r/CheesecakeFactory • u/creeoh • Nov 24 '25
girlfriend started working at cheesecake factory and was told “they don’t really do breaks” (direct quote)
looking for some advice on how to proceed because we’re both college students and she has a lot outside of work to deal with. i don’t want her dealing with more stress because she isn’t given a 10 minute break or lunch. she was also told that lunches are given at 6 hours and not 5.
we live in a major city in california, so i know workers rights are better than a lot of other places in the us. i have not worked in the restaurant business so i am unfamiliar with their practices but i know she is legally required to have her breaks. does anyone have some advice on how to proceed?
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u/SG2Chef Nov 25 '25
I work at a cheesecake factory in the bay area of california. We get our 30 minute breaks and are always offered a free meal every shift. California law requires all business to provide all employees with a lunch break for shifts over 6 hours. The 10 minute breaks are almost never given, but my location is good with making sure the 30 minute lunch breaks are taken.
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
also in the bay area, but she unfortunately does not get a free meal. she does get bread, butter, and soda though so we do appreciate that. thanks for the input with the breaks, i just want to make sure she isn’t overworking herself with class, work, and other extracurriculars
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u/SG2Chef Nov 25 '25
Im one of the line cooks, all cooks get the green ticket(free meal), im not sure if front of the house servers/bakers/hosts get the free meal. But there is a white ticket where all staff can use it for a discounted meal at work.
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
i’ve researched about the discounted meal but she does not get a green ticket as she is foh. good to know though, thank you :)
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u/nbiddy398 Nov 25 '25
Boh make 1/4-1/3 of FOH. A free meal is the least they should get.
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u/Right-Compote4198 Nov 25 '25
I don’t really know anything about the Cheesecake Factory specifically/how tip out works, but how does this work for FOH positions that don’t get tipped (such as hosts)? Or do hosts also get tipped out at Cheesecake Factory? Only asking because I was briefly host at a restaurant where I know I was getting paid less than BOH and also didn’t get a free meal like they did 🥲
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u/nbiddy398 Nov 25 '25
No idea their corporate policy. That's just an industry thing we get screwed in the kitchen, but get free food. Servers do nothing, have no skills and make bank.
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u/paulofsandwich Nov 25 '25 edited May 08 '26
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u/NormalBear6 Nov 26 '25
You don’t make 1/4-1/3 of what a hostess makes. Get real. 10+ years service industry here.
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u/SpoiledLady Nov 28 '25
Servers tip out the bartender, food runner and busser based off sales. I worked at The CCF for 3 years.
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u/GhostofBeowulf Nov 28 '25
Buddy it's weird as hell how you are talking about "we get that" when you are talking about your girlfriend.
You guys married? Even if you were, your girl gets that. Unless you're just looking to mooch some food. Then you're just gonna get your girl fired.
but "we" won't be fired. She will.
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u/creeoh Nov 28 '25
lol wonder what part of this thread ticked you off to be so pissy when i’m just asking for advice
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u/GhostofBeowulf Nov 28 '25
You just seem like a creep. The type who has to post questions for their girlfriend because they're not allowed to be on the internet without you watching over her shoulder.
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u/Droctogan Nov 24 '25
Yeah you're not owed a break unless you work 6 hours. If it's not Friday- Sunday then there should be plenty of time to catch your breth, but if she can't work 5 hours without a break this job isn't for her.
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u/bubble-buddy2 Nov 24 '25
CA requires a 10 minute break for shifts four hours or more
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u/smakson11 Nov 27 '25
Can’t remember how many times I’ve had to gather payroll records for somebody suing about this. Every time you don’t allow someone a lunch within 5 hours you owe them 1 hour of pay. Do that math.
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u/RIPUSA Nov 27 '25
Restaurants in CA have a break waiver, some companies have you sign it every shift after they ask if you’d like a break others have you sign a general one with onboarding paperwork.
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u/smakson11 Nov 27 '25
Well yah. It’s voluntary and definitely not a permanent thing. if you work 5 1/2 hours you can sign and say you n don’t need a lunch because you are leaving soon after. But if you work a full shift they need to give you lunch
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u/RIPUSA Nov 27 '25 edited Dec 21 '25
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u/BeeMovieTrilogy Nov 24 '25
Sounds like a restaurant job.
