The Cheesecake Factory

Corporate brand

An American full-service casual-dining chain recognized for its exceptionally broad made-to-order menu, large portions, and extensive range of cheesecakes.

Last updated October 28, 2026

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Overview

The Cheesecake Factory is an American full-service casual-dining company whose flagship restaurant brand combines a broad, internationally influenced menu with a large dessert selection centered on cheesecake. The business was founded by David M. Overton, whose parents, Oscar and Evelyn Overton, developed and sold cheesecakes in the Detroit and Los Angeles areas. Evelyn Overton’s baking began with a cheesecake recipe that had received strong local attention; after relocating to Southern California, the family established a commercial bakery that supplied desserts to restaurants. In 1978, David Overton opened the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. It began as a relatively small salad-and-sandwich restaurant with a short menu and ten cheesecake varieties. The concept gradually evolved into a large-format restaurant offering many categories of food, generous portions, distinctive interior design, and a dessert menu that became central to the brand identity. A second location opened in Marina del Rey in 1983, followed by expansion elsewhere in Southern California. By the end of the 1980s, the menu had expanded to include a wide range of entrees and short-order dishes. The company incorporated in 1992 and became publicly traded that year under the ticker CAKE. Its growth model emphasized a measured pace of restaurant openings, frequent menu changes, high average unit volumes, and company-operated locations. The menu has included steaks, chops, burgers, chicken, seafood, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, soups, salads, brunch dishes, specialty drinks, and desserts. Most savory dishes are prepared from scratch to order, while cheesecakes are produced at dedicated bakery facilities and delivered to restaurants frozen. The company has also offered lower-calorie options through the SkinnyLicious menu. The Cheesecake Factory expanded beyond Southern California during the 1990s and later developed an international presence through a mixture of company operations and franchise or licensing relationships. Its first restaurant outside the United States opened in Dubai in 2012 through a partnership with M.H. Alshaya Co. Locations subsequently appeared in the Middle East, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Canada, Macau, and other markets. The company also operates bakery production facilities in Calabasas, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and licenses bakery-based menus to other food-service operators. The corporate portfolio extends beyond the namesake chain. The Cheesecake Factory operates North Italia and other restaurant concepts acquired or developed through its broader restaurant platform. In 2019, it agreed to acquire Fox Restaurant Concepts, a Phoenix-based restaurant group, for cash consideration consisting of an initial payment and additional amounts payable over time. Other concepts associated with the company have included Grand Lux Cafe and RockSugar Southeast Asian Kitchen, although individual concepts and locations have changed over time. The brand’s differentiation is based on variety, indulgence, theatrical presentation, substantial portions, and a destination-style dining experience rather than a narrowly defined cuisine. Its scale and menu breadth have also generated criticism, particularly regarding calorie density and portion sizes. The company has made supply-chain commitments concerning gestation crates for pork and battery-cage eggs, while animal-welfare organizations have periodically evaluated its progress. In 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission resolved charges concerning disclosures to investors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cheesecake Factory remains an active publicly listed restaurant company with a substantial U.S. base and international licensed operations.

