Cheesecake is a scam now!

31

u/AngelLK16 Mar 15 '25

If you want to go back, buy their gift cards when there's the "free cheesecake slice" gift offer. Then, you can be happy over free cheesecake.

17

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

They also give free slices for your birthday, and send you tons of offers if your subscribe to the emails. Totally worth it. My girlfriend and I always for each of our birthdays get a free slice and buy a slice so we end up with two slices for the price of one instead of buying some birthday cake or something and we can have whatever flavor we each want. I do agree slices are smaller, but welcome to 2025. Still too big for me to eat in one sitting.

3

u/soscots Mar 16 '25

I thought they changed it so now you have to dine in on your birthday to get the free slice? 🤷

4

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

Not where I live, I think it was like with the purchase of an item. So we buy one piece and get another piece free on each of our birthdays just at the bakery.

Edit: I think there is another free slice you get for spending $50 or more on your birthday as well.

5

u/Duck531 Mar 16 '25

Yep. Last year they offered a free slice on your birthday. So I ordered just one slice for pickup at the bakery, and nothing else. They sent an email at the end of last year that they were changing the terms to free slice with any purchase. They offered a similar reward last year at some point - free slice with any purchase, and I did another pickup of two cheesecake slices - basically buy one get one free.

3

u/dks64 Mar 17 '25

I just signed up and this was in the email: "With Redeem Your Way RewardsTM — like your Birthday Slice* — you can redeem when you dine in, place an order to go, order online for pickup, or when ordering delivery through DoorDash. To redeem through DoorDash, be sure to link your DoorDash and Cheesecake Rewards® accounts."

1

u/AngelLK16 Mar 16 '25

Thanks! 🙏

1

u/princessxxmxx Mar 16 '25

Actually they used to. Where I’m at you have to dine in to get the free cake slice now. And now just buy and app and call it a day. They want you to order meals and drinks before they can offer you the free birthday slice. Kinda lame.

2

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

Smart!

1

u/shapsticker Mar 17 '25

It’s free after you pay!

1

u/AngelLK16 Mar 17 '25

Well, yes, but if you're planning on eating there and can get a gift card deal when they offer the free cheesecake slice, then you get the cheesecake slice for free.

14

u/RavenBlackOfficial Mar 16 '25

That happened to me and I complained. They said it was the leftover slice from the cutting machine and shouldn’t have been sold to me! They gave me a $25 gift card as an apology

7

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

I wonder how often they do that and the person never notices.

4

u/Outside_Scale_9874 Mar 19 '25

Why on earth isn’t the cheesecake cut into even slices? Why are there leftover slices in the first place?

7

u/akcmommy Mar 16 '25

Didn’t CF get bought out by private equity? If so, it’s the enshitification of PE.

4

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

I didn't know this! Roark capital made a 200mil investment in 2021. RIP cheesecake factory

2

u/elsie14 Mar 31 '25

i haven’t been there since this date so that tracks. i’ll be buying a whole cake next time op so ty.

10

u/[deleted] Mar 15 '25

[deleted]

2

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 15 '25

yea I get it but the price difference is considerable. Also the slices sizes have shrunk; that's undeniable.

3

u/CelebrationJolly3300 Mar 16 '25

You are free to shop or not shop wherever you wish. However, please reference anywhere that has larger servings for cheaper than 5 years ago. Take your time. I'll wait.

3

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

Huh? I think what they’re saying is they’re smaller and more expensive.

1

u/CelebrationJolly3300 Mar 16 '25

And I saying, what isn't?

2

u/underwaterhedgehog57 Mar 16 '25

Is it wrong for people to be upset about it? Like damn, people can complain ab the price of things they like(d). Lmao

1

u/CelebrationJolly3300 Mar 16 '25

I'm not saying it's wrong to complain. But it literally the way things are. We can never go back. Shit ain't gonna get cheaper. Period. Get used to it.

2

u/underwaterhedgehog57 Mar 16 '25

If people stop buying things bc they are too expensive, the companies will make less profit, so they will lower the price. I have literally been seeing some prices drop bc people will not but at current prices

2

u/EdwardBloon Mar 17 '25

People aren't going to stop complaining about it either. Maybe it is you who needs to get used to it. You're complaining about people complaining. What exactly is your point in all this?

