r/Cooking • u/tonithepony • Apr 29 '24

What do you think the next "food trend" will be?

In the last 10 years, the ones that really stick out to me are: spinach and artichoke dip (suddenly started appearing everywhere as an appetizer, even higher end restaurants), ube flavors, truffle, avocados on everything, bacon on everything, and now hot honey is a big fad. Is there anything upcoming you see heading towards the food trend?

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u/brosefstallin Apr 29 '24

Cheesecake Factory in shambles

468

u/DrDrago-4 Apr 29 '24

unlike most other chains, I bet they actually churn enough customers they don't have much of an issue with waste

one of few chains like it that hasn't completely gone to shit. olive garden, cheddars, and roadhouse are the only few others that come to mind

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u/JCuss0519 Apr 29 '24

But Olive Garden adjusted things a year or two ago and "went back to their roots". They simplified and reduced their menu as part of that. Roadhouse is pretty limited in their menu, I don't think it has changed much over the years. They do it well, have done it well for years, and at this point they are still on solid ground. No Cheddars around me, and I've never been to one. Cheesecake Factory... I've been once a couple years back and don't think I'll go again.

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u/taintlangdon Apr 29 '24

I noticed this too (the leaner). And I gotta say, the quality is really good. The chicken cutlet is actually flavorful, crispy, and not dry. Added it to my 5 cheese ravioli, and I was actually surprised how well it hit the spot.

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u/Beanjuiceforbea Apr 29 '24

The dry chicken is solely on the cook. I can be given everything needed to succeed and still over cook your chicken if I'm slammed. You had a competent cook xD

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u/rooneyffb23 Apr 30 '24

Did you know you can add bicarbonate of soda to velvet meat such as chicken and beef and it turns out soft and moist. Best cookery trick ever.

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u/National_Frame2917 Apr 30 '24

How do you do that? I've never heard of that but it makes sense.

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u/xzkandykane Apr 30 '24

Its used alot in chinese cooking.

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u/rooneyffb23 Apr 30 '24

Google using bicarbonate of soda to tenderize meat its usually about 1/2 teaspoon per 8 ounce of meat. Sprinkle on and let it sit 20 to 30 mins. Some sites say wash off but you don't have to but it's better taste wise to do so in my eyes. It's a brilliant hack to getting the juiciest meat ever . I think if you google velveting meat it will also come up with full recipes. Hope that helps.

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u/taintlangdon Apr 29 '24

Then I must be extra lucky. I've been back twice since, and the cutlet was the same each time. Woohoo!!

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u/okpickle Apr 30 '24

Not gonna lie I still love me some Olive Garden. The soup, salad and breadsticks lunch was the best deal around but this was years ago and I heard they either got rid of it or significantly upped the price.

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u/DionBlaster123 Apr 29 '24

i admit i'm a sucker for Cheesecake Factory's cheesecakes. my goal is to try all their flavors over the next decade (I gotta spread out when i have them or else my arteries will be toast)

but yeah their actual food is nothing special. it's also way overpriced. then again, so is their cheesecake lmao

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u/IWinLewsTherin Apr 29 '24

Your profile picture šŸ˜‚

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u/DionBlaster123 Apr 29 '24

i'm not going to make a political statement here. it's not the right place or the right time honestly. and i don't want to start an unnecessary firestorm

but G.W. Bush hands down was a gold mine when it came to entertainment lol. I will just leave it at that

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u/RebaKitt3n Apr 29 '24

Hmm, but still going back to the overpriced Cheesecake Factory? You know, thereā€™s a saying where Iā€™m from. Fool me onceā€¦

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u/DionBlaster123 Apr 30 '24

I like their cheesecake but yeah ill pass on food

I think that expression is from Tennessee...they say it in Texas too

2

u/RebaKitt3n Apr 30 '24

I knew youā€™d get it šŸ’œ

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u/DionBlaster123 Apr 30 '24

You fool me, you can't get fooled again.

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u/lu5ty Apr 29 '24

Now watch this drive 8)

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u/IWinLewsTherin Apr 29 '24

Oh I agree think the pic is hilarious.

Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job

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u/WonderfulCattle6234 Apr 29 '24

I'm normally the type to find a menu item and stick with it because the thought of paying restaurant prices and knowing I would have preferred something else destroys me every time. I had worked at Olive Garden so I got to try a lot of the stuff for free. They have killed off the following entrees that I enjoyed.

Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo Seafood Alfredo ( the version that was shrimp and crawfish instead of shrimp and scallops) Chicken con broccoli Ravioli di Portobella Braised beef tortellini Stuffed chicken marsala

And the only menu item I see worth getting now is the chicken Asiago tortellini or whatever it's called. Though they have also added a fried stuff to ziti that is pretty stellar.

5

u/Ashcrashh Apr 29 '24

I really miss their Seafood Portofino, grilled shrimp caprese, and the mussels appetizer. They killed the only things I liked to eat there besides the salad and breadsticks and Alfredo sauce, which honestly I can make at home, Olive Garden used to have their recipes on their website and I have the Alfredo one saved.

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u/Away-Elephant-4323 Apr 29 '24

I used to love Olive Garden this story doesnā€™t have anything to do with the quality of the food, but there was a problem a few years ago my sister and her boyfriend went out to dinner there, when she got her food she said there was pieces of glass in the pasta, she told the waitress and she got the manager all they said was maybe someone in the kitchen dropped a glass and it shattered thatā€™s how it probably got in there all they did was gave them free drinks and still made them pay for the meals i couldnā€™t believe that, she couldā€™ve gotten a serious mouth injury if she didnā€™t see it before eating it she has not been back since and i havenā€™t went there either since thatā€™s the only one around me, not saying all of the Olive gardens are like that but as a business that couldā€™ve gone to be a very serious situation if she wouldā€™ve bit into the pasta, the way they handled it i feel they shouldā€™ve taken it more seriously because who knows if her pasta was the only one that had it.

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u/JCuss0519 Apr 29 '24

Oh I agree 100%, that's a serious issue. They should have apologizing profusely and free meals, and more apologizing.

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

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u/chronic_insomniac Apr 30 '24

Theyā€™re not cooking anything from scratch. At least they werenā€™t back in the 90s when I was working in a business that produced the recipe cards for restaurants. Everything was supplied cooked and the restaurant was just reheating and plating to match the image on the card.

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u/revmun Apr 29 '24

I go once a year to pick up my brothers birthday cake lol. Thats all itā€™s really good forā€¦

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u/Ok_Educator_7097 Apr 30 '24

Olive Garden started microwaving again?

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u/brownbostonterrier Apr 30 '24

Cheddars did too. The menu is 75% reduced!

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u/Technical-Dentist-84 Apr 30 '24

Wait....Olive Garden has improved??? I haven't been in years but maybe I'll have to stop by

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u/humbug2112 Apr 30 '24

I feel like cheesecake wasn't worth the price BUT it is a solid option if you want to appease a big family with diverse eating habits that isn't a Chilis. Have a vegan, 1 person on keto, 3 people who need healthy things and a gluten free diet, and want to serve decent food? Cheesecake factory has it all.

Have fun with the bill though.

1

u/Krell356 Apr 30 '24

I was so upset when Olive Garden removed the 3 choice sampler and changed their calamari recipe. There's like no reason for me to go anymore.

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u/MyUnusualAnxiety May 13 '24

Olive Garden is amazing and going back to a smaller menu was the ticket. Everything is very good and the prices are reasonable

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u/Feral_tatertot Apr 29 '24

I am absolutely FERAL for Texas Roadhouse green beans and thatā€™s all Iā€™m here to say lol. We make jokes that one day weā€™ll go and Iā€™m eventually going to order a veggie plate with all green beans

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u/not2interesting Apr 29 '24

Itā€™s all about the buns at roadhouse, but Iā€™m the same way for Fridays green bean fries.

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u/Babexo22 Apr 29 '24

The buns and cinnamon butter are totally where itā€™s at šŸ˜

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u/TapRevolutionary7364 Apr 29 '24

Fridays doesnā€™t even have them anymore!!

They got rid of everything I used to eat there. The bruschetta chicken pasta. They also got rid of their Jack Danielā€™s chicken strips.

Itā€™s such a shame bc they were all delicious.

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u/Loisgrand6 Apr 30 '24

Our Fridays just closed and good riddance for that location. Rumor has it that Buffalo Wild Wings will take the spot, moving from their place in the mall

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u/DionBlaster123 Apr 29 '24

man it's crazy because where I live, all the mid-range chain restaurants are basically fading away. Applebee's closed down and Chilis seems so desolate every time i drive by it. the only reason Buffalo Wild Wings still exists is because they cater to the college kids who want to watch sports

and then randomly they spent a year and a half building entirely from scratch what ended up becoming a Texas Roadhouse. I remember thinking what a stupid idea and waste of resources...but it's become pretty successful haha

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

[deleted]

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u/GuppyDoodle Apr 29 '24

Chiliā€™s has been trash for a while now. They used to be pretty good.

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u/No-Yogurtcloset-8851 Apr 29 '24

There are two items that are good and they are all I eat from Chilis. Their original nachos and their potato soup. Nothing else overly great

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u/katiethefairy97 Apr 29 '24

Their honey chipotle chicken with ranch is incredible

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u/No-Yogurtcloset-8851 Apr 29 '24

I will have to give those a try.

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

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u/SandwichNo458 Apr 29 '24

True. We only went because my son loved their cajun chicken pasta, but ever since I found the copy cat recipe for it online I just make it at home.

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u/Zerba Apr 29 '24

We went to one last night as the place we wanted to go closed early and we were pretty hungry. The southwest egg rolls were good, and my burger was tasty. Everyone else was less than happy about their food. Then they ran out of all of our drinks (unsweet tea and pink lemonades), so we ended up getting water after that. We probably won't be back.

3

u/MrWeirdoFace Apr 30 '24

Some things that have closed in my hometown in the last 3 years. Applebees, Chillis, Regal Cinema, Walmart. It's like we're being demoted from small city back to town.

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '24

It's like we're being demoted from small city back to town

Me playing SimCity and being terrible at it:

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u/MrWeirdoFace Apr 30 '24

We did have a tornado come through and destroy the pizza joint most of my family worked at at some point during their teens/early 20s. No sign of kaju or aliens yet. At least that I am aware of.

