At The Cheesecake Factory, a campaign culture war is blissfully ignored
Conservatives have slammed Barack Obama for mocking a beloved American institution. But is this restaurant really as tacky as Donald Trump’s White House decor?
Trump was triggered. “The White House … is a symbol of America,” he told reporters during a lengthy rant. “It has to be clean. The columns can’t be broken. The bricks can’t be falling off from under the plaster. And for you [Obama] to say it’s a Cheesecake Factory, that just shows why you were a lousy president.”
Moreover, though, Obama’s jibe led Republicans to proclaim that he and the Democrats were elitist and out of touch. Here he was, they argued, mocking a restaurant chain that is enormously popular with middle America – and at the pointy end of an election campaign.
The Cheesecake Factory is a market-leading operation, with some 370 restaurants across the US (not all under the same brand). It’s renowned for its vast menu: you can order pretty much anything – pastas, steaks, burgers, salads and breakfast items – and, of course, multiple varieties of cheesecake.
It’s also a family favourite – not a cheap night out for mum, dad and the kids, but affordable for a regular treat or special occasion. Most mains are under $US30 ($42.50) – a sandwich with fries and a side salad is $US21 or so.