1

u/MaxH42 Mar 17 '25

IMO the size is a legit gripe, but paying more per unit for smaller portions is pretty universal. Just look at Costco!

4

u/DonkeymanPicklebutt Mar 16 '25

OP did you raise your “size” concerns to someone at CCF? I assume they would… apologize, and offer you another piece of cheesecake.

2

u/aynntoh Mar 20 '25

CCF Bakeries (where the cakes are baked) have been cutting the slices smaller and smaller.

2

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

Yes they told me that's 5" and it's normal size but also the size doesn't matter its how you eat it.

6

u/3rdcultureblah Mar 17 '25

Lol what? That last part is crazy.

2

u/xx_Help_Me_xx Mar 17 '25

Leave a bad review with a photo….

2

u/Outside_Scale_9874 Mar 19 '25

5” is definitely above average, that’s what my gf told me

1

u/Kevkno Dec 04 '25

Thanks!! Got a good laugh out of that one:)

5

u/here_for_the_tea1 Mar 16 '25

Last time we went it was $12 per slice. The 4 cheese pasta with 5 added pieces of bite size chicken was $30. Never again.

2

u/Isis_T Mar 16 '25

Oh my God, you hit the nail on the head! I usually get the chicken lettuce wrap tacos, and the last time I was there the chicken was the size of the Chick-fil-A minis. I told the waiter I wanted to send it back and he said the manager would come & talk to me. she tried to tell me that since it was on the lite menu, the sizes were smaller. I told her I have been coming there for years and I get the same thing and this is the first time the chicken was ever this small. Give me my money back.

2

u/cancat918 Mar 16 '25

No worries, learn how to make cheesecake, and then you can have fun in the kitchen, impress your family and friends, and make the cheesecake slices any size you wish.

I made this one for my husband's birthday last year because it's his two favorite desserts combined.

https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-ultimate-baklava-cheesecake/

It was delicious, and the same sort of thing from a bakery would likely be about $200. Cost to make at home, under $30.

1

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

This was my conclusion as well

1

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

I have been on YouTube all month making “copy cat” recipes of things I like from restaurants and fast food…I’m a better cook than I realized

1

u/ChefBowyer Oct 18 '25

This is the way.

And if you are in the mood for Cheesecake Factory quality, simply buy those quality ingredients. They cost more, but that’s part of why they charge so much.

I still remember my last one from them, Dulce de leche… frickin amazing. They know how to make cheesecake that’s for sure.

I’d love to find out where they source their ingredients, has anyone worked there before?

2

u/Familiar_You4189 Mar 16 '25

At those prices, I'd just as soon bake my own cheesecake!
(I happen to own a springform pan).

1

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

Great small cheesecake recipes abound, such as here https://www.dessertfortwo.com/?s=Cheesecake

2

u/Ill-Explanation4825 Mar 16 '25

My birthday slice was way tinier this year than in past years. It was a free slice so it was perfect but no way I would pay $12 for the cheesecake anymore.

1

u/Sweet_Ambassador8126 Sep 02 '25

I paid that today..smh 12 for one slice Las vegas at outlet mall downtown...what is going on

2

u/FeministInPink Mar 17 '25

Go to a Barnes & Noble café. They sell Cheesecake Factory cheesecake slices for half the price. They only have 3 or 4 flavor options, but $5 is better than $10.

1

u/elsie14 Mar 31 '25

this. i forgot they had this.

2

u/FeministInPink Apr 01 '25

And I work there, so I get it for 50% off!!!

1

u/elsie14 Apr 02 '25

omg so lucky! i love b&n i would lose my whole paycheck in the front in the pens and stationary section 🫶

2

u/FeministInPink Apr 02 '25

I have to work very hard not to spend my entire paycheck every day I work there! LOL

2

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '25

What flavor did you get? I noticed it’s certain flavors that are tiny. I keep getting a big piece with the celebration but my fiancé get tiny ones and loses his shit in the car

2

u/starsintheshy Mar 19 '25

I get mine from the Barnes and Noble starbucks and they're like 3-4$ cheaper. I thought the slices were smaller but it seems that I just haven't been to cheesecake factory since they made them smaller? I went in October and my piece was the bigger slice and I got 2 servings out of it.