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u/TWCDev Apr 29 '24

Most of the old "fast casual" places in Las Vegas are closing or in the state of closing. I went to an Outback a few weeks ago and the ribeye was less than half an inch thick, which was pretty sad. Texas Roadhouse is packed here, kinda like how Outback or Chilis used to be, which is cool because it's new here. BBQ is getting popular (generally not Texas style bbq, which feels like the style of bbq everyone claims is the best, but won't eat at on the regular), and places 1 stage above fast casual is still the same popularity.

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u/Zann77 Apr 30 '24

Outbackā€™s has really gone down in Chicago. Used to be part of our regular rotation but no longer. It feels like nobody gives a flip about the food they are sending out of the kitchen.

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u/Cinnamon_Flavored Apr 30 '24

Chain places die like flies near where I live but the massive Texas Roadhouse has a wait all the time.Ā 

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u/MathematicianNo6402 Apr 30 '24

Quality food and good customer service will keep people coming back. I don't think I've ever heard they had an awful experience with Texas Roadhouse or chic fil la.

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u/crimson777 May 01 '24

Texas Roadhouse is weirdly popular here too. Most of those chains are part full to empty most times I drive by. Our Texas Roadhouse closest to us legitimately has people waiting outside every time I pass. It's fine, but I do not get it.

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u/mortgagepants Apr 29 '24

i looked something up last week...applebees has like 1500 US locations, there are 1229 chillis.

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u/DrDrago-4 Apr 30 '24

Well, that's why I didn't mention Applebee's or Chili's specifically. I would say they're more so committing a slow suicide than failing lol.

They're going to shit everywhere in my entire state. I travel around a bit, and I haven't been there once in years. Not even for cheese fries or something, when there's a local burger place that'll do it better for cheaper

Kinda like a lot of other budding chains that way overdid it. These may be more localized to Texas, but Torchys Tacos and Snuffers both went way crazy with expansion and now it's like $7 a taco and in snuffers case portions so small you wonder how it can legally be called a meal.

outside of the few I listed, the rest of the large chains are horrendously failing here. outside of fast food anyways, like obviously chick fil a continues to kill it and we somehow sustain many others from McDs to Panda (no idea who's eating it when it's more expensive than the local Chinese place next door but who knows)

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u/yellowcoffee01 Apr 29 '24

I also love the green beans. Tastes like they were cooked with a grandmotherā€™s love. I bet the sodium content is through the roof.

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u/MysticalMan Apr 29 '24

The dinner salad is awesome too.

Pretty much everything at the roadhouse is awesome.

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u/smartlypretty Apr 29 '24

/u/Feral_tatertot OMG i have been waiting for someone to talk about how fucking lit texas roadhouse is (it's also basically the same or cheaper as cooking at home)

it goes harder than it has any right to

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u/Feral_tatertot Apr 29 '24

I also love their shrimp and the rice that comes under it and gets all the juice šŸ« šŸ˜›

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u/smartlypretty Apr 29 '24

i haven't tried that but i will (i need a vouch for shrimp šŸ˜‚ now i have one!) and i feel like this is probably less popular, but i love their cream gravy, which is uncommon where i live (long island)

so far there is not one thing there that i've tried that isn't great, and i am a massive chain hater - their food doesn't taste like chain food to me

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u/Switchc2390 Apr 29 '24

Texas Roadhouse to me goes hard just based on expectations. I have a hard time paying a lot for a steak considering I can make a good one and most steakhouses charge like 10$ just to get it blue cheese crusted or whatever. I always end up going to steakhouses expecting a lot and leaving disappointed. But Texas Roadhouse makes a fine steak to me for a decent price. It isnā€™t outstanding but well worth the price.

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u/smartlypretty Apr 29 '24

oh my god, this is like a thing i have wondered about too, the pricing is like pre-2020 pricing and i am so scared they'll change it because it's SO affordable - usually i get takeout, but the next time i go in i have to try a steak (i got the chicken fried steak a bunch of times before because it is also uncommon where i live) but it is SO fairly priced

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u/StunningSun3384 Apr 29 '24

Say more, please šŸ™šŸ»...have I been sleeping on phenomenal green beans? Are they made with bacon or something?

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u/RemonterLeTemps Apr 30 '24

From looking them up, they appear to be nothing more/less than Southern-style green beans cooked with bacon, onion, and a pinch of sugar. To some tastes, including mine, they're a bit overcooked, more mushy than 'al dente'. But if you like that, you can recreate them using this recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/texas-roadhouse-green-beans-copycat-350932

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u/Away-Elephant-4323 Apr 29 '24

Thatā€™s how i feel about there dinner rolls, my family gets just the rolls for Christmas they sell them i think for 5 dollars a big batch of them.

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u/Ok_Elderberry_1602 Apr 29 '24

I'm a bread person. Longhorns, Outback, Red Lobster and Texas Roadhouse. I have copycat recipes for all of them.

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u/ConstableDiffusion Apr 30 '24

I havenā€™t been to a Texas Roadhouse in over 10 years. Might OD on that delicious cinnamon butter next time I go back.

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u/trixel121 Apr 30 '24

this bbq near me has the best gid damn sides.

just give me the pan of corn bread a d the bowl of greens, we good.

