Complaint Review: Cheesecake Factory

I ate at a Cheesecake Factory on the east coast a few months ago and fell ill with food poisoning the next day.

When I felt better, I sent a feedback message on their website and was contacted by phone within four hours; first by a very apologetic customer service person, then by an even more apologetic manager at the local store. She was pretty upset to think that I'd gotten sick because of their food.

She asked me if I'd be willing to give them another chance and I said maybe, to which she responded by mailing me a gift card.

All in all, I was wary from the whole sick-for-hours-on-end thing, but they did everything they could in my opinion to make it right.

I used to work for The Cheesecake Factory for many years. Their training program for servers is THE most extensive training program that i've ever seen at any other restaurant. It probably wasn't the company that sucked during your visit, but your server.

There are good servers, and bad servers. Believe me, they drilled our butts to make sure we were doing the "right steps of service". But try staying in the cheery mood you expect your server to be if you were sat three or four tables at the same time. The food is running long because there was a back up in the kitchen, and everyone is mad at YOU for it. Even if it isn't your fault.

Then imagine you get a table full of rugrats who won't stay in their seats because their parents won't make them, you're carrying three very heavy and hot plates to a table, almost running them over, and once you actually get to a table, no one even acknowledges that you're waiting for the customer to move their crap off the table so you can put the plates down.

And then, you have a guest that's unhappy because she doesn't have enough bread on the table, and because her food didn't taste right, and then there are those who are in so much of a hurry, that they won't even let you do anything unless they are completely satisfied with you.

Servers only have two hands. They do not cook the food. And they do not only have ONE table. They have multiple tables, and multiple guests. They cannot focus on only one person the entire time you are there. And they have good days and bad just like everyone else. Some servers can handle more tables than others, and some just don't give a crap.

First of all, you should know that choosing to eat at the bar does not mean you'll get faster or better service. At least at the restaurant I used to work at (a Chili's) the bar waitresses had more tables than any dining room waitress and were usually a whooole lot busier. And eating at the bar usually meant slower food output, as it's primary function was to serve drinks and appetizers, not full meals. (Note: This is from my experience at a completely different restaurant, this Cheesecake Factory may have been way different.)

Either way, you should understand that you normally don't just come into a quality restaurant and expect to be in, fed, and out in under and hour.

Second, when I notice my waitress/waiter seems frazzled, and is going rather slow, I take a breath and try to take note of how many tables I see them visit and also how much I see them running around. A waitress hopping from table to table to table, coming out with multiple items for multiple tables, and disappearing for a few moments only to pop back out with items for another table is usually a sign that s/he is over worked and quite stressed, and the last thing s/he needs is another customer getting pissy with them.

What I CAN understand is if the restaurant is completely dead and s/he is no where to be found for 20 minutes while you wait for your check.

Third, if you had any problem at all, it was with the waitress and not with the company. Like you said, there was another server on staff that was happy to help you and get you the things you needed in a timely manner, so it's obviously not a problem with even that particular establishment.

There ARE bad servers out there that don't know how to handle the stress of multiple customers. But it isn't fair to blame and entire company, or even a particular restaurant for the poor actions of one overworked, over stressed waitress.

First of all, you should know that choosing to eat at the bar does not mean you'll get faster or better service. At least at the restaurant I used to work at (a Chili's) the bar waitresses had more tables than any dining room waitress and were usually a whooole lot busier. And eating at the bar usually meant slower food output, as it's primary function was to serve drinks and appetizers, not full meals. (Note: This is from my experience at a completely different restaurant, this Cheesecake Factory may have been way different.)

Either way, you should understand that you normally don't just come into a quality restaurant and expect to be in, fed, and out in under and hour.

Second, when I notice my waitress/waiter seems frazzled, and is going rather slow, I take a breath and try to take note of how many tables I see them visit and also how much I see them running around. A waitress hopping from table to table to table, coming out with multiple items for multiple tables, and disappearing for a few moments only to pop back out with items for another table is usually a sign that s/he is over worked and quite stressed, and the last thing s/he needs is another customer getting pissy with them.