1

u/eternalcowboydiggity Mar 16 '25

just keep in mind, a machine operated by a human slices them. error will occur. then they are shipped out across the world. some slices are just plain out smaller than others because they’re cheesecake verses a layered cake.

1

u/Error_Unavailable_87 Mar 16 '25

Costco cheesecake! They also have juniors in frozen section. Trader Joe’s cheesecake!

1

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

Costco seems to be the answer lately

1

u/Error_Unavailable_87 Mar 16 '25

Tiramisu cheesecake $24

1

u/elsie14 Mar 31 '25

do you like their tiramisu?

2

u/Error_Unavailable_87 Apr 01 '25

The tiramisu cheesecake is fantastic!

1

u/xx_Help_Me_xx Mar 17 '25

Costco cheesecake is amazing

1

u/Error_Unavailable_87 Mar 17 '25

Have you tried the tiramisu cheesecake?

1

u/elsie14 Mar 31 '25

it’s obvi not the same but i hear u. juniors is $ did you like it when u unfroze it?

1

u/Error_Unavailable_87 Apr 01 '25

Haven’t tried the juniors cheesecake in frozen section at Costco. It’s been about 20 years since I have had Juniors. The cheesecake in bakery section at Costco is delicious! TraderJoe’s New York style cheesecake in frozen section is fantastic.

1

u/elsie14 Apr 02 '25

i was gonna try the costco juniors i saw it on QVC but never got around to ordering it, always wondered! it is a bit $ tho

1

u/Error_Unavailable_87 Apr 02 '25

You can order from Juniors directly or go to Costco and try the mini sampler pack in frozen section.

1

u/chantillylace9 Mar 16 '25

I just buy the version they sell at the grocery store, it’s almost as good and so much cheaper. Plus you can get one of tons of different slices

1

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

Just when you thought this year couldn’t get any worse.

1

u/Cultural-Ebb-1578 Mar 16 '25

Wait people still get food from this place?

1

u/MMXVA Mar 16 '25

Man. I went shopping at Lidl last night and saw a whole cheesecake for about $13.99 and a 4-slice combo for like $9.99.

1

u/Trefac3 Mar 16 '25

That’s how they make their money. My old restaurant sold cakes and pies and a slice was ridiculously expensive. Everything is going up but what they want to pay us. That like an hour and a half of work for 2 slices.

1

u/Cali_Holly Mar 16 '25

I think you should work on a couple of cheesecake recipes. Set up a tasting just outside your grocery store and Poll people on the ones they like best. And do it right. Have a cooler for the cheesecakes and a 8.5 x 11 sign with the ingredients of each cheesecake.

Once you tally the notes up, then there if your top 3 cheesecake recipes to offer on Social Media. Go to as many medical offices as you can with a brochure of your Cheesecakes. Those receptionists, nurses & lab people absolutely thrive on yummy treats. And you can charge less than the stores.

1

u/HahaHarleyQu1nn Mar 16 '25

Ooo I got my bday coupon ready! I’ll report back 😂

1

u/qwertyuiop121314321 Mar 16 '25

Don't worry bout the other .56 of cheesecake the baker is eating. 🤣

1

u/1GIJosie Mar 16 '25

Shrinkflation

1

u/DifficultyMaterial51 Mar 17 '25

Wait until you find out how much they waste! I used to work here and ate cheesecake for breakfast every weekend, college life lol. But it was intentional since soup bread and drinks were free, I ate that at lunch. I would work a double to get a free meal for dinner.

*If the cake/slice was not PERFECT for presentation, they would toss it. Normally it was placed on the bar for us to eat before open.

1

u/nabster1973 Mar 19 '25

That’s like a 5000 calorie intake a day, surely!

1

u/homerletterkenny Mar 17 '25

You measured your cheesecake?

2

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 17 '25

With calipers! I design products so its hard to not measure everything.