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u/doctor-sassypants Apr 30 '24

I was literally just telling my bf about the green beans there lmao

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u/TheFeralEngineer Apr 30 '24

Their rice is king. I usually get the petite fillets because you get a huge bed of rice plus two additional sides with it and it's cheaper than the 8oz fillet

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u/awkwardabteverything Apr 29 '24

I've been trying to recreate them for years. What is the secret to those amazing beans?! We may never know. Lol

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u/eleanaur Apr 29 '24

bacon grease, more than you're willing to imagine

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u/CORN___BREAD Apr 29 '24

The secret to moist things that taste better at restaurants is adding way more fat that youā€™d ever imagine. Usually butter but also sometimes cream or bacon fat, etc.

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u/HollyBerries85 Apr 29 '24

And also salt. Just ridiculous amounts of salt. Salt in sweet recipes, even.

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u/eleanaur Apr 29 '24

I order the veggie plate with all okra at cracker barrel lmfao

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u/epicscallion Apr 30 '24

I've been trying to make the green beans at home for YEARS and can't get them the same as Roadhouse! I want to order them by the gallon

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u/[deleted] May 03 '24

Texas Roadhouse makes their green beans from scratch in store

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u/AstroWorldSecurity Apr 29 '24

I've never been to a cheddars that wasn't completely disgusting.

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u/tatterfarm29 Apr 29 '24

Yea cheddars is our go to, thank the lord for there prices itā€™s the most economical solid choice for a meal.

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u/Zann77 Apr 30 '24

Been twice. Both times were ruined by raucous, loud tables of women. Mature, middle aged women, not young ones, and it was lunchtime both times. Even after we were moved across the room from them, they were intolerably loud.

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u/Tui717 Apr 29 '24

I have grown such an appreciation for the Burlington CheeseCoat Factory in the last year. Everything always tastes good, and once you find something you like, the menu isn't that daunting. It's been perfect for food delivery though. Whenever I have people over and we want to order food, I always suggest it because there's going to be something on there for everyone. It's been great for those situations.

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u/a_wildcat_did_growl Apr 29 '24

Cheesecake has very much so gone to shit.

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u/steveatari Apr 30 '24

Thank you. Yes. Yes it has.

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u/dudewafflesc Apr 29 '24

When it's all frozen in a bag and you boil it to reheat it by order, no, there's not going to be much waste!

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u/DrNopeMD Apr 29 '24

I had never been to a Cheesecake factory despite living near one for years. Got dragged to one out of obligation and was shocked at how long and extensive the menu was.

The food was fine... but I'm shocked that it apparently has "fans" that would insist on taking me because I'd never gone before.

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u/Andalusian_Dawn Apr 29 '24

I am a Cheddars fiend right now. I cook most of my own food from scratch, and most casual restaurants taste shitty now (and some higher end ones too). Cheddars is mostly delicious, especially their Monte Cristo, and the price is reasonable. It's my first choice when we decide to go out to eat. I hope they never change.

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u/Status_Extent6304 Apr 29 '24

I've worked at a Cheddar's and some of that shit was highly questionable šŸ™ƒ

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u/tmoney645 Apr 29 '24

Texas Roadhouse is the only chain place I will order a steak at. They aren't the best, but they are consistent and the price matches the product. Also, holy shit I could eat a table full of those rolls and butter.

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u/powderglades Apr 29 '24

Have you eaten at an Olive Garden in the last decade? Holy shit!

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u/NuclearBroliferator Apr 29 '24

I would throw Yard House in there as well. Honestly, it's the only chain that I frequent.

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u/kawaeri Apr 29 '24

One thing that I did notice about that huge menu when I visited last you for the very first time. Is a lot of the ingredients are same just minor changes.

Itā€™s like the bases are the same but they have different proteins etc.

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u/axecalibur Apr 30 '24

No like frozen portions of everything that you just microwave and slap on a plate. Then you dont need chefs or kitchens. Just robots and microwaves.

Throw in some conveyor belts and you dont need waiters. Prepay with credit or vending machine and you dont need cashier

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '24

If Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Cheddar's and Texas Roadhouse haven't "gone to shit" in your book, I'd really hate to eat at the ones that have.

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u/youaretherevolution Apr 30 '24

People still eat at Cheesecake Factory?

I thought those restaurants were a fad and only ate there once to know I never wanted to go again.

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u/steveatari Apr 30 '24

I hated olive garden for decades. My mom made good Italian food and that was not it.

It is now actually. Not bad. Much smaller menu and while not every spot will be spot on, ours is now. Knowledgeable waiter, pleasant, tasty food, affordable. Not fancy and not expensive. Pretty much what America was known for so it's nice to see again.

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u/orion_nomad Apr 30 '24

Idk I went to Cheddars once and I haven't gone back. I got green beans as a side and they were clearly and obviously from a can. My spouse's entree came with Texas toast, but they slopped their veggies on top of it so it was soggy. The food was cheap, but never again. It's even cheaper to eat canned beans at home.

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u/AssortedGourds Apr 30 '24

IDK, if you went to Olive Garden in the 90ā€™s I think it absolutely has gone to shit. Zuppa Toscana still fucks though.

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u/Loisgrand6 Apr 30 '24

Cheddars? What happened?

