Cheesecake Factory jumps on the 'skinny' ship

Of the many restaurants jumping aboard the segmented-menu trend featuring lighter or healthier options, Cheesecake Factory is perhaps the most surprising, and also perhaps the most satisfying.


Cheesecake Factory has long been criticized for being slow to release their nutrition information to the public.  Among diners and nutrition buffs, their nutrition analysis has acted as the holy grail of restaurant nutrition--if you get ahold of it, you would be among the few and far between.  


Nowadays, not only does the chain make all nutrition available at the point of purchase, they are also releasing a "SkinnyLicious" menu , featuring 15 entrees under 590 calories and 12 appetizers under 490.  As remarked by USA Today, "This move by Cheesecake Factory is the cosmic equivalent of Chuck E. Cheese adding a quiet zone."


That might be so, but the high-grossing restaurant chain is confident in its decision.  "It's something America wants," says CEO David Overton. "When you're in this business, you have to please as many people as you can."


And the people have spoken: they want healthier options on the menu, even if only to be able to fit in some cheesecake after dinner.