History

The Cheesecake Factory’s origins lie in the baking work of Evelyn Overton. In the 1940s, she adapted a cheesecake recipe that had attracted attention in a Detroit newspaper and prepared a cake for her husband’s employer. The positive response eventually led her to establish a small bakery in Detroit during the late 1950s. Although she later closed the shop to raise her children, she continued making cheesecakes for local restaurants from her home kitchen. David M. Overton, Evelyn’s son, moved from Detroit to California in the late 1960s. He initially studied law and then pursued music, but in the early 1970s persuaded his parents to relocate to Los Angeles and establish a commercial bakery. In 1972, the family opened The Cheesecake Factory Bakery in the Woodland Hills area. The bakery supplied cheesecakes and other desserts to restaurants and created the production foundation for the later restaurant chain. In 1978, David Overton opened the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills. The original operation was a small salad-and-sandwich venue with ten cheesecake varieties and a one-page menu. Its formula changed as the business expanded: the restaurants added larger portions, numerous entree categories, more elaborate interiors, and a broad range of American and internationally influenced dishes. A second restaurant opened in Marina del Rey in 1983. By the late 1980s, the Beverly Hills restaurant had grown to 78 seats and the company opened a substantially larger site in Redondo Beach. The first location outside Southern California opened in Washington, D.C., during the 1990s. The company incorporated and went public in 1992. Expansion thereafter remained relatively deliberate, with management emphasizing restaurant productivity, menu innovation, and frequent revisions. The menu was updated approximately twice yearly and broadened to include steaks, seafood, vegetarian dishes, burgers, pasta, pizza, salads, sandwiches, and other categories. This variety became one of the brand’s defining attributes. The company began international development through partnerships and licensing arrangements. A Middle Eastern partnership with M.H. Alshaya Co. led to the opening of the first international restaurant at The Dubai Mall in 2012. The brand subsequently entered additional Gulf markets, Lebanon, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Canada, and other territories. International locations have generally operated through local partners rather than replicating the entire U.S. company-operated model. The Cheesecake Factory also developed a broader restaurant portfolio. Grand Lux Cafe was created as an upscale concept for The Venetian in Las Vegas, drawing on Italian, French, and Austrian design and culinary influences. RockSugar Southeast Asian Kitchen opened in Los Angeles in 2008 and later operated a second location in Illinois, though both locations subsequently closed. In 2019, The Cheesecake Factory agreed to acquire Fox Restaurant Concepts, adding a large collection of restaurant concepts to its corporate platform. The company operates bakery facilities in Calabasas, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina. These facilities produce cheesecakes for the restaurant chain and support bakery-related licensing arrangements. The restaurants generally prepare savory dishes to order, while cheesecakes are manufactured centrally and shipped frozen. The company has also introduced lower-calorie choices under the SkinnyLicious name and weekend brunch offerings. The brand has faced criticism for high-calorie dishes and large portions, while its animal-welfare policies have drawn scrutiny over progress toward crate-free pork and cage-free eggs. In 2020, the SEC resolved charges related to COVID-19-era investor communications. Despite these controversies, the company continues to operate as a publicly traded full-service restaurant group, with the Cheesecake Factory brand remaining its most recognizable consumer-facing business.

2019
Fox Restaurant Concepts acquisition announced
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
The company announced its agreement to acquire Phoenix-based Fox Restaurant Concepts.
2016
First East Asian location opens in Shanghai
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
The brand entered East Asia with a restaurant in Disneytown, Shanghai.
2012
International expansion begins in Dubai
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
The first restaurant outside the United States opened at The Dubai Mall through a partnership with M.H. Alshaya Co.
1992
Company incorporates and goes public
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated was formed and became a publicly traded company.
1983
Second restaurant opens in Marina del Rey
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
The second location extended the Southern California restaurant concept beyond Beverly Hills.
1978
First Cheesecake Factory restaurant opens
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
David Overton opened the first restaurant in Beverly Hills with a short salad-and-sandwich menu and ten cheesecake varieties.
1972
Family bakery opens in Southern California
[1]The Cheesecake Factoryen.wikipedia.org
The Overton family established The Cheesecake Factory Bakery in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, supplying cheesecakes and desserts to restaurants.

Products and positioning

A premium-leaning, experience-oriented casual-dining brand built around menu variety, generous portions, indulgent desserts, and a distinctive full-service restaurant atmosphere.

Dessert · 1978
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is the brand’s signature product family and the link between its bakery origins and restaurant identity. The menu has included classic, chocolate, fruit, and seasonal variations. Cheesecakes are produced at centralized bakery facilities rather than prepared individually in each restaurant, then delivered to locations for service.
Full-service restaurant menu · 1978
Main dining menu
The core menu spans American comfort food and internationally influenced dishes, including steaks, chops, chicken, seafood, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, soups, salads, and specialty entrees. Its breadth and frequent revisions are central to the brand’s positioning and allow different diners to choose from many cuisines and price points.
Lower-calorie menu · 2015
SkinnyLicious
SkinnyLicious is a lower-calorie menu platform comprising selected appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, cocktails, and other dishes. It was introduced to provide lighter alternatives within a chain otherwise known for large portions and indulgent food.
Brunch menu
Brunch
The weekend brunch offering includes breakfast-oriented dishes such as pancakes, waffles, French toast, and eggs, extending the restaurant’s service occasions beyond lunch, dinner, and dessert.