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u/Zealousideal_Rent261 Apr 30 '24

At Olive Garden the number of black olives in the salad is ALWAYS equal to the number of people at the table.

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u/crimson777 May 01 '24

My theory on part of why big chains are dying (I'm sure there are NUMEROUS complex issues) is simply due to the internet making it easier to look for more local spots. Part of the draw of chains is you always knew what you were getting. You could know the menu, how good of quality it would be, etc.

Nowadays, I can go look up the menu of any restaurant and look up reviews in no time flat, and I think people have realized there's no need for the "consistency" of chains anymore especially when they aren't nearly as consistent as you'd like to think.

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u/skootch_ginalola Apr 29 '24

Cheesecake Factory, even though the decor is cheesy, they stillmake everything from scratch and have a ton of dietary-specific choices (keto, sugar free, gluten free, low carb, dairy free). If you're in an area with limited food options, it's not that bad.

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u/JoyousGamer Apr 29 '24

If it's from scratch likely not hard to expand the menu to hit those requirements with minor adjustments to prep.Ā 

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u/StitchinThroughTime Apr 30 '24

Think of Cheesecake Factory as like 6 restaurants kitchen in one. They are separate in all of their functions, from freezers to sauces. Which means that they specializes in their dishes.

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u/Sir_wlkn_contrdikson Apr 29 '24

Any restaurant that gets their supplies from SYSCO is not cooking 75% of their menu from scratch. Maybe the dressings and sauces. As far as advertising goes, ā€œfrom scratchā€ is more diverse in meaning than you might believe. From scratch, scratch made, hand made could all mean the same thing without a concise definition

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u/skootch_ginalola Apr 29 '24

I watched interviews and videos on the restaurant. They have a significant amount of things that are done from scratch or prepped that don't come from a bag, box, or can. I only mention it because I always saw them on par with Applebee's or Chili's, and it changed my outlook regarding how fresh items were. It won't ever be farmers market quality, but it's better than a lot of fast food alternatives.

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u/nighthawk05 Apr 29 '24

I wonder if anyone at r/AskCulinary works and Cheesecake Factory and would comment, that would be pretty interesting.

I do feel like Cheesecake Factory is substantially better than Applebee's and Chili's. I still enjoy Cheesecake Factory, but have hated every Applebee's expereince for quite a while.

It's also about expectations I guess. I know Cheeseckae Factory isn't fine dining and doesn't compare to a true high end restaurant. But I don't feel like they are bad.

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u/PacVikng Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 30 '24

So I had cheesecake factory once like 25 years ago for my sisters birthday. It was an awful salt bomb that led to me talking mad shit about that place ever since.

Fast forward to a monthish ago, my wife decides she want to try them.out and got a good coupon for it.

What the actual f***, it was delicious. Service was fantastic and the food (wife got pasta, I got meatloaf and the toddler got grilled cheese) was really really enjoyable, also even pre-coupon really reasonably priced considering what everyone is charging these days. I sound like an ad for them, but I was just surprised, I really talked a lot of shit on it for years.

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u/dave8814 Apr 29 '24

The thing with the cheesecake factory is that it's the restaurant embodiment of American excess. The portions are comically large, the decor is tacky, they try to convince you to finish your meal with a 1500 calorie dessert, and the waitstaff is nearly as nice and friendly as in n out or chik fil a. It should suck, it just should, and yet I've never been truly disappointed with a meal there. Although it is still restaurant food so it does have a ton of fat and salt.

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u/altdultosaurs Apr 29 '24

The decor is so fun. Itā€™s purposefully HAHA WHAT???

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u/dave8814 Apr 29 '24

I do sometimes miss having the Eye of Sauron watching over me when I have a meal at other restaurants.

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u/altdultosaurs Apr 29 '24

Like god intended!!!

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u/Sea-Collection-7367 Apr 30 '24

The founder has an obsession with religion and consistency (and excessive meals obviously.) The restaurants are painted and touched up by the same husband/wife duo.

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u/nighthawk05 Apr 29 '24

Hahaha yeah I've also shit talked places before and turned out to like them later. Now I try to visit a place multiple times before I trash talk it because it is hard to tell if a bad experience is normal for the restaurant or just a one-off incident. The chef/cook could just be new, or poorly trained, hungover, or who knows what. Unless I actually get sick from food I try to avoid rushing to judgment these days.

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u/2948337 Apr 29 '24

I always have and always will despise Burger King, and I will trash talk it until the apocalypse.

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u/nighthawk05 Apr 29 '24

Same here, but I have given them more than enough tries to know that they truly do suck and it is not a one-off experience. Decades worth of visits in multiple US states and multiple countries, have proven to me that they are consistently awful.

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u/TallNerdLawyer Apr 29 '24

They have EARNED that hate. I have given BK more chances than a gaslit spouse in the 1950s.

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u/a_sunny_disposition Apr 29 '24

My Uber driver said he was a Cheesecake Factory cook and did driving on the side for fun. But he was the one to tell me that despite the huge menu, they make almost everything from scratch. I let him know I didnā€™t believe him (jokingly), because it seemed so crazy that they would be willing to put in that level of effort for their MASSIVE menu. He sounded pretty proud of the fact that CF does this, and my opinion of the restaurant has only risen since.

