went to CCF was at the invitation of two fairly obese friends
zer8k 3y ago
When I didn't have money CF was the "nice restaurant" I ate at once or twice a year. Even though I have money now people who criticize restaurants like CF always make me laugh.
empath-nirvana 3y ago
It's basically a poor person's idea of how rich people eat. I'm not saying that as a value judgement, but if you grew up with food insecurity (I did), having a large variety of gigantic plates of high calorie food is like the absolute pinnacle of dining. You actually see the reverse all the time when "regular people" see the portions and prices at a Michelin-starred restaurant. They think it's a ridiculous rip-off, without realizing that people go to those restaurants for _aesthetic_ reasons, rather than because they're hungry. The idea of consuming food as an art form rather than as something you need to survive is just completely ridiculous to them.
- Invictus0 3y ago
  I encountered an interesting paradox of this when visiting town of Val Gardena in Italy, one of the top skiing locations in the country. I'd come down from a long day on the mountain absolutely famished and looking for a big plate, but because the town is oriented to a wealthy clientele, many of the restaurants serve expensive plates with tiny portions.

o1y32 3y ago

Exactly. I have only been to Cheesecake factory twice and have been haunted by the items and the calories on their menu. Despite currently living near a Cheesecake factory restaurant, I have not been there again.

HelloMcFly 3y ago

Once you get into the habit of ordering every meal at major restaurant chains as if you're ordering two meals (one now, one later), it seems much more sensible economically and calorically. I don't approach any dish with a need to clear the plate. I can't say I've eaten myself to discomfort in many years now. Alternatively, if I'm wish my wife, we tend to just order an appetizer/salad and one entree. The portion size tends to be about right in that case in many instances (it's still dish-dependent).

jfengel 3y ago
It does help focus one's choices, especially at a place with a ridiculous menu like the Cheesecake Factory. Think in terms not just of what will go down well now, but what will survive best until tomorrow.
- HelloMcFly 3y ago
  I'll go so far as to stop eating a few bites early (or ostensibly early, probably right on time) so I know I've got the right portions for a good leftover meal!

bluGill 3y ago

I'm glad most restaurants provide large portions - I don't snack between meals, and I have a fast metabolism, so a very large meal is what I need. I'm unusual that way though. the point is one size does not fit all, and so there is no way to make everyone happy. Though most restaurants do not provide healthy food, so I rarely eat out.

delfinom 3y ago
>I'm glad most restaurants provide large portions taps on % of population in obesity sign
asifgnionio 3y ago
It's easy to order four or five thousand calories at the Cheesecake Factory. A salad, an entrée, and a slice of cheesecake seems like a reasonable order but is actually several days worth of food.
- bluGill 3y ago
  That depends on your metabolism. Those who spend a lot of time exercising can burn more than that in a day.
  - brandonscott 3y ago
    like <1% of people are realistically burning 4000+ calories in a day

constantly 3y ago

Piggybacking on the class distinctions discussions before, I’ve found that for the sort of people who are or would be regular CCF go-ers a major criterion in restaurant rating and whether they would go back is sheer volume of food, almost at the exclusion of any taste or quality of the actual food. I’ve heard people say about restaurants many times, “this place is so great, they serve soooo much food.”

hgsgm 3y ago

Some people enjoy simple food, and enjoy having a reprise later.

dtgriscom 3y ago

Not to mention the Eye of Sauron motif in the decor.

HideousKojima 3y ago

Not coincidentally, the last time I went to CCF was at the invitation of two fairly obese friends

zer8k 3y ago

When I didn't have money CF was the "nice restaurant" I ate at once or twice a year. Even though I have money now people who criticize restaurants like CF always make me laugh.

empath-nirvana 3y ago

It's basically a poor person's idea of how rich people eat. I'm not saying that as a value judgement, but if you grew up with food insecurity (I did), having a large variety of gigantic plates of high calorie food is like the absolute pinnacle of dining. You actually see the reverse all the time when "regular people" see the portions and prices at a Michelin-starred restaurant. They think it's a ridiculous rip-off, without realizing that people go to those restaurants for _aesthetic_ reasons, rather than because they're hungry. The idea of consuming food as an art form rather than as something you need to survive is just completely ridiculous to them.

Invictus0 3y ago
I encountered an interesting paradox of this when visiting town of Val Gardena in Italy, one of the top skiing locations in the country. I'd come down from a long day on the mountain absolutely famished and looking for a big plate, but because the town is oriented to a wealthy clientele, many of the restaurants serve expensive plates with tiny portions.