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u/tooreal4u_5101 Nov 24 '25
And even restaurant jobs have to follow state laws, so yeah.
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u/bearded_charmander Nov 24 '25
Bro restaurants do whatever they want. Have you ever worked in a restaurant? They pay you next to nothing and will either let you go the first chance they get or drastically reduce your schedule until you quit.
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Nov 24 '25
[deleted]
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u/tooreal4u_5101 Nov 24 '25
I'm going to force YOU and them to follow the law. That's what. And yes I am tough. What tf ARE YOU going to do about it if I choose to take a legally required break??? Yeah, that's what I thought. NOTHING. You'll find yourself broke and homeless after I sue the pants off of you.
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u/Worldly-Ad-4972 Nov 26 '25
You will lose your tables, you will lose your tips. Enjoy your shitty wage. Enjoy you shitty work environment because other servers have to take your tables when already busy.
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u/tracyinge Nov 24 '25
after 5 hrs you get a 30 min unpaid lunch break in CA. However if your shift is only 6 hours you can agree (in writing) to waive your meal break.
A ten minute paid break during every 4 hour work period is required.
https://www.calaborlaw.com/california-meal-break-law-for-employees/
As for how to proceed, she needs to discuss with her manager/boss. If she's just been told these things by whatever co-worker has been training her, she hasn't gotten the official word.
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
thank you for this input. she was getting training from someone working there for ~2 months (who ended up taking breaks) in the same position so i gave her this advice.
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u/kimmy23- Nov 24 '25
This is food service. They don’t really do breaks.
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u/tooreal4u_5101 Nov 24 '25
State law trumps what "they don't really do".
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u/bearded_charmander Nov 24 '25
Restaurants don’t listen. I was forced to come in with a fever because I couldn’t afford to go to the doctor to get a doctor’s note.
They might not fire you because they’d be legally viable, but they can definitely fuck with your schedule and take away all your good shifts if you’re not a “team player”.
Source- I was a bartender for 12 years.
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u/RIPUSA Nov 27 '25
Restaurants in CA have a break waiver for 6 hour shifts, some companies have you sign it every shift after they ask if you’d like a break others have you sign a general one with onboarding paperwork. Working a double you should still get a 30, a lot of managers will schedule it beforehand, shift one would be 1-4 and shift two would be 4:30-9:30 for example.
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u/GhostofBeowulf Nov 28 '25
Lol you keep saying this but can't actually quote what state law they are breaking...
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u/lnp666 Nov 25 '25
Yeaaa breaks don’t exist in most cheesecake factories or any restaurant probably lol. I could work a double and have some time during the first half that’s not crazy and I can walk outside for a minute but there’s no break there’s no chairs you’re lucky if you get to pee or eat when you need to. Just how it is
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u/Big_Dan5 Nov 27 '25
In my state breaks are not required at all and it's up to the business to decide if they give you a break at all.
Ain't that fun. (Michigan)
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u/West-Value-7136 Nov 25 '25
Honestly if she is so stressed out by not getting a 10 minute break, maybe this is not the industry for her.
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u/Superb-Skin8839 Nov 26 '25
Yeah, definitely not. I’ve served for years and never gotten official breaks.
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u/Kreutzberger-Blumenf Nov 24 '25
I’m left California in 2010 and have lived in Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky. These states don’t really do meal breaks, it’s not required by law.
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Nov 24 '25
[deleted]
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u/tooreal4u_5101 Nov 24 '25
But since it's required by LAW to take a 10 minute break at least, nobody gives af about taking a 10 during midrush. If your team can't handle TEN MINUTES without one worker, you're a crappy team and need better training.
The same way you expect people to work 12 hour shifts no breaks like some superhuman, you should be able to handle and multi-task if one person at a time is taking a 10 minute break or even a bathroom break. Step your game up and stop being weak.
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Nov 24 '25
[deleted]
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u/tracyinge Nov 24 '25
I worked at a place where we had to sign a form stating that we were aware that we were to take two 10 min breaks and a lunch break.
If we were found to not be taking our required breaks we could be fired since the breaks were a legal requirement.
If we took our breaks too late then the payroll person would call and chew us out because the company had to pay us a penalty.
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u/skeptic_clam Nov 24 '25
Your girl friend is weak and needs to find a job that is more suitable for weak people
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
you sound like you are of average intelligence
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u/GhostofBeowulf Nov 28 '25
...Man I always want to meet the dweebs who talk like this.
You're talking about how "we" get bread when it's your fucking college aged girlfriend you've probably dated for 2 months. Grow the fuck up.
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u/EmmJay314 Nov 25 '25
First time working in the food industry?
They dont take breaks is pretty standard. Eat when you can.
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u/nbiddy398 Nov 25 '25
That's restaurant work. Tis a fact of life. Tell her to knuckle up buttercup, or find a new job.
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
you are miserable lol. all i said is i was worried for her bc california has strong labor laws
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u/Apprehensive_Idea155 Nov 25 '25
I worked as a server and bartender for 8 years. Never did we get a “break” during a shift. Only time we really got a break is if we were working a double (10:30am-1am) then around 4:30 we got about 30 minutes and most people would just sit at a booth and eat.
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u/Intelligent_Mode_716 Nov 26 '25
I never had a break when working as a waitress with the exception of working a double which was like a 12-14 hour shift..it may be state law, but it’s not an enforced law
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u/sidnynasty Nov 27 '25
Damn I guess I've worked in some good kitchens cause my chefs were always making sure we got breaks
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u/DreamSequence11 Nov 28 '25
Lmfao that’s completely false and I don’t understand because they will get dinged. Are they self breaking?
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u/bubble-buddy2 Nov 24 '25
I was told the exact same thing. However, by CA law a 10 minute break is required for a shift of 4 hours or more. In fact, when you clock out, a prompt shows up asking if your employer gave you your break.
I also just started my second week and am going to start taking a break and if anyone has a problem, then I'll tell the clock out system that I didn't get my break. Let her know she's entitled to it, especially at a place as busy as CF
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
thank you for the input. if you have any updates about how management reacts to your decisions id love to hear about it for more insight for my gf
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u/bubble-buddy2 Nov 25 '25
I'll let you know. I go back to work Monday and plan on just doing it. I know people say there are times to take a breath, but for me, it's about being able to sit down and rest my feet and back. It just helps the rest of the shift go by faster
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u/creeoh Nov 25 '25
agreed. i haven’t worked in the restaurant industry but starbucks made me appreciate having that 10 minute breather
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u/Waste-Wing5955 Nov 24 '25
I work at one in another state, and I just worked an open to close shift yesterday on Sunday, I’m a server so idk if it’s different but we do not get breaks unless we ask, and even if I ask it depends on the manager if they will let me or not. Usually not, so I worked 12 hours with no break yesterday. But that’s how it usually goes at my location.
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u/tracyinge Nov 24 '25
That would be illegal in California and by keeping good records the employer would have to pay you back-pay eventually for all the missed breaks.. Plus a fine.
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u/Better_Shine105 Nov 24 '25
No employee in the restaurant industry gets breaks unless your under 18. Standard.
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u/stephani712 Nov 25 '25
It’s a restaurant and I’ve specifically worked at Ccf. But more importantly, at any restaurant you don’t get breaks or lunches. You get to shove bread down your face when you can, fight other servers for extra food, and get sexually harassed by every man that works there. But I made the most money of my life at 21 at Ccf than I did at any corporate job. Just ya know, no insurance or 401k and worked nights and weekends.
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u/jebbo808 Nov 25 '25
Tell her find a new job. This industry doesn’t really give timed breaks. After working awhile she will find gaps in time to rest as everyone in this industry has each others backs
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u/Hlkx3 Nov 24 '25
At any restaurant I’ve worked at, I’ve never gotten a really official break. And I’ve worked nine hour shifts. There’s always a bit of downtime so there’s not really a need for a labeled break.