A woman’s passion for her job at the Cheesecake Factory has TikTok viewers seeing the restaurant in a new light. In a viral video, Harlee Jo (@harleejo20) reveals the ins and outs of working at a chain that is known for its extensive menu and, well, plethora of cheesecake choices.
What’s it like working at Cheesecake Factory?
Harlee Jo, who is a server training for management, begins her video by stating some facts about the Cheesecake Factory’s iconic menu.
“Everything that we have on our menu is literally made from scratch,” she says. This includes all of their dressings and sauces. She continues that everything is made to order, even the French fries. Harlee Jo says the prep team arrives at 6am and works “nonstop” throughout the day. They have to since the restaurant has over 250 menu items.
The famous bread: The Cheesecake Factory’s complimentary bread basket is arguably what it’s best known for (aside from the cheesecake). Contrary to popular belief that the brown bread is chocolate or rye, Harlee Jo says it’s simply wheat bread. While the basket comes with both sourdough and wheat bread slices, Harlee Jo says the brown is the most popular. Her favorite, though, is the former.
The menu names: Harlee Jo says each menu item that has a name–like Linda or Evelyn–are named after people who are special to the CEO, David Overton. For example, Evelyn is his mom’s name and she was the one who started the cheesecake company.
Great place to work: Harlee Jo says the chain restaurant has been on Forbes’ Top 100 Places to Work for several years. However, it’s more likely Harlee Jo is referring to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list, which indeed includes the Cheesecake Factory. The year 2025 marks the 12th consecutive year that the Cheesecake Factory made that list. According to Harlee Jo, it is quite difficult to make the list
“I think that says a lot about how they run their company, how they treat their employees,” Harlee Jo says.
Employee benefits:
The TikToker says the employee benefits at the Cheesecake Factory apply even to part-time workers. They only have to work at least 25 hours a week to qualify. These include health insurance (including dental and vision) as well as legal services.
The iconic cheesecakes: to the admiration of many, Harlee Jo says all the cheesecakes are handmade. She does note that they’re made at their California factory, then flash frozen before being sent to each location.
They take plating seriously: If you’ve ever wanted to split a dish with a friend or significant other at Cheesecake Factory, the answer will be no. Harlee Jo says this is because the restaurant is particular about how plates are presented. “They are very particular about…how our products look,” Harlee Jo says. “It’s also how we identify the food…we have to be able to tell them apart.”
Call-out policy: At other restaurants, calling out can be frowned upon or at the very least, make it seem like you’re inconveniencing the rest of the staff. At Cheesecake, however, Harlee Jo says you are allