How Did the Cheesecake Factory Become a Phenominon?

In 1940s Detroit, Evelyn Overton turned a newspaper cheesecake recipe into a local legend. Her delectable desserts sparked a small bakery, but family came first, so she baked from her basement, supplying restaurants. In 1972, Evelyn and husband Oscar risked it all, moving to Los Angeles to open The Cheesecake Factory Bakery. Their son David, a drummer who traded law school for rock gigs, saw a bigger stage. In 1978, he launched the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, betting on mom’s cakes. Opening day? A line snaked out the door!

David’s strategy was wild: a menu exploding to 250 dishes, from samosas to steaks, grabbing every food fad to outshine competitors. By the ‘80s, Southern California was smitten; the ‘90s brought East Coast outposts, a quirky Egyptian-Victorian decor, and a 1992 public offering. The 2000s catapulted the chain worldwide—Dubai, Shanghai, even a ski slope! Now boasting over 215 locations, two bakeries, and cheesecakes in Barnes & Noble, it’s a $1.7 billion juggernaut. Evelyn’s original recipe fuels over 30 flavors, shipped globally. From a humble basement to a culinary empire, The Cheesecake Factory shows how a killer cheesecake can conquer the world