Five reasons I hate Oklahoma City’s Cheesecake Factory
by Tim | October 27, 2007
(votes: 21, average: 2.76) 
Loading ...Oklahoma City’s Cheesecake Factory is located at 5600 N. Penn, near Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City (map). You can get all of the information you need about them on their website.
I rarely use the word “hate,” but in this case, I think it’s appropriate. I really think that Oklahoma City’s Cheesecake Factory might be the worst restaurant we have. I know that this will be controversial, but hear me out. I have some good reasons to feel this way, and understanding all the things I despise about the Cheesecake Factory will help you to understand the things I value in the restaurants I love. Plus, I welcome all dissenting opinions so please let your voice be heard in the comments.
So, here they are – five reasons I hate the Cheesecake Factory:
1) It’s a chain. In general, I like local places better than chains. There are a few chains that I love (bring on Chipotle), so being a chain restaurant isn’t reason enough to cause me to hate you, but it’s a good start in that direction.
2) Instead of focusing on doing a few things well, they try to do everything. Check out the Cheesecake Factory menu and you’ll notice that it’s enormous. Page after page of every different type of food imaginable: Italian, American, Mexican, Asian, international, salads, pizzas, quiches, soups, steaks, blah, blah, blah … it goes on forever. I’m not saying the food isn’t edible, but it’s just too much. Give me a place that only does a few things, but does them extremely well.
3) They sell advertising in their menu. Speaking of the enormity of their menu, it’s so big, they even sell ads in it, like a playbill. First of all, they charge enough for their food that they really shouldn’t have to sell ads. Secondly, what does this say about the dining experience? It seems to me that at a restaurant, the focus should be on the food. The menu is just a tool to help communicate all of the beauty of the food a restaurant offers. To muddy that up with ads for clothes and jewelry and things totally unrelated to dining is not only distracting but simply makes the process of ordering that much more confusing and lengthy.
4) Their portions are ridiculously huge. Ok, I’m stepping onto my soapbox now. I think large portions are the shame of the restaurant industry. Somewhere along the way, restaurants figured out that you can charge more for food and still make people think they’re getting a deal if you throw an extra chicken breast on there or pile the plate sky-high. This is a terrible practice and no doubt contributes to the obesity and general unhealthiness of our society. Isn’t it ironic that the really nice restaurants, the ones that care about their food and are the most expensive, generally serve smaller portions?
The Cheesecake Factory takes oversized portions to the extreme. Literally, I have ordered a salad there, split it with my wife and still had enough left to take home for each of us to split again. So, if one portion is large enough for four servings, something is wrong.
5) It looks like a palace, not a factory. Now, this one is purely a branding issue. Whoever came up with the name of the restaurant certainly didn’t consult with the architectural designers. The feel of the interior is gaudy opulence. “Cheesecake Palace” maybe, but definitely not a factory.
I know that many of you may not agree with me, and that’s ok. I’d love to hear your perspectives in the comments. Maybe I’ll learn something new. But for me, here’s the bottom line — it’s not that the food is bad, it’s just that everything they do makes me think they don’t really even care about the food. The focus seems to be on other things. I’d rather spend my money on those places that are passionate about their food.
Of course, there is one bright spot — they do have good cheesecake.
We want to hear from you!
So far, 30 people have responded to this article. Won't you join in?October 28th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Tim, I actually agree wholeheartedly with everything you said, and I avoid the place like the plague (when I can — my sister absolutely LOVES it, so I have been more than once.) Every time I’m there I get a full-on blast of the kind of American consumerism that makes me yearn for the old world where dining out is an art and a pleasure for all the senses.
You forgot to mention the extremely high fat content of pretty much everything on their menu! I mean, deep fried mac & cheese??? The first bite is kind of tasty in a guilty pleasure sort of way, but if you eat the whole thing (and it comes with 4!), it really is very disgusting.