What I CAN understand is if the restaurant is completely dead and s/he is no where to be found for 20 minutes while you wait for your check.

Third, if you had any problem at all, it was with the waitress and not with the company. Like you said, there was another server on staff that was happy to help you and get you the things you needed in a timely manner, so it's obviously not a problem with even that particular establishment.

There ARE bad servers out there that don't know how to handle the stress of multiple customers. But it isn't fair to blame and entire company, or even a particular restaurant for the poor actions of one overworked, over stressed waitress.

First of all, you should know that choosing to eat at the bar does not mean you'll get faster or better service. At least at the restaurant I used to work at (a Chili's) the bar waitresses had more tables than any dining room waitress and were usually a whooole lot busier. And eating at the bar usually meant slower food output, as it's primary function was to serve drinks and appetizers, not full meals. (Note: This is from my experience at a completely different restaurant, this Cheesecake Factory may have been way different.)

Either way, you should understand that you normally don't just come into a quality restaurant and expect to be in, fed, and out in under and hour.

Second, when I notice my waitress/waiter seems frazzled, and is going rather slow, I take a breath and try to take note of how many tables I see them visit and also how much I see them running around. A waitress hopping from table to table to table, coming out with multiple items for multiple tables, and disappearing for a few moments only to pop back out with items for another table is usually a sign that s/he is over worked and quite stressed, and the last thing s/he needs is another customer getting pissy with them.

What I CAN understand is if the restaurant is completely dead and s/he is no where to be found for 20 minutes while you wait for your check.

Third, if you had any problem at all, it was with the waitress and not with the company. Like you said, there was another server on staff that was happy to help you and get you the things you needed in a timely manner, so it's obviously not a problem with even that particular establishment.

There ARE bad servers out there that don't know how to handle the stress of multiple customers. But it isn't fair to blame and entire company, or even a particular restaurant for the poor actions of one overworked, over stressed waitress.

First of all, you should know that choosing to eat at the bar does not mean you'll get faster or better service. At least at the restaurant I used to work at (a Chili's) the bar waitresses had more tables than any dining room waitress and were usually a whooole lot busier. And eating at the bar usually meant slower food output, as it's primary function was to serve drinks and appetizers, not full meals. (Note: This is from my experience at a completely different restaurant, this Cheesecake Factory may have been way different.)

Either way, you should understand that you normally don't just come into a quality restaurant and expect to be in, fed, and out in under and hour.

Second, when I notice my waitress/waiter seems frazzled, and is going rather slow, I take a breath and try to take note of how many tables I see them visit and also how much I see them running around. A waitress hopping from table to table to table, coming out with multiple items for multiple tables, and disappearing for a few moments only to pop back out with items for another table is usually a sign that s/he is over worked and quite stressed, and the last thing s/he needs is another customer getting pissy with them.

What I CAN understand is if the restaurant is completely dead and s/he is no where to be found for 20 minutes while you wait for your check.

Third, if you had any problem at all, it was with the waitress and not with the company. Like you said, there was another server on staff that was happy to help you and get you the things you needed in a timely manner, so it's obviously not a problem with even that particular establishment.

There ARE bad servers out there that don't know how to handle the stress of multiple customers. But it isn't fair to blame and entire company, or even a particular restaurant for the poor actions of one overworked, over stressed waitress.

I've been to a cheesecake factory where the wait was 5-15 minutes, that was 5 minutes after the opened for sunday brunch. At peak hours (or basically ano other time) as you specified, 5-15 minutes is unheard of! I've been to the rancho cucamonga victoria gardens cheesecake factory many times, always waited 30 mins or more.

The first time ive went to a cheesecake factory ive waited 2 1/2 hours for a seat and 40 minutes for food, after that it was just tyalking relaxing, i liked how they give you your check in a slow pace, and act in a slopw pace, it adds to the mood, and is a gesture that your welcome to stay as long as you please. You also chose to sit at the bar, less attention is payed to the customers at the bar because most people dont sit there for a quick lunch or dinner, they sit there to drink, eat, talk, relax.

Maybe you just had a bad waitress, theres alot out there, maybe she was having a bad day, its not easy serving 10 tables at the same time and the bar. The $20 gift card was not meant to be a refund, its meant as a "sorry we messed up" gift, you complained too much! You even saved time with a 2 hour lunch, most people spent 2 1/2+++

You weren't even offered a dessert menu or asked if you were interested in any of their many wonderful cheesecakes!

Those b**tards! Based on this posting I'll be sure NEVER to go to the Cheesecake Factory again. Well, I don't go there anyway because of the 2 HOUR WAIT.

Look at this way, the average wait at Cheesecake Factory is probably an hour anytime. 5-15 minutes is almost unheard of. I've witnessed waits of 2+ hours on a Saturday evenings.

So let's suppose you had waited for a table for 60 minutes, and then your dining experience took 90 minutes, that's 2.5 hours. You were there for 2 hours, a minimum savings of 30 minutes. And the bar is pretty nice anyway at CF.

So you saved at least 30 minutes, and they gave you 20 bucks.

I think you're just plain unreasonable. I suggest you go back to Denny's, where you're on a first name basis with the waitstaff.

You know, I was thinking the same thing. I guess she was expecting the cheesecake place to kiss her a** in the middle of main street, at high noon. I got dragged to the cheesecake place onetime. Wasn't my "cup of tea". Hour long wait to be seated, longer wait to be waited on, longer wait to be served, long wait to get the check. Just what I expected. Then they FedEx a check for $20. "Less then half of what "ARE" bill was. I suspect she was was hoping for a full refund, getting her meal for free. After reviewing her post and update, why does that not surprise me?

First of all, anyone who has ever been to the Cheesecake Factory knows that a 5-15 minute wait is NOTHING. Most Cheesecake Factories have a 1+ hour wait on any given night. What was so terrible about having to wait 5 minutes? If you are in such a hurry, perhaps you should have enjoyed a Burger King value meal pre-made and ready to serve in 10 seconds or less!

Furthermore, everyone knows that the portion sizes at the Cheesecake Factory are HUGE. This whiner is claiming that her entire party finished their meals in 20 minutes. Unless they shoveled the food into their mouths with a snow shovel, I see no way how it is possible to finish a meal in 20 minutes when their portion size is usually enough for 2-3 people.

Waiting 10 minutes for the check to be processed? What is so ridiculous about that? At nice restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory, people normally take their time, enjoying their meal, their company, and the ambience. Nice restaurants normally do not hover over the table and grab the payment as soon as it is placed down. Again, if this whiner were in such a hurry, she should have gone to a quick-service or fast-food establishment - or at the very least paid with cash which she could have set down on the table and left at her convenience.

To top it off, although this complainer claims to be upset at the restaurant for wasting her precious time, she apparently has even more time to waste as evidenced by her taking the time to write multiple letters to the corporation. THEN, when the corporation extends a nice gesture to her by offering a free gift card, she further states her displeasure and continues her whining. She then REGIFTS the gift card to someone else. Not only does this show how cheap she is by not buying a gift herself, but it also says a lot about her character if she is willing to put someone else through this supposedly horrible ordeal that she is whining about.

See what I mean? This woman obviously is the type who will never be happy no matter what!!

Personally, if I was ever so lucky as to go to the Cheesecake Factory at a time when the wait was only 5 minutes and I could enjoy a delicious meal with service that was not rushed, I would be sure to not only return again and again, but also thank the restaurant manager for such a wonderful experience!!

After sending Cheesecake Factory another letter letting them know I was further disspointed that they never responded to my letter they FedExed me a $20 gift card. Granted it was for less then half of what are bill was. At least they did something. I am still not going back. The gift card got "regifted".