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I would bet that 20 years from people will lament how Cheesecake Factory used to be good but quality has declined. The fact of the matter is CF is swimming upst

I would bet that 20 years from people will lament how Cheesecake Factory used to be good but quality has declined. The fact of the matter is CF is swimming upstream against fast-changing tastes and habits... more takeout/delivery and less dine-in, more preference for small, local, ethnic, fast. Read the comments in this thread -- "hate to admit it", "depressing", "overindulgent", "haven't been to one in years" -- the entire idea of enjoying a large meal at an American chain restaurant is hugely out-of-fashion. But just still being around in 20 years would be a huge accomplishment (which I think it will achieve). I could roll off a dozen sit-down chain restaurants that were pretty damn popular not very long ago that are dead or on their last legs. TGIFriday, Tony Roma, Marie Callendar, Houlihans, Macaroni Grill, Claim Jumper...

baggachipz 3y ago
> people will lament how Cheesecake Factory used to be good but quality has declined. I'm also making that prediction. Restaurants are especially susceptible to enshittification. I remember when I worked at Ruby Tuesday in the 90's, it was upscale enough that all servers wore a shirt and tie. They were big on polished brass and wood interior, coupled with above-average food made mostly fresh. These days, it's a glorified Burger King with a salad bar.
OkayPhysicist 3y ago
The family dining / lower causal dining market segment (relatively cheap sit-down restaurant, with a waiter) is being squeezed pretty aggressively. The fast-casual segment (order at the counter, but not fast food) was already growing before the pandemic, and those were much better suited to pivoting to take-out and delivery when COVID hit. As a whole, Americans are demonstrating that they care more about the food quality than the service at a restaurant, by eating at restaurants that, holding price approximately equal, sacrifice service in exchange for better food, rather than eating at family-dining establishments that do the opposite.

baggachipz 3y ago

> people will lament how Cheesecake Factory used to be good but quality has declined. I'm also making that prediction. Restaurants are especially susceptible to enshittification. I remember when I worked at Ruby Tuesday in the 90's, it was upscale enough that all servers wore a shirt and tie. They were big on polished brass and wood interior, coupled with above-average food made mostly fresh. These days, it's a glorified Burger King with a salad bar.

OkayPhysicist 3y ago

The family dining / lower causal dining market segment (relatively cheap sit-down restaurant, with a waiter) is being squeezed pretty aggressively. The fast-casual segment (order at the counter, but not fast food) was already growing before the pandemic, and those were much better suited to pivoting to take-out and delivery when COVID hit. As a whole, Americans are demonstrating that they care more about the food quality than the service at a restaurant, by eating at restaurants that, holding price approximately equal, sacrifice service in exchange for better food, rather than eating at family-dining establishments that do the opposite.