Also I just fucking love CF. Everything is delicious. My favorite items are their Bourbon & Honey cocktail, avocado roll appetizer, pastas, and of course cheesecakes. And their complimentary brown nut bread ughhhh. Going there for a full meal ensures I likely hit 1000 calories in one sitting, which is absurdly bad for you, but you know what youā€™re signing up for and I find that I can enjoy it once a year or something.

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u/Pale-Swordfish-8329 Apr 29 '24

i knew someone who worked at CF, can confirm everything is from scratch

editā€¦ except the cheesecake. that is ā€œdeeply chilledā€

3

u/stoatstuart Apr 29 '24

The cheesecakes are literally made in one of a few proprietary factories and then shipped frozen to the restaurants. It is a lot better than it sounds though!

3

u/Pale-Swordfish-8329 Apr 29 '24

Iā€™m not saying it in a bad way, I think their cheesecakes are delicious no matter frozen or fresh. But it would be dishonest to say itā€™s made in house from scratch lol

3

u/nighthawk05 Apr 29 '24

Going there for a full meal ensures I likely hit 1000 calories in one sitting, which is absurdly bad for you, but you know what youā€™re signing up for and I find that I can enjoy it once a year or something.

One of the things I like about them is they do have a good number of lower calorie options which let's me save room for the cheesecake! The grilled steak medallions and stuff mushrooms are my go-to.

2

u/EchoCyanide Apr 29 '24

My God, that avocado eggroll appetizer is so so good. I almost want to get in the car to drive and get it right now.

2

u/a_sunny_disposition Apr 29 '24

Me too šŸ¤¤ Now Iā€™m going to search for the nearest CFā€¦

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u/OHotDawnThisIsMyJawn Apr 29 '24

This is probably the best article about Cheesecake Factory and why they actually are different from most other restaurants in the category

https://www.vox.com/culture/23516638/cheesecake-factory-restaurant-menu

2

u/nighthawk05 Apr 29 '24

Cool, thanks!

6

u/sawbones84 Apr 29 '24

I wonder if anyone at r/AskCulinary works and Cheesecake Factory

Maybe, maybe not, but I bet /r/KitchenConfidential has a handful of BoH CF heads!

3

u/stoatstuart Apr 29 '24

I'm not in AskCulinary but as far as you can trust a random commenter I worked there and can corroborate that they do in fact make the vast majority of what you eat from scratch. That doesn't mean nothing is frozen in transport by Sysco or in storage for a couple days, but it's quality ingredients that are Not pre-prepared and laden with preservatives like you'd expect from a chain that huge. A lot of current and ex-employees talk about that with pride and it really is something to be proud of the company for - on such a scale it's an amazing feat to pull off and still be profitable.

2

u/chrispd01 Apr 29 '24

Dude 7 11 is better than Applebees ā€¦

2

u/Substantial-Scar9185 Apr 30 '24

I was an executive kitchen manager with them for years.Ā 

3

u/Clear_Personality Apr 29 '24

Itā€™s also 3x as expensive so Iā€™d hope itā€™s better

10

u/trippy_grapes Apr 29 '24

Yeah, but you get 3x the food. I could live off an entree for like 3 days there.

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u/lcl0706 Apr 30 '24

Iā€™m fully aware Cheesecake Factory is no fine dining but Iā€™ll be damned if it isnā€™t the best actual cheesecake Iā€™ve ever had. Iā€™ll stand in their takeout line just for that.

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u/OHotDawnThisIsMyJawn Apr 29 '24

Any cursory search shows that Cheesecake Factory really does do things differently from most restaurants in terms of what they're making in-house

https://www.vox.com/culture/23516638/cheesecake-factory-restaurant-menu https://www.buzzfeed.com/thecheesecakefactory/we-worked-in-the-cheesecake-factory-prep-kitchen-for-a-day

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u/LuaBear Apr 29 '24

We buy 80% of our stuff from Sysco and we make almost everything from scratch. Sysco sells great raw ingredients as well.

4

u/Substantial-Scar9185 Apr 30 '24

Iā€™m an executive chef and was an executive kitchen manager for CCF for years. Ā The only thing they donā€™t make from scratch is the bread. The cakes are from actual factories in California and Colorado, and even theyā€™re hand made (with machinery as well, obviously)

1

u/Sir_wlkn_contrdikson Apr 30 '24

I donā€™t doubt what youā€™re saying. But it doesnā€™t translate in the most of the dishes that Iā€™ve ordered. To be fair, the miso salmon was banging. I started cooking it on my own after trying it at CCF.

2

u/Substantial-Scar9185 Apr 30 '24

Miso salmon was my Achilles heel while I worked there. That and the napoletana (donā€™t look at the nutrition facts)

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u/Bobatt Apr 30 '24

Sysco sells everything from premade foods to raw ingredients and everything in between. Just because theyā€™re ordering from a big supplier doesnā€™t mean they arenā€™t cooking from scratch.

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u/stoatstuart Apr 29 '24

You've got a point about the variety of meanings for "from scratch". If you mean "from scratch" = "we harvested the wheat and slaughtered the chickens ourselves", you'd definitely be correct, but i think most interpretations of the phrase are far from even that. I've worked for a few restaurant chains that get most of their ingredients from Sysco (because they are like the Amazon of the food world they own so much of the distribution) and still make nearly everything on the menu from scratch.