But some of their food is really good - if you can find it on the 34 page menu - and if you choose wisely and get the to-go box before you get the meal, you can get out without feeling too sick.
Of course, you’ll have to take out a second mortgage to pay for the meal.
October 28th, 2007 at 11:47 am
I agree with every point you make above and I would like to add another rule they break:
A good restaurant will almost never have a gift shop and can never have teddy bears wearing a tshirt bearing the restaurant’s logo available for sale.
October 28th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
The first rule of eating out is, you do not eat at chain restaurants
The second rule of eating out is, you DO NOT eat at chain restaurants!
The third rule of eating out is, if someone says stop, goes limp, taps out, the diner is over.
The fourth rule of eating out is, one person to a plate.
The fifth rule of eating out is, one plate at a time.
The sixth rule of eating out is, no shirt, no shoes, no service.
The seventh rule of eating out is, diner will go on as long as it has to.
The eighth rule of eating out is, if you invited another out for diner, you have to pay.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Nice list, OkPete. I like that!
October 30th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
I’m not all about Cheesecake Factory or anything. But, let us not forget that Applebees is the real enemy here. We can never forget.
October 31st, 2007 at 7:25 am
Haha, Dwight. I have to agree with you there!
November 1st, 2007 at 7:42 pm
So Tim, what is the fourth reason you don’t like Cheesecake Palace?
November 1st, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Haha, nice catch, Behymer. I’ve corrected that for you now.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:26 am
I guess I’ll be the lone disenting voice here. I like the Cheesecake factory. Let’s go through your list.
1. It’s a chain.
1a - So what? I don’t get my panties in a wad over this. I don’t understand why people do. It would be different if it was selling horrible food. The fact it’s a chain is a non-issue except for smarmy food snobs who THINK they know how all things food related should be.
2. “They do everything”
2a - One stop shopping is great. I’ve had a variety of food there and have never been disappointed in the quality of the meal. Again, a non-issue.
3. Selling advertising.
3a - I agree with you on this point. It’s a little off-putting to see ads on a menu when you are paying a premium for your dinner. It would be different if they would reduce their prices for having the ads, but that’s not the case.
4. Huge portions.
4a - What’s wrong with that? Is someone forcing you to stuff yourself? If you can’t control your own eating habits that’s not the establishment’s fault. I like having enough to take home and eat leftovers the next day. In addition I have friends who are rather large guys (not fat, but really big guys) and they’ve conveyed that they like it because it’s a place where they know they will be full when they leave - unlike many places.
5 - It looks like a palace.
5a - Um…okay. *Shrug*
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Thanks for the dissenting opinion, Rick. I am thankful for the great discussion.
I’d like to just comment further on point #1 about chain restaurants.
I think the thing about chains is that it is harder for them to exhibit passion about their food, and passion for food is I guess what gets me excited about a restaurant.
I mean, with a chain, especially a large one, you’ve got a big corporate mindset where the guys running the place are pretty far removed from the people who founded it and really lived for it.
There’s just something special about seeing the energy involved in a local place that’s planting something unique, taking a risk, and seeing if they can make a go of it. That’s what makes the dining experience interesting to me.
Of course, these are just my opinions and I have enjoyed reading yours. Thanks again and please, everyone else, why not join in the discussion?
November 4th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I have eaten at Cheesecake Factory twice this week. I don’t hate it, in fact the Apple Streusel cheesecake is pretty rockin’ awesome. Food was pretty good. However, for the same money at a local specialty restaurant, like a Cheevers for instance, you get so much more for the money, in my opinion.
November 9th, 2007 at 10:45 am
I will agree with your list but I have to go there on occasion for business and if find yourself there for whatever reason, the STUFFED CHICKEN TORTILLAS are quite tasty - really spicy compared to most chain food.
