Business & Tech

Cheesecake Factory Opens Today

Here's a preview.

The Cheesecake Factory’s much anticipated opening is today, but 1,300 people enjoyed a preview this week, as The Cheesecake Factory employees practiced their jobs in two days of training with guests, to try to work out the biggest kinks before paying customers arrive.

Patch was invited to one of several preview meals held on Thursday and Friday, so I took my 10-year-old son Max, a junior photographer for Patch, to give you a look inside before it opens.

The restaurant at The Mall at Short Hills is 10,000 square feet of wood and marble, mosaics and candles, and the dining room seats up to 277 guests. The bakery area has dozens of cheesecakes and other desserts, a full bar and windows into the kitchen.

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It also has a lot of employees.  It “has brought 279 new jobs to the Short Hills area,” according to Christie Stewart, a Cheesecake Factory spokeswoman.

One of those jobs was the one our waitress, Margie Jennings of Linden got. Jennings did a great job as our server, but said she really hadn’t known what to expect at the preview.

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“I’ve never been part of an opening before and it’s fun, but stressful,” she said after bringing us our meal -- Thai Chicken Wraps and Mediterranean Mahi Mahi and a classic burger for Max and Key Lime cheesecake we shared.

Duane Gunn of Indiana, who trains employees around the country prior to opening day, was training Jennings.

“I have to admit, I was scared about how today was going to go,” he said. “But this staff is great, and when I leave I’ll be leaving Short Hills in very good hands with this crew.”

The woman sitting next to us, Joanie Hoffer of Montreal, lucked into the training session by happenstance. She had been visiting her daughter and grandchildren in Summit and decided to spend some time at the mall. While at Macy’s some employees told her the restaurant had invited employees throughout the mall to lunch. So she went and, while hoping to get in, a guest came in with an extra invitation so the hostess gave it to her.

“I come see my daughter often and had been watching the progress and was curious to see it. I'm leaving on Monday and would have missed it if they didn't let me in," she said. "It’s beautiful. I can see why people were looking forward to it.”

She ordered sun-dried tomato and avocado egg rolls and herb crusted salmon. As with all the orders, her portions were big enough to share and still take home a doggie bag.

Beginning today, July 18, The Cheesecake Factory will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Cheesecake Factory at The Mall at Short Hills will join the 150 other Cheesecake Factories in the United States with 70 flavors of cheesecake.

“It was great. I liked the cheesecake," said Max, who didn't know he liked Cheesecake until now. "Next time I want to only have the cheesecake though,” Max said. “I can’t eat a burger that’s the size of my head!”

Junior photographer Max Goldstein took most of the pictures for this article.


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