Controversies

2024
Animal-welfare scrutiny over pork sourcing
Animal Equality highlighted the company’s progress toward eliminating gestation crates from its pork supply chain while noting that the transition was not yet complete.
Source
2020
SEC COVID-19 disclosure case
The Securities and Exchange Commission resolved charges that the company had misled investors about its financial condition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company paid a $125,000 penalty without admitting or denying the findings.
Source
2020
The Cheesecake Factory agrees to SEC settlement over COVID-19 disclosures
The SEC said The Cheesecake Factory agreed to pay $125,000 to settle charges that it made misleading COVID-19 disclosures to investors. According to the SEC, the company had told investors its restaurants were "operating sustainably" while it was losing approximately $6 million in cash per week and internal projections indicated it had 16 weeks of cash remaining.
Source
2010
Criticism of calorie levels and portion sizes
The chain received public criticism from nutrition advocates and media outlets for large portions and dishes with exceptionally high calorie and saturated-fat content.
Source

2020
Resolve SEC COVID-19 disclosure matterStrategy
Background
The SEC investigated investor disclosures concerning the company’s financial condition during the COVID-19 crisis.
Action taken
The company settled the matter by paying a civil penalty without admitting or denying the findings.
Aftermath
The SEC order closed the enforcement action with a $125,000 penalty.
Civil penalty. $125,000 (2020)
Source
2019
Acquire Fox Restaurant ConceptsM&A
Background
The company pursued growth beyond its namesake chain by adding a platform of restaurant concepts with different cuisines and formats.
Action taken
The Cheesecake Factory agreed to acquire Fox Restaurant Concepts for $308 million in cash at closing and an additional $45 million payable over four years.
Aftermath
Fox Restaurant Concepts became part of the company’s broader restaurant portfolio.
Acquisition consideration. $308 million at closing plus $45 million over four years (2019 announcement)
Source
2015
Introduce the SkinnyLicious menuProduct launch
Background
The company faced criticism over calorie-heavy dishes and sought to offer lighter choices without abandoning its broad menu model.
Action taken
The company introduced SkinnyLicious dishes and beverages with lower-calorie positioning.
Aftermath
The platform became an additional menu option for customers seeking lighter meals.
Source
2012
Enter international markets through a local partnershipStrategy
Background
The company sought to develop the brand outside the United States while using local market expertise and operating infrastructure.
Action taken
The Cheesecake Factory partnered with Kuwaiti retail franchising company M.H. Alshaya Co. and opened its first international restaurant in Dubai.
Aftermath
The partnership became the starting point for expansion into additional Middle Eastern and international markets.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
The Cheesecake Factory announces National Cheesecake Day donations[5]The Cheesecake Factory 宣布全国芝士蛋糕日捐赠活动now1051.iheart.com
The Cheesecake Factory said it would donate $1 to Feeding America for every slice of cheesecake sold on Friday, July 30, and 25 cents for every slice of Coconut Cream Pie Cheesecake sold from July 31, 2021 through July 29, 2022.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
2020-12-04
The Cheesecake Factory agrees to SEC settlement over COVID-19 disclosures[4]The Cheesecake Factory agrees to SEC settlement over COVID-19 disclosurestoronto.citynews.ca
Reported: 2020-12-04
The SEC said The Cheesecake Factory agreed to pay $125,000 to settle charges that it made misleading COVID-19 disclosures to investors. The SEC said the company had told investors its restaurants were “operating sustainably” while it was losing approximately $6 million in cash per week and internal projections indicated it had 16 weeks of cash remaining.
2020-02-20
The Cheesecake Factory offers reservations through Yelp[6]The Cheesecake Factory通过Yelp提供预约nrn.com
Reported: 2020-02-20
The Cheesecake Factory began taking limited reservations through Yelp across its U.S. restaurants, following an initial test.
Unconfirmed
The Cheesecake Factory launches retail ice cream line[7]The Cheesecake Factory 推出零售冰淇淋系列newsweek.com
Reported: 2020-02-19
The Cheesecake Factory launched seven ice cream flavors incorporating cheesecake ingredients, sold in grocery stores.

Sources9 sources

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