November 10th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Rick,
There are a number of reasons to abhor chain restaurants aside from the (lower) quality of the food. For example, some portion of the profits from chain restaurants go out of state. Bad for our local economy. Second, chain restaurants tend to go up exclusively in newly constructed strip malls in suburbia. This promotes the strip-mall-ification of the city and urban sprawl.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
I absolutely agree with Tim. Amidst all the hype last year when “The Factory” arrived, we made plans to celebrate a family birthday there. We were eager to taste the infamous cuisine. Sadly, every person in our party was very disappointed with their entree. First of all, the menu is so large it is overwhelmig! It gives the impression that they specialize in nothing because they try to do everything. The dishes we tried were unimpressive, yet the portions were huge. The redeeming quality of the evening was the cheesecake. Of course, the slice was generous, easy for a couple to share. *FYI: You can buy an entire “Cheesecake Factory” cheesecake at Sam’s for $10.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
I used to work at what i like to call the Cheesecake Asstory. If you want a nice dining experience, it is the last on my list for Oklahoma City. I’d rather head over to Coit’s for my next big date (That was a bit of a hyperbole).
If you noticed the banquets that they use to try and fit customers into every possible inch of the restaurant. You end up knowing your neighbors before you leave. Which in Oklahoma can sometimes not be the best experience.
But for anyone who works in the restaurant industry, you might want to know this fact: They treat their employees like crap. No one ever learned my name or anything about me.
Also, I don’t like going to restaurants where these are the conditions:
-I can’t hear anyone sitting beside me because of the booming echoes of the thousands of people inside on room and the blasted music.
-The chef has no idea what any of the ingredients he is using are; he just follows the chart.
-They have a $6 grilled cheese that is nothing different from the elementary cafeteria.
Overall, I think The Cheesecake Factory in Oklahoma City should be burned down.
…just a suggestion?
December 10th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Let me start by letting you know that I’ve only been to The Cheescake Factory once. What I ate as good but….
1. The menu was huge and confusing. There were way too many choices. After looking at the menu for 10 minutes, I gave up and just ordered a chicken Caesar salad.
2. The salad was good but it was absolutely enormous! I couldn’t even eat half of it.
3. The salad cost WAY WAY more than I would normally pay for a salad. (I must clarify that my boss was treating me to lunch and she paid for the enormous salad…)
4. I ordered cheesecake and let me be honest - it was one of the best pieces of cheesecake that I’ve ever had. However, it cost something like a million dollars for the slice and because it was so large (and I ate the whole thing) my stomach hurt for hours afterwards.
5. My stomach hurt even more when I saw the bill. Now, I realize that I’m known for being cheap but the price for 2 salads, 2 pieces of cheescake, a glass of iced tea and a water was really over the top. Too much food. Too much money.
6. The restaurant had a very commercial feel. I felt like I was at Disney World or in Las Vegas. Same prices, too!
All that being said, I enjoyed my meal but don’t know that I’d ever go back.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Ok so i agree, but disagree with everything you said Tim, I personally work at a cheese cake factory, and it as you said a chain, more corperate than any of you can imagine. I have worked there 4 years and still do not understand why they put those adds in their menus, its tacky! But where i disagree is there passion for food.
The amount of precision that goes into making each sauce (all 60 of them) is unpressidented. Ever 60 minutes a line check is made by one of the kitchen managers and they temp every critical item on the line, ensuring quality. I agree the mark up is a bit extreme, but the quality of produce, meat, and seasonings are top of the line. so i guess the next time you come in, come in before 5 and get a lunch portion, th eprice is better and you can still leave with a bit of left overs. (next time you visit, ask for a lemon and check out what they bring you, it still gives me a crack)
December 18th, 2007 at 2:02 am
I have been a patron of Cheese cake factory one time and NEVER again. It was the worst dining experience I have had in a long time. Between the poor hospitality and the appalling noise my husband and I could not even begin to enjoy a meal there. WE were brout poor quality bread that was so hard we couldn’t eat it and when we asked for butter to attempt to soften it we were sneered at at brout 2 pats that had some substance stuck to it
Although I personally was not put off by the advertising, I am of the opinion that fro the price charged per item one SHOULD be able to feed four people.
