First Visit to The Cheesecake Factory: What to Expect
A first visit to The Cheesecake Factory means a 250-item menu, a dining room that fills up at noon and again at 6 PM, and a slice of cheesecake at the end. Most restaurants open at 11:00 AM, close at 10:00 or 11:00 PM, and keep much of the dining room for walk-in guests, so you can go without a reservation. This guide walks through the visit in order: before you go, at the table, and what to eat first.
If you only remember one thing, remember the timing. A weekday before 6 PM is the easiest first visit you will get.
Before you go
Find your restaurant first. The chain runs about 218 restaurants across the United States plus 35 international locations, and the official location finder at thecheesecakefactory.com/locations gives the address, phone number, and the hours for the one nearest you. Mall locations and downtown restaurants often run on their own timetable, so the finder page for your restaurant is the one to trust, not a general list.
Hours follow a pattern but are set by each location. Most restaurants open at 11:00 AM Monday through Saturday and at 10:00 AM on Sunday, and close at 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. Most restaurants are open 365 days a year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Check the hours for your restaurant on the day you go, because a holiday or a mall schedule can move them.
Reservations exist but are narrow. Only Cheesecake Rewards members can make one, online or in the app, for parties of 6 or fewer, up to 30 days in advance, and a reservation is held for only 10 minutes past the scheduled time. There are no reservations for large parties, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day, and none by email or phone. That sounds strict, but it matters less than it looks, because much of the dining room is kept for walk-in guests and you can walk in any time.
Time your arrival around the rush. Weekdays are busiest from noon to 2 PM and from 6 to 8 PM, and weekends can be busy all day until about 9 PM. Come on a weekday before 6 PM and you will usually get in without any wait at all. That is the single best tip on this page for a first-timer.
At the table
Do not try to read the whole menu. It runs to more than 250 items, and a first-timer who reads it cover to cover will still be deciding when the food arrives. Pick one starter, one entree, and one cheesecake, and let the rest of the menu wait for a second visit. The section below names the three to start with.
If there is a wait for a table, the bar is a real option. The full menu is available at the self-seating bar and the high-top tables in the bar area, so you can sit down and order without waiting for a dining room table. Happy hour also lives in the bar, Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 PM, with 24 items: food at $9.95 and $10.95 and drinks from $3.95 to $9.50.
What to eat first
These three cover the starter, the entree, and the dessert the restaurant is known for, and each price is a verified range from official location menus. Order them in this order and you will have tried the menu the way regulars do.
| Course | Dish | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Avocado Eggrolls | $16.95–$18.95 | 930 |
| Entree | Chicken Madeira | $25.95–$29.95 | 1,300 |
| Dessert | Original Cheesecake | $9.95–$11.50 | 830 |
If you want a pasta instead of Chicken Madeira, Louisiana Chicken Pasta is $25.50 to $29.95 at 2,270 calories, which is the heaviest of the three entrees here and the one to skip if you want room for dessert. If you want a lighter starter, Tex Mex Eggrolls are $13.95 to $16.50 at 930 calories. And if you want help picking the dessert, our cheesecake chooser guide compares all 35 slices by flavour, price, and calories.
Takeout and delivery
You do not have to dine in on a first visit. All locations offer pickup, ordered online, in the app, by phone, or at the bakery counter, and many offer curbside pickup where the food is brought out to you. Everything on the menu can be ordered for pickup, including alcohol where it is legally allowed. Delivery runs through DoorDash at most locations, so check the DoorDash store for your area if you want the food brought to your door.
Frequently asked questions
No. Much of the dining room is kept for walk-in guests, so you can walk in any time. Reservations are for Cheesecake Rewards members only, made online or in the app, for parties of 6 or fewer, up to 30 days in advance, and held for only 10 minutes past the scheduled time.
Go on a weekday before 6 PM and you will usually get in without any wait. The busiest times are noon to 2 PM and 6 to 8 PM on weekdays, and weekends can be busy all day until about 9 PM.
Most restaurants open at 11:00 AM Monday through Saturday and at 10:00 AM on Sunday, and close at 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. Hours are set by each location, and most restaurants are open 365 days a year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, so check your local restaurant for the exact hours.
Start with Avocado Eggrolls at $16.95 to $18.95, then Chicken Madeira at $25.95 to $29.95, and finish with Original Cheesecake at $9.95 to $11.50. Those three cover the starter, the entree, and the dessert the menu is known for.
Yes. All locations offer pickup, ordered online, in the app, by phone, or at the bakery counter, and many offer curbside pickup. Delivery is available through DoorDash at most locations.
Yes, Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 PM in the bar area only. It covers 24 items, with food at $9.95 and $10.95 and drinks from $3.95 to $9.50.
About 218 restaurants across the United States plus 35 international locations. Use the official location finder at thecheesecakefactory.com/locations to find the address, phone number, and hours for the one nearest you.
Go hungry, go early
Go on a weekday before 6 PM, walk in without a reservation, and order Avocado Eggrolls, Chicken Madeira, and Original Cheesecake. That is the first visit in one sentence. Check today’s hours for your location before you leave, and see the full menu guide if you want to plan the second visit before the first one is over.