Ever since Yorkdale Mall announced that popular U.S restaurant The Cheesecake Factory would be opening in November, Torontonians have been dying to get a bite. The restaurant has finally opened their first Canadian location in the Yorkdale Mall on November 21, 2017. Here are 10 things you need to know about it:
Canada joins 18 other Countries
There are 196 Cheesecake Factory restaurants in the U.S., plus 18 international locations including Dubai, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, China, and their newest location marks Canada’s first.
Its gigantic
The restaurant takes up 10,400 square feet of space, including two patios. The interior is Victorian and European-inspired for a casual dine-in experience.
Not JUST Cheesecake
Prepare yourself. You just might have to take some left-overs home as the portions are large and filling, to say the least. Additionally, there are over 250 unique Lunch and Dinner dishes to choose from, including vegan and vegetarian options! “The menu is almost identical to the US, only a few new items differ,” said their Public Relations manager Dean Harrison.
Drown in desserts
The menu has a variety of sweet tooth options with from Warm Apple Crisp, to Fresh Strawberry Shortcake, with even more than 30 varieties of world-famous cheesecakes. The original and Red Velvet are a couple of the popular choices.
You can ship cheesecake AND get a free slice!
That’s right – when you order Cheesecake Factory delivery with DoorDash, you get a free slice of cheesecake of your choice. Additionally, you can ship their legendary cheesecakes straight to your door, or anyone else’s for the perfect gift. If you want to get really festive, make it a slice of their Peppermint Bark Cheesecake!
You’ll want to get in line ASAP
As soon as the news broke out in April that the chain would be coming to Toronto, people instantly wanted to make reservations. Due to high demand, the restaurant is not currently taking reservations. The lines can get pretty congested, so be sure to arrive as early as possible!
They’re on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for”
The Cheesecake Factory has made it to Fortunes preferred employers list for the fourth consecutive year. The company has hired over 300 employees for the new location and had an extensive pre-opening training process to ensure that each and every customer can have a their best experience. “It’s such a positive and fun place to work, and because of how much staff we have, we can provide efficient service,” said Bianca Visca, a server at the restaurant.
Drake loves it, so you should too
Although Drake has yet to visit the Yorkdale location, Drake loves the Cheesecake Factory! In his words, “Why you gotta fight with me at the Cheesecake, you know I love to go there.”
The Buffalo Blasts are to die for
This mouth-watering item on the menu consists of chicken, cheese, and their very own spicy buffalo sauce stuffed into a spiced wrapper and fried until crisp, and served with celery and blue cheese to balance it out. Toronto based lifestyle blogger Daniel Reyes says he was obsessed after the first bite!