March 18th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I instantly clicked on this article, Cheesecake Factory in OKC has to be my least favorite place to eat…….Something about the place is depressing to me, can’t quite figure it out. I’ve been there twice and neither has been enjoyable and the above list of 5 reasons is right on the money. Advertisements on the menu? I mean seriously if you want added income just raise the price of the food, don’t make me read about termite control at the table……….
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Hi all.
Great post Tim. I agree with you on all of your counts and especially the sentiments offered by OKPete.
To succinctly summarize, The Cheesecake factory is a chain restaurant that does nothing extraordinary, has corporate headquarters dictating recipes, spice content, music and even where to place the ads in the menu and contributes to both the obesity and the wasteful nature of our society.
You’ve been to the Cheesecake factory in Chicago, you have been to all of them. I sadly went there with an old girlfriend, which is one of reasons we broke up.
It’s the corrosion of conformity that Jello Biafra and others speak out against in our ever increasingly heterogeneous society.
I think that it was Rick who defended the Cheesecake factory and chains in general. You don’t get it brother. It has nothing to do with being epicureans or food connoisseurs but everything to do with eating and shopping local from small businessmen and women, buying organic/fair trade and proper portions.
Here’s a few choices for excellent local dining and not so local:
Saturn Grill in Nichols Hills.
Rock Cafe in Stroud on Route 66.
Meers restaurant near the Wichita Mtns.
Saigon sandwiches-Milk bottle building on 23rd and Classen
Pete’s Place in Krebs (Take at least 3 or 4 friends)
La Baguette in Norman or on North May
County Line BBQ 63rd just off of MLK by the Cowboy Hall of Fame museum.
Enjoy yourselves and have a great Spring. I love your town when I am here.
JJ
April 17th, 2008 at 12:39 am
I agree with everything you said…
…but…
…sadly, everything that I have eaten there has been pretty good and I really enjoy trying different things without worrying about if I’m goin to hate what I ordered.
But if it makes you feel better: I hate everything else about it
April 20th, 2008 at 8:01 am
The more I read comments on this site the less I believe I could use it as a “ZAGAT of OKC”. How sad though I had high expectation about site when I friend told me to check it out. Instead of being a guide with suggestions for good dining experiences it seems like all the comments are focused on negativity. I have a sister who owns a restaurant in Florida and anyone who is in this business would agree with me – it is a hard business to be/stay in. The devotion has to be endless and the possibilities of something not being perfect from one second to the next are enormous because you are dealing with too many variables food, employees, customers, etc.
I am curious to know Tim, what is your background and what makes you such a “restaurant connaisseur”? You are full of opinions alright but they don’t seem very educated. So I wonder if you can tell us about your relationship with gastronomy. You also don’t come across like a businessman either. So why should we value your opinions?
April 20th, 2008 at 10:12 am
David, I’m sorry that you have been disappointed with the site. I think if you look all around the site, you will find far more positive comments and reviews about restaurants than negative ones.
At the same time, we try to be balanced in our approach and the fact that we share both negative and positive opinions is one of the things that our readers tell us they appreciate the most.
As far as my personal background, I’m just a guy who likes to eat at unique, local restaurants. I have my opinions about what makes a restaurant great and I share them here on this blog. We have other writers as well who share their own opinions and we don’t always agree with each other. Not all of our readers agree with us either and they share their opinions in the comments.
This sharing of contrasting opinions and ideas is what makes this site unique and interesting. I love to hear other people’s perspectives even when they disagree with me. I always listen and consider each viewpoint. I don’t claim that my opinion is more valid than anyone else’s, but it is my opinion and so I share it.
I hope that you’ll share your ideas in our comments as well and let your voice be heard.
