This is the No. 1 Dish at The Cheesecake Factory, According to Customers
The Cheesecake Factory is popular for good reason: The nationwide casual eatery chain is iconic for (obviously) desserts, giant portions, kitschy decor, and a 20-page menu that will take you ten minutes just to get through. With over 250 items (made from scratch, freshly prepared every day) to choose from, serving everything from Ahi Poke Nachos to Housemade Meatballs—there really is something for everyone. The fast-casual restaurant space is struggling with high prices and low profits, but Cheesecake Factory continues to grow thanks to customers who know it's one spot where they will get good food and value for money.
So what do people like to order from those 250 menu items?
The Most Popular Dish
There are plenty of contenders for the top spot, but one item that seems to be raved about the most is the Chicken Madeira. This dish is so popular there are endless recipes online for hungry guests who want to recreate the magic at home. Pricing on the Chicken Madeira changes depending on location—for example, the meal costs $28.95 at The Grove in Los Angeles, CA, compared to $24.95 at South Side Works in Pittsburgh, PA.
"Our most popular chicken dish! Sauteed Chicken Breast Topped with Fresh Asparagus and Melted Mozzarella Cheese. Covered with Fresh Mushroom Madeira Sauce and Served with Mashed Potatoes," the restaurant describes the 1,300-calorie fan-favorite.
"This My Go-To Order Every Time"
"Chicken Madeira and the tamale cakes are a MUST," one Redditor said. "If I had to recommend one dish, it would be the Chicken Madeira! Literally the best thing ever. They also have the best mashed potatoes I've had, and the combination of the chicken, sauce and asparagus is just so good, you can't go wrong with this. The chicken is always perfectly cooked. This is my go-to order every time!" another happy guest said via Yelp. "My boyfriend gets this dish and I always steal some of his, I'm definitely going to have to try cooking this at home. I normally order off of the Skinnylicious menu myself but everything at CF is so dang good!" another fan commented on Reddit.
The Most Popular Cheesecake
The most popular cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory is the Fresh Strawberry ($11.95 at the Pittsburgh location and a whopping 1000 calories), which the restaurant says has held the top spot for over 45 years. Special mention has to be made for the Cheesecake Factory brown bread which guests rave over, with one fan saying it's their favorite item on the menu. "You can buy it in grocery stores now and it's amazing 😍," one Redditor shared. "Yes! I buy it at Food 4 Less, I live in So. Cal not sure if those grocery stores are nationwide. But I always buy it when I make pasta," another responded.
One of the Unhealthiest Dishes: The Ahi Poke Nachos
"Although you are likely sharing a plate of nachos amongst at least two of you, this small plate is not small when it comes to calories or sodium. The nachos are high in calories, mostly due to crispy wontons it uses for its base," Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN told us recently. "It is then topped with ahi tuna, which is a healthy ingredient, but then is also topped with sriracha aioli, which is high in fat and saturated fat, too. The sodium for this plate of nachos is also sky high and over the total daily recommended amount of 2,300 milligrams."
One of the Healthiest: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos
"A salad might be your best beet without the dressing or toppings, but if you prefer to have something a bit more filling, these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos are your next best option," says Ehsani. "If you were to split these with a friend, they aren't too high in calories and are relatively low in saturated, and contain a few grams of fiber to help fill you up, as well as a decent amount of protein. With these, you can typically control how much dressing you pour onto your taco or dip your taco into, since it's served on the side. It also gives you some veggies, since it contains beet sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, and lettuce for the shell."
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