The Cheesecake Factory Just Keeps Growing

The chain restaurant with the most enormous menu keeps on getting bigger. Restaurant Business reports that The Cheesecake Factory plans on opening a third cheesecake manufacturing facility in Charlestown, Indiana, on a 37-acre plot of land. This will be the company's Midwest hub, as there's already one factory pumping out cheesecakes on each coast.

What's funny is that the cheesecake is the only item on the Cheesecake Factory's menu that isn't made in the restaurant's kitchen. Say what you want about chain restaurants and their reputation for premade entrees, but Cheesecake Factory does go further than many of its competitors by cooking from scratch.

I don't know about you, but I can definitely taste it in the food—not that any of the fare is what I'd call super innovative, but I've never had anything at The Cheesecake Factory that didn't taste freshly made. For such a high-volume kitchen, that is pretty impressive.

Though the cheesecakes might be made off-site, the fact that The Cheesecake Factory owns and operates the factories is worth noting. Having a new Midwest baking facility means the company can cut down on shipping distances for central U.S. locations, which should ensure that the cheesecakes are fresher, and less susceptible to fluctuating transportation costs.

This move also suggests The Cheesecake Factory projects continued strong business going forward, because shelling out for a brand-new baking hub and all the labor that comes with it is certainly no small investment. The brand does generate the highest sales per restaurant of any chain in the country, so we know it's doing well in the current full-service dining landscape.

While the brand feels ubiquitous, there are only 211 locations as of 2023, with plans to open up another six this year. The company is confident that it can eventually support at least 300 storefronts in America, plus international locations.

If it seems like The Cheesecake Factory is everywhere, that's because its locations tend to be in high-traffic areas like shopping malls. This is no coincidence: The brand deliberately picks malls that are performing well for its restaurant sites. With holiday shopping about to pop off, I'm all but certain that the chain will see see another busy season.

But cheesecake isn't the Factory's only forte. One little-known fact is that The Cheesecake Factory owns over a dozen other restaurant properties, and is currently working on cultivating their success.

With over 60 varieties of cheesecake and a menu of more than 100 pages, we've devised a strategy on how to order without getting overwhelmed. It's crucial to decide which dessert you want before you consider the rest of your meal so that you can select an appetizer, entree, and/or sides that best complement the cheesecake of your choice (and don't rob you of an appetite to enjoy your sweet treat).

Of course, taking home leftovers is always a good idea, too. As someone who can't resist the damn avocado egg rolls as an appetizer, I know a thing or two about over-ordering at The Cheesecake Factory.