April 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I see. You seem far less aggressive when the criticism is on you. Everyone is entitle to an opinion but trashing someone else’s business is just not good business etiquette. Criticism is good because it allows improvement. You could be more respectful when making your remarks.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:46 am
David, I appreciate your input and I will consider it. I hope that you’ll continue to explore our site because I really do think you will find much that is of value. And, as always, please continue to leave your comments because we value them greatly.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Tim,
I am on your side and think that Dave and Cathy are not understanding that there’s more to dining than just ordering food and leaving a good tip.
Where we shop, live and eat say more about us than any words or comments we utter on this or any other medium. If we don’t support local independent businessmen and women, regardless of their profession, we are part of the problem that leads to outsourcing, offshoring and a belt busting trade deficit and national debt.
Dave and Cathy came off as very sanctimonious (My sister has a restaurant, what’s your culinary background and your opinions don’t seem well educated) and condescending to say the least on their initial post and have stayed the course in subsequent postings.
Then, they excoriate you Tim for ostensibly not being respectful in your posts when they just posted a negative response questioning your knowledge, background and right to comment on your own empirical experiences.
Dave and Cathy, if you don’t like this forum, please don’t use it! Try citysearch, yahoo local, msn, fodors, frommers or wikipedia.
Oh, and my culinary background goes like this. My father has been in the foodservice industry in Chicago since the 1960’s. I have attended the National Restaurant Association convention in Chicago at Mc Cormick Place several times. I worked in my father’s kitchen for decades and also had my own mobile catering route in Chicago for several years working for commission.
Also, since 2004 my sister was the executive chef for a Marketplace in Chicago before Marshall Fields was bought out by Macy’s and she was let go due to elimination of most marketplaces.
I have also worked for several restaurants, delivered pizza and volunteer at a local OKC food bank.
How’s that for experience? Besides having a sister who owns a restaurant, please tell us what qualifies you to be an expert on restaurants and pop psychology?
If you have nothing positive to say, well there’s a place for you in higher education.
Tim didn’t say it but I will. You seem like a negative force and I hope that you’re not like this in person too because it’s not conducive to having friends or being liked in your workplace.
Don’t be so glum. Cheer up and use your talents for something positive instead of trying to be erudite on a forum where you only come off as bitter and sullen.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I recently took my daughter there for her birthday for the first time. She really wanted to go. It was very dissapointing.
I too thought the food was waayy over the top portion wise. I felt like I was served the entire meat loaf and it wasn’t good. Not good at all. None of us liked our dinners except my daughter, thank goodness since it was her birthday.
The desserts were good.
The evening patio dining was nice. The service was excellent. The waiter couldn’t do enough to make my child’s experience more pleasant. That was the highlight of our experience. Its too bad such a good staff has to serve such substandard food and wont have the volume of return customers.
Finally, I felt it was very overpriced. Maybe if the food was better, I would feel much differently, but most of the national chains are a little less in OKC. We won’t be returning.
May 18th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Tim’s palate is wonderful. He has a PhD in flava. Cheesecake Factory’s servings are the reason kids are starving in Africa. And they’re very proud of those cheesecake slices given the cost.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I bet Dave and Cathy would own one of those restaurants that charges $1.50 to use a credit card. What makes you any better judges of a restaurant than Tim? He is, after all, a restaurant CUSTOMER. You know someone who owns a restaurant- I’ll bet they care what customers think, or they won’t own one for long.
The vast majority of restaurant customers - i.e. the people who keep them in business - neither work for nor read Zagat. There are a lot of criteria that matter to different people. Tim isn’t telling you what to think, he’s telling you what he experienced.
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I I think Tim is just like my hub and me - looking for adventure. Once you are an “adventurer diner”, chains become boring. I got hooked on adventure when I went to Toronto one year. I hated to come back to chains. Some people like to dine safe, like my parents and they will find a great chain and go back again and again (yawn). It’s all a matter or preference - no need to get offended.
Please tell us what you think.