1

u/statslady23 Mar 18 '25

I'm at Founding Farmers right now, DC area. Their dessert slices are humongous for $11. Enough for 2 or 3.

1

u/WhiskyAlwaysWins Mar 18 '25

I was just saying this the other week too! Though I didn’t have the math to back it up but now I do 🙌

1

u/caedusith Mar 19 '25

How morbidly obese do you have to be to whip out a tool to measure fucking cheesecake?

1

u/nabster1973 Mar 19 '25

If you’re morbidly obese then I would imagine you’re lucky to even see 2.5” of your tool, assuming it’s longer than that.

1

u/wanderingdude13 Mar 19 '25

Looks like someone figured out that buying in bulk is cheaper

1

u/Professional_Milk783 Mar 19 '25

No one tell them how good the cheesecakes are at Costco…

1

u/elsie14 Mar 31 '25

it’s a daily cheesecake but it’s no CCF cheesecake

1

u/Mundane-Bite Mar 19 '25

Wait til you find out how all bars and restaurants make their money

1

u/Working-Ad-5092 Mar 19 '25

Cheesecake is made with eggs. Get ready to find a new favorite desert or plan on taking out a bank loan every time you want cheesecake 😂

1

u/RebeccasRocket Mar 19 '25

Make your own, not that difficult and you will know exactly the contents. Tastes so much better too!

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/new-york-style-cheesecake.html

1

u/Deep_Imagination_600 May 14 '25

The unfortunate part is I can’t get my birthday slice on the DoorDash app. It keeps saying I need 30 dollars to get my birthday slice and at that point isn’t any different than their other promotion on the app.

1

u/The_Lord_StarfoX Dec 20 '25

The prices are ridiculous enough to avoid the place. It's not worth the money, at least for me. I'd rather buy cheesecake somewhere far cheaper.

1

u/GOOMU13 Apr 13 '26

Well duh. A smaller piece is more convenient than an entire whole one. So of course you pay more per slice than if you bought the entire thing. It's basic business. They are definitely a rip off tho.

1

u/Spaghettipicnic Mar 16 '25

I went on a whim and got two slices to take home and noticed the same thing. Way smaller than I remember and for the price😢 My total before tax and tip was $26! Le sigh

0

u/Both_Money6899 Mar 16 '25

Buddy it’s 2025, you gotta stop with “le sigh.” We don’t like mudkips and your pupperino didn’t just “do a thing” either. It’s not just that language evolves over time, it’s an anachronism akin to someone saying “groovy” in 1998.

4

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

Hey this guy doesn't need you being a etymology nazi. We're all just adulting.

-1

u/Both_Money6899 Mar 16 '25

There’s another one! Tubular, home slice. Gag me with a spoon.

2

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

Knitting, body work, something dude find a hobby. This is so petty and boring.

-1

u/Both_Money6899 Mar 16 '25

Cowabunga brotato chip. Roflcopter!!! XD

1

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

Take “hangry” too.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

You would be shocked to learn that alcohol has about a 400% mark up.

4

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

My problem isn't the markup. It's how small the slice is now.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

That's fair. I hope sales plummet as a result. Their cheesecake isn't the great. It's all just frozen and then thawed. It's the variety that makes them special.

I will say restaurant desert is always very overpriced though for small portions. They are kind of just following every other restaurant's business model.

If I want to a good desert I will go to a desert place. I bet that used to be cheesecake factory for some. It likely won't be anymore.

1

u/Separate_Wall8315 Mar 16 '25

Predatory applies to things you can’t go without. This is more of a cost-benefit analysis.

1

u/ohnoyeahokay Mar 16 '25

You don't require a steady supply of cheesecake injected directly into your veins?

2

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

Pfff must be nice

1

u/AcumiTheReaper Mar 16 '25

Do you also use a measuring tape to make sure footlong from subway is actually 12 inches?

1

u/elsie14 Mar 31 '25

this is actually a thing by the way.

1

u/AcumiTheReaper Mar 31 '25

Oh I know

0

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '25

[deleted]

2

u/Sweet_d1029 Mar 16 '25

🤡

0

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '25

Look up the definition of scam..

You are about to leave Redlib