Customer Orders Cheesecake Factory’s Iconic Dessert — Notices Something Unusual About the Slices
The Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecake spans a hazardous journey before making its way onto the baker’s shelf. The alien-looking machines take over the cake batter, which is then baked till it’s hot and puffy, to blast it with oils, creams, and dollops of flavored creams. The machines assault the cheesecake until it is perfectly glazed and enrobed in irresistible charm. But recently, these inanimate machines have been mysteriously gobbling up portions of the eatery's signature cheesecakes. What else could be the reason for dwindling cheesecake sizes, as fans like u/Fancy---Wolf have pointed out?
u/Fancy---Wolf, the Reddit user, recently shared a post, expressing discontent after noticing that the cheesecake they ordered from The Cheesecake Factory was too small for its usual size. “The last couple of times I got a slice of cheesecake it was about half the size of the usual slice,” they wrote in the post, adding that, “What is more disturbing is that the calories per slice listed on their website have not changed, which would make one assume they should be getting the same size of slices,” they added.
They also shared some pictures of their cheesecake placed above an induction stovetop. Sitting in The Cheesecake Factory’s “sad, half-empty” plastic box, the to-go piece appeared to be the eatery’s Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple cheesecake. This is not the sole signature cheesecake that the snack brand sells. Its website lists dozens of flavors, including mango key lime, toasted marshmallow, cinnamon swirl, caramel pecan turtle, lemon meringue, chocolate mousse, banana cream, red velvet, and more. For this fan, the enticing flavor lost its appeal when they noticed the shrinking size. “Has anyone noticed a change in the slice sizes?” They asked.
As it turns out, they are not the only ones to have noticed this trend. Lately, tons of The Cheesecake Factory’s customers have discovered the same pattern, something they’ve attributed to “shrinkflation.” “The cheesecakes used to have 8 slices in each, now it's 12 slices for each,” commented u/Weekly_Blood7315. Many pointed out that this is not unusual. The slices got smaller years ago. “Slices are definitely smaller, I noticed this years ago. I remember you could easily split a piece, and you would get plenty. Now it’s like two or three bites each,” said u/DolphinDarko.
The post also prompted a deeper discussion on shrinkflation. People contemplated how the portion sizes of snacks are becoming smaller while the prices continue to rise. “It’s called shrinkflation. And coupled with inflation makes for a terrible combo,” said u/AmongSheep. In an earlier post, Reddit user u/BeachyMagic shared the same concern, “Well, shrinkflation got me. I went to The Cheesecake Factory for a slice of cheesecake, and it was small.”
u/Sure-Its_Isura listed some top restaurants, bringing attention to how their popular appetizers are becoming costlier while the prices soar. “Not just them. Every company's been doing it subtly. Boston market gives smaller proportions. My Wendy’s burgers are less filling. My Arby's sandwiches are getting less meat. Cliff bars are now 4 or 5 to a box when they used to be 6. Little Debbie mini muffin cakes are 5 to a box now, not 6. Certain poultry and cheese are being scaled down by an ounce or 2 on packages that are small. All of this while prices rise.” In a wrap, the mystery of machines secretly polishing off the cheesecakes remains unsolved.