10 Things You Didn't Know About Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory seems to hold a special place in the hearts of lots of people. It's not a fast food restaurant, it's not a chain bar and grill, it doesn't shill to kids. Instead, it exists to extoll the virtues of the glorious cheesecake in all its calorie-laden greatness. But we bet that there are a whole lot of things about this chain that you didn't know. 

The Original Cheesecake Recipe Was Found in a Newspaper

Evelyn Overton didn't develop the original cheesecake recipe herself; she actually found it in a newspaper. 

It Started in a Detroit Basement Kitchen

After Overton put her dreams of opening her shop on hold, she moved her baking equipment down to the basement of her Detroit house and ran her business from there. 

The First LA Bakery Was Started with the Last of the Overtons’ Savings

They had a dream, and they were going to get it done no matter what!

The Company Also Owns 2 Additional Restaurant Concepts

The Cheesecake Factory is also the parent company of Grand Lux Café (which has 13 locations, including one in Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel) and RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen, whose sole location is in Century City, in Los Angeles. 

There Used to be a Self-Service Cheesecake Factory at Disney World’s DisneyQuest

It closed in 2008, after the company's contract with Disney expired. 

Fortune Named It One of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ in 2014

Ranked at No. 92, it was the only Los Angeles company on the list

Recipes Are Available on the Cheesecake Factory Website

You can find them here. Just don't expect to find a recipe for the cheesecake!

It Ships Cheesecakes Across the Country

Harry & David handles its shipping; 27 different cheesecakes are available!

Cheesecake Factory Doesn’t Post Its Nutrition Information Online

The Cheesecake Factory is one of the few chains that doesn't post any nutrition information online. The best we were able to find was this slightly outdated site, which doesn't make any mention of fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sugar. 

The Chain Is Under Fire for Its Huge Portions and Unhealthy Food

We suggest you take some of your meal to go; based on that site, the chicken Marsala contains 1,480 calories, the grilled chicken medallions measure 1,410 calories, the pasta carbonara with chicken weighs in at 2,290 calories, and one piece of the brownie sundae cheesecake equals 1,270 calories!