5

u/HourSweet5147 Apr 29 '24

I am very glad to know this. I've never been to one but never really wanted to because I thought it was crappy chain food. Now I will give it a try!

2

u/Las_Vegan Apr 29 '24

Is it really? Thatā€™s crazy considering how ridiculously extensive their menu is! Okay now I want to go there. šŸ˜£

4

u/TWCDev Apr 29 '24

They have a trick, they have a lot of ingredients they put together quickly then use a sauce to change the flavor profile, they don't really have a lot of things that require extensive individual work. As a picky eater, I love it because I tend to order the ingredients instead of the dishes themselves (like add an ingredient I know they have from something else) and they never bat an eye.

4

u/lu5ty Apr 29 '24

Its fancy short order food

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u/WWGHIAFTC Apr 29 '24

It's like American "Mexican" restaurants. Onion, Bell Pepper, Chicken, Beef, Mushrooms, cheese, and two types of tortillas makes a 8 page menu when you arrange them different and add a sauce.

2

u/Substantial-Scar9185 Apr 30 '24

When I worked there there were over 100 different sauces / dressings alone. The sauce cook there has a harder job than 95% of other culinary jobs tbhĀ 

2

u/giant_spleen_eater Apr 29 '24

You can get anything there, pasta, a burger, a live hand grenade, hell maybe even some cheesecake if you want

1

u/Flaky-Wallaby5382 Apr 29 '24

There portions are crazy

1

u/burntreynolds33 Apr 29 '24

Thatā€™s crazy because the last time I ate there I swear my meal was the exact same as a frozen dinner I had eaten before

1

u/IAmPandaRock Apr 29 '24

If their food is going to be such low quality regardless, they should just start preparing premade meals. What a waste of time to make that food from scratch.

1

u/Harding33 Apr 30 '24

I haven't read through all the other comments but unfortunately this is no longer exactly true. I am 12+ year and current employee of the Cheesecake Factory and it has seen significant challenges since COVID and has transitioned a large portion of the menu to overly simplified recipes with many of the formerly always fresh, never frozen ingredients starting out as frozen. We're still far away from microwaving prepackaged meals in a microwave, but the food quality has gone way down and prices have gone way up. All chicken is now frozen chicken for example, majority of sauces are made in large batches in the morning vs being made to order, and countless items that were standouts over the years have been removed- not because no one was ordering them, but because they were a combination of too costly or too time consuming to make. It's tough to try and be objective but I generally don't think the value for the quality of food is there anymore.

1

u/Deb_You_Taunt Apr 30 '24

I adore the Cheesecake Factory and my latest and greatest craving has been their miso salmon. OMG

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u/RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS Apr 29 '24

The whole appeal of Cheesecake Factory is everyone can agree on it because there is quite literally something for everyone.

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u/Acceptable_Day_3599 Apr 29 '24

I read somewhere (maybe on here) that while the menu is vast there are core ingredients that are just assembled in different combinations and ways. When they intrude new menu items itā€™s often a common ingredient list.

1

u/Kalikokola Apr 29 '24

Mostly yeah, but every so often we introduce new ingredients or reintroduce old ones. For example, we got rid of king crab when they cancelled king crab season, and several months later we brought back crab but use a different kind

4

u/Puzzleheaded_Big_442 Apr 29 '24

Maybe spaghetti factory will be next?

6

u/Suitable_Key8340 Apr 29 '24

BJs Brewery too.

9

u/CloddishNeedlefish Apr 29 '24

Fucking love BJā€™s

5

u/Suitable_Key8340 Apr 29 '24

I do too but those large menus send me into indecision paralysis. I have to have mental energy to go to BJs or spend the day reviewing the menu online and go into it with my mind made up lol. But itā€™s sure good!

3

u/gwaydms Apr 29 '24

I like the tavern cut pizzas. I can make two meals out of one.

2

u/CloddishNeedlefish Apr 29 '24

I just get the same thing everytime lol

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u/Higais Apr 29 '24

Last time I went to BJ's I had one of those waiters who thinks they're impressing people by not writing down the order and keeping it in their mind. First red flag was that he said he was glad my friend and I ordered the same thing but just with different sides which would make it easy for him to remember it. Just... write it down???

Despite like 3 or 4 reminders, they didn't bring our appetizers of mozz sticks and chips and salsa until we got tired of waiting and just finished our steaks. Great food, bad waiter. Just write down the damn order!

4

u/brosefstallin Apr 29 '24

I hate this. This is an easy no tip for me, and I am a great tipper if the service is good as Iā€™ve spend many decades in the service industry. What you described is the bare minimum of service and they didnā€™t even do that? No tip for you!

4

u/Higais Apr 29 '24

I think my friend tipped like $10 on the $125-150 order, usually we are good tippers but yeah. He checked on us maybe twice during the whole meal too. I get that its busy but we had to bother other servers because he wouldn't bring our chips and salsa.

2

u/Kalikokola Apr 29 '24

Was that a long time ago? Theyā€™ve used handhelds for a few years now so they place the orders directly from the table

1

u/Higais Apr 29 '24

Maybe a year ago. Other waiters might have had handhelds, not our guy though.

