What moved (Jul '25 – Jun '26)
| Metric | Jul 2025 → Jun 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| **Overall:** Preference | 16% → 21% | +5pp |
| **Among 18-34 year olds:** Preference | 17% → 28% | +11pp |
| **Among men:** Preference | 12% → 20% | +8pp |
What's behind the growth
The Cheesecake Factory's brand building has been running loyalty and reach side by side: it's paid dozens of US food and lifestyle creators to post sponsored content pushing its rewards app and menu drops, timed with its first-ever mobile app launch in April 2026, while its Rewards program itself is built to bring people back.
Alongside that, it's kept refreshing the menu twice yearly: marking National Cheesecake Day 2025 with a new flavour and a Rewards half-price offer, then moving from a "Bites" small plates range in autumn 2025 to a Baja Bowl and Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl by spring 2026.
President David Gordon has tied the refresh to maintaining the chain's "compelling value perception."
