The Cheesecake Factory "Awarded" For High-Calorie Meals

By Paige McAtee

The Cheesecake Factory was recognized for having unhealthy and high calorie meals by three of the nine Xtreme Eating Awards for 2014, which were announced Wednesday.

The Xtreme Eating Awards gives out “awards” to the most calorie-dense meals at popular restaurant chains. The annual awards are run by the non-profit, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Out of the nine awards given out, The Cheesecake Factory won three thanks to a brunch item, a pasta dish, and a dessert item. The Cheesecake Factory has 171 chains across the country, with one located in Braintree at 250 Granite Street.

Almost five day’s worth of saturated fat is found in one serving of Bruléed French Toast, according to CSPI. The item, found on the Sunday brunch menu, is a 2,780 calorie plate consisting of custard-soaked bread, topped with powdered sugar and served with maple-butter syrup.

Eating a single slice of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake will cost customers 1,500 calories. In order to burn off the cheesecake, CSPI says customers would need to do four-and-a-half hours of aerobics.

Customers are able to burn off the Chicken and Roasted Garlic pasta dish by taking a five-hour jog, says CSPI. The pasta, made with mushrooms, tomato, peas, and caramelized onions in a creamy sauce adds up to 2,410 calories.

The restaurant has over 200 items on its menu, including a “Skinnyliclious” menu for customers not interested in eating extreme amounts of calories.

“Many of our guests come in and want to celebrate and not be concerned with calories,” said Alethea Rowe, senior director of public relations for the Cheesecake Factory, according to Today.com. “Others want to share their dish – and we love it when guests share – that’s a great sign that our portions are generous – and a large percentage of our guests take home leftovers for lunch the next day.”

The Cheesecake Factory is looking out for its “bottom line while ignoring its customers’ growing bottoms,” says CPSI.

Tell us, will the restaurant’s showing at the Xtreme Eating Awards change the way you eat at The Cheesecake Factory?

Photo: courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory’s Facebook page, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake.