The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated.
CAKE.US | Restaurants and mobile food service activities
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated operates restaurants and bakeries. The company's restaurants offer a variety of menu items, including appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, seafood, steaks, and desserts, as well as cheesecakes. It also operates a bakery production facility that produces ...Show More
Better Health for All
0
No evidence available to assess The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated on Better Health for All.
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
0
No evidence available to assess The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated on Fair Money & Economic Opportunity.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
-30
The Cheesecake Factory's CEO-to-median employee pay ratio was 249:1 in the 2024 fiscal year, with the CEO receiving $8,163,835 and the median employee earning $32,777.
1
The company has incurred multiple substantiated labor-law violations in the past three years. These include a $1,000,000 wage and hour violation in 2024, a $18,496 Family and Medical Leave Act violation in 2023, and workplace safety or health violations in 2023 ($12,350) and 2022 ($8,550).
2
Additionally, a $1.208 million class action settlement was reached in 2025 for failing to disclose wage ranges in job postings in Washington state between January 2023 and March 2025.
3
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
0
No evidence available to assess The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated on Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing.
Honest & Fair Business
0
No specific, concrete data points were found in the provided articles for any of the KPIs within the defined timeframes or quantitative thresholds. While a $125,000 fine from December 2020 for misleading disclosures was mentioned, this falls outside the 'past three years' timeframe for regulatory fines.
1
A lawsuit filed in June 2024 alleging I-9 compliance violations and other labor issues was noted, but no fines have been reported as imposed from this lawsuit, nor was a total figure for fines in the past three years provided.
2
Kind to Animals
0
No evidence available to assess The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated on Kind to Animals.
No War, No Weapons
0
The company reported $0 in lobbying expenditures for 2024.
1
Planet-Friendly Business
-60
The company has signed the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Commitment Letter and plans to submit reduction targets for validation.
1
It has set a net-zero GHG emissions target year of 2050.
2
Scope 1 emissions increased from 2015 to 2019, with a decrease in 2020 attributed to the pandemic.
3
No specific data on total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, renewable energy use, water use, waste diversion, or capital expenditure alignment with EU taxonomy is provided. There is also no information on lifecycle impact analysis, recycled material ratios, carbon offset quality, climate positive initiatives, supply chain climate transparency, or biodiversity efforts. While 20% of new restaurants are LEED certified, this does not apply to the total share of facilities.
4
The company has incurred penalties for environmental violations in 2002, 2005, and 2010, but the number of annual violations is not specified.
5
Respect for Cultures & Communities
0
Insufficient evidence to determine a value score for The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated regarding Respect for Cultures & Communities. No articles or relevant information found. A neutral score of 0 is assigned.
Materiality Analysis: Company Summary (75-100 words): The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (CAKE.US) operates restaurants and bakeries primarily in the United States and Canada. Their core business involves restaurant operations under brands like The Cheesecake Factory, North Italia, Flower Child, and Fox Restaurant Concepts, along with bakery production for internal and external distribution. Strategic changes primarily involve brand expansion and menu innovation within the restaurant sector. Their operational footprint is concentrated in North America, with limited direct interaction with indigenous communities or culturally sensitive areas outside of restaurant locations.
Peer Comparison (50-75 words): Compared to other restaurant chains, The Cheesecake Factory's direct impact on cultural preservation is typically lower than companies involved in resource extraction or operating in regions with significant indigenous populations. Some restaurant groups focus on sourcing local ingredients or supporting community initiatives, but this is not a widespread industry norm.
Materiality Assessment (1-2 clear sentences): The Cheesecake Factory's business model is fundamentally neutral regarding Respect for Cultures & Communities, with a low level of materiality, as their restaurant operations have limited direct interaction with indigenous communities or cultural heritage sites.
Detailed Rationale (150-200 words): The Cheesecake Factory's primary impact stems from its restaurant locations and supply chain. While they source ingredients, their supply chain is unlikely to directly impact indigenous land rights or cultural heritage sites unless they are sourcing from specific regions with known cultural sensitivities. The company's restaurant operations are generally located in urban or suburban areas, reducing direct interaction with indigenous communities. While cultural appropriation in menu design or restaurant themes could be a concern, there is no indication of systemic issues. Opportunities for positive impact could include partnerships with local community organizations or sourcing from indigenous-owned suppliers, but these are not core to their business model. The company's geographic focus in North America, while potentially intersecting with indigenous territories, does not inherently create a high level of cultural impact.
Value Interaction Notes (if applicable, 25-50 words): Sourcing practices relevant to "Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing" may indirectly relate to indigenous communities, but this value focuses specifically on cultural preservation and community engagement, not general ethical sourcing.
Scoring Boundary Flags (if applicable, 25-50 words): Scores above 3 would be illogical without significant evidence of either substantial cultural appropriation incidents or proactive engagement in cultural preservation initiatives.
Safe & Smart Tech
-10
The company reports no known material cybersecurity incidents have affected it.
1
It conducts employee security awareness training and uses end-to-end encryption, tokenization technology, a public key infrastructure, and intrusion detection/prevention systems.
2
The company performs regular vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and third-party assessments.
3
It also states PCI DSS compliance for credit card processing.
4
However, a proposed class action lawsuit alleges the company violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act by using session-replay software to record user website interactions.
5
Another lawsuit alleges I-9 compliance violations, falsified employment documents, and potential violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
6
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
-40
The company has implemented food donation programs, resulting in 8.7 million pounds of food donated to over 600 local non-profits as of May 2025.
1
This is described as an award-winning food recovery program.
2
However, the articles do not provide details on other specific waste reduction initiatives or their overall effectiveness, nor a comprehensive overview of waste management practices beyond this single initiative.