How The Cheesecake Factory's Brown Bread Gets Its Signature Look
The only thing more emblematic of the Cheesecake Factory than its brown bread is, well, the cheesecake. Considering Cheesecake Factory has over 250 items on its menu, that's an impressive feat. As noted by Nation's Restaurant News, Cheesecake Factory prides itself on the multitudinous of its offerings, something it's famous for.
The business didn't start that way, however. Evelyn Overton had wanted to open a bakery and sell her cheesecake since at least the 1940s, but that venture was touch and go until the 1970s when she and her husband Oscar unveiled the Cheesecake Factory Bakery in Los Angeles. A handful of years later, their son, David, opened a nearby restaurant and finally introduced variety to the nascent brand. Still, the cheesecake was instrumental in getting customers through his restaurant's door, and also included on the original one-page menu, per Thrillist, was none other than brown bread. People came for the cheesecake, but many likely stayed for the bread!
By the 1990s, the company crossed state lines and then went public, cementing itself as an American icon. Going international in the 2010s made it a food service juggernaut. The business has even spawned other dining brands like Flower Child and North Italia. This award-winning, casual sit-down venture now has hundreds of locations that make over a billion dollars a year altogether. Perhaps that's why the chain can afford to give away complimentary, iconic-looking brown bread.
A variety of ingredients paint a pretty picture
The Cheesecake Factory is no stranger to making strong visual impressions. Its décor is so infamous, a Twitter take-down of Cheesecake Factory's atmosphere recently went viral. Is that environment actually such a bad thing? Speaking to Eater, restaurant designer Rick McCormack claims his 15 years of work at the company actually had a positive effect. David Overton wanted to make the public feel luxurious by providing lots of options and huge portions, which needed an aesthetic to match. That's why Cheesecake Factory features design elements inspired by just about everything, whether it be ancient Egypt or the Victorian era. Some poke fun, but it's certainly a memorable experience, and Cheesecake Factory's enduring success suggests this optical overload is an effective strategy.
The brown bread of Cheesecake Factory, on the other hand, looks less eclectic. It's dark brown and has light brown oats on it. It has a mouthwatering aroma/, and it lives up to that with a soft texture and a sweet taste. The wheat bread sends waiters scurrying across vast restaurants to refill complimentary bowls, and it disappoints takeout diners whenever bread's not included in their order. Is its sweetness responsible? Well, Cheesecake Factory is notorious for unhealthy offerings, so maybe it's the implied healthiness of the rustic-looking loaf that entices people. The oats certainly help there, as does the caramel coloring that gives it its shade. Barley, brown sugar, molasses, rye, and wheat also help complete the look.
Brown bread is now controversial not mysterious
There was a time when one had to wonder what gave the Cheesecake Factory's brown bread its signature look. Although it's been on the chain's menu since the get-go, the Factory wasn't looking to give away trade secrets, so folks were left guessing cocoa was responsible for its appearance (via Thrillist). Then, in 2018, the business put its brown bread on store shelves, selling it as heat-and-serve baguettes, dinner rolls, and sandwich loaves, per Today. This meant the nutritional information and ingredient list became public knowledge and secrets were revealed. More good news: sources like Thrillist and Today agree, the flavors remain true.
"We were thinking about what product would make sense to bring to grocery [stores] that would look, feel, and taste like the product in restaurants," explained Donald Evans, the Cheesecake Factory's chief marketing officer, to Thrillist. "The bread is exactly the same as what you get in the restaurant."
So, all's well that ends well, right? Well, not so fast! Class Action documents a lawsuit filed against the Cheesecake Factory for allegedly misleading consumers with brown bread's presentation. Marketed as whole-grain bread, the product is heavy on not-so-whole-grain wheat flour. The text on the packaging is a big part of that debate, yet the dark brown color and speckled grains supposedly lead customers to believe the product is healthier than it actually is, as well. Could brown bread's signature look truly be some underhanded deception? We'll let the courts decide.