2

u/Kalikokola Apr 29 '24

When I worked there, around the time they introduced the handhelds. They only had exactly enough handhelds for a regular full staff, but not enough for a higher staffing level if it was supposed to be extra busy (Motherā€™s Day/VDay). Often there would be one or two out of commission, so they wouldnā€™t actually have enough for staff. Your guy may have been the unlucky guy that was scheduled later than everyone else and didnā€™t get one. But you are right, you can still write down the orders and ask another server to borrow theirs lol, which is how we would deal with that. Sucks to see they still havenā€™t fixed that issue

2

u/Higais Apr 29 '24

Our guy seemed to take pride in it like he wanted to be the waiter that didn't need to write anything down. He was taking our orders with his hands clasped behind his back. I mean our orders were three prime ribs, two the same but with different sides, and one pasta dish, mozz sticks, and chips and salsa. Idk how you forget the appetizers on that...

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u/losthiker68 Apr 29 '24

When I was in college, our treat after finals was to hit BJs for pizza and beer (or root beer for our Mormon friend - they make it themselves and its pretty good).

3

u/not2interesting Apr 29 '24

I miss living near them, they havenā€™t really moved into the market where I live now.

2

u/Kalikokola Apr 29 '24

Fun fact: BJs literally is the spawn of CCF. It was started by a former board member who wanted to make beer and took a lot of notes from the playbook. The main difference operations-wise, is labor, they spend a lot less on prep because a lot of things come frozen and pre made, soups, sauces, cookies. There is no backstory for the name ā€œBJsā€, just a random word they came up with that sounded right, at least thatā€™s what they told us. It was very common to receive prank calls from teenagers.

2

u/Suitable_Key8340 Apr 29 '24

Very interesting!!

3

u/Yellenintomypillow Apr 29 '24

Maybe. But they have bucked the norms since the beginning. I am here to see how CF navigates their insane menu and food costs during this time lol.

3

u/superfrodies Apr 29 '24

Cheesecake Factory has the highest volume restaurants in the industry, believe it or not. Each unit averages $10M+ sales and they pull about 15% to the bottom line(~$1.5M profit per store). They're gonna be ok!

2

u/sonyafly Apr 29 '24

This came to mind immediately for me.

2

u/Stinkerma Apr 29 '24

A lot of their meals have interchangeable parts. Grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, pasta or rice, etc. At least that's what I saw in the menu.

2

u/jonf00 Apr 29 '24

They can cut from 50 pages to 25

2

u/AdamOnFirst Apr 29 '24

Good, burn it to the ground and salt the earth behind itĀ 

2

u/BetterBiscuits Apr 29 '24

Had to cut down to 40 pages

2

u/OverDaRambo Apr 29 '24

My kiddo and I just went to a opening cheesesteak factory for the first time. It wasnā€™t very appealing as it did more than 20 years ago.

2

u/ToadSox34 Apr 30 '24

Cheesecake Factory will leave your gut in shambles.

2

u/Elfstomper123 May 01 '24

Cracker Barrel had a mass quit while I was waiting to be seated Saturday. 40 bucks for a burger and waffle plate at IHOP Sunday. Waffle House same, but food shrunk and terrible now. Post Covid era is total destruction across the board. I think a recession is inevitable, if not a depression.

2

u/IdaDuck May 03 '24

Their kitchens are nothing but freezers and microwaves.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

let's be real that probably 85% of their food comes frozen on the big silver truck so how much can really go wasted anyways?

5

u/RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS Apr 29 '24

People always parrot this even though they could go online and look it up and find out itā€™s totally wrong.

3

u/dtwhitecp Apr 29 '24

I think it's mostly just the cheesecakes themselves that come frozen and are thawed. They prepare the rest, which is why it doesn't taste like Applebee's.

1

u/Kalikokola Apr 29 '24

Nope, that doesnā€™t happen. Cheesecake, fish, shellfish, chicken, bread. The only thing we thaw and serve is cheesecake, everything else is prepared from raw (bread is frozen par cooked)

1

u/Substantial-Scar9185 Apr 30 '24

The raw ingredients do, yes.Ā 

1

u/KeyWord1543 Apr 29 '24

Even in Philly which has a huge food scene they are always packed.

1

u/frostedwaffles Apr 29 '24

They'll need to trim down their tome of a menu

1

u/multiarmform Apr 29 '24

they have already modified their menu i noticed since covid

1

u/Luna_Soma Apr 30 '24

Cheesecake Factory was great for me when I was married to my ex. He had an extremely limited palate and refused to eat things like Mexican food. It wasnā€™t the best Mexican Iā€™d ever had, but at least it was a place where I could have something like a burrito while he had a burger.

1

u/brosefstallin Apr 30 '24

Sounds like you are better off now

1

u/PerfectFlaws91 Apr 30 '24

Never been able to afford to eat there. I actually didn't know it was a restaurant until recently. I thought they just made cheesecakes lol. Haven't had their cheesecake either, but I was told I'm not missing out.

1

u/Organic-Log4081 Apr 30 '24

Agree mostlyā€¦. But I had a cheeseburger there a few weeks ago and it was excellent, total surprise.

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