In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob visit one of America’s most iconic restaurant chains: The Cheesecake Factory. They discover its humble origins as a small cheesecake shop in 1940’s Detroit - eventually launching an empire with one of the lengthiest menus in the USA. They discuss decor, the toilets, and of course - the cheesecake. Links: Email us: [email protected] Upcoming live shows and t-shirts: www.flightlessbirdpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What are the origins of The Cheesecake Factory?
But it felt like a classy outing.
Yeah. Yeah, cool. It wasn't like popping over to Sbarro for dinner. What is that? I love Sbarro's too. What's that? The pizza.
A Chicago pizza place.
No, it's a mall pizza place.
Okay. I'm intrigued already. You'll still say things and I'm like, what the hell is that? I think I've come so far, but I've got so far to go.
I don't know. So yeah, like Woodfield Mall, it's a really big mall in Schaumburg, Illinois. I think it's one of the biggest in the country at least 20 years ago. Okay. It was one of the biggest in the country under a single roof.
I am a big mall enthusiast, by the way. This mall, was it flat and large or was it a multi-leveled kind of a deal?
Multi-leveled, but also very large. I'm sure it's changed. I'm sure they've built bigger ones. And like Mall of America was, I think they had like, they had weird like carrots next to like largest malls. with like these stipulations that made it. You mean like a decorative carrot, like a statue? No, just like a, a stipulation on what made it the largest mall. Okay. I see. Did you say carrot?
I did. Or like an, an asterisk. Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah. I understand. Yeah. I got very confused for a second. A footnote on it. Carrot's probably not.
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Chapter 2: What makes The Cheesecake Factory's menu unique?
Yeah. The one I went to is at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg that I went to all the time. But being in the suburbs, you're a little more handcuffed to chain food. So, but this was like the nice place if you wanted, if there's a special occasion. I can hear part of you too. That's us. It's happening. Hello. Hello.
I don't know if you know this, but the other thing about Cheesecake Factory that it's known for is they have a ridiculously massive menu. I actually remember getting anxiety having to go through this entire menu and figure out what to eat.
I've grabbed it, and it's thick and it's weighty. How many pages are we talking here? They're numbered.
19 pages. I remember many times just going through this, not retaining what I'm reading, and just...
flipping through these pages they have cheeseburger spring rolls followed by mozzarella sticks and then crab wontons yeah they offer everything for food i mean i really just came here for the cheesecake hello how are we doing today we're good it's my first trip here so i'm documenting it for old time's sake i'm gonna i think i'm gonna get a root beer i think yeah
I guess I'll do a root beer too, and a water.
Two root beers, two waters, and I'll put some of our bread and butter for you guys, okay?
I might go old school and I used to order the factory nachos. Might do some nachos today. How much cheesecake do you anticipate on eating? Because we might want to plan our meal based on how much cheesecake we want to add to the mix.
Of course, because dessert is a big factor that's coming, and I imagine the slices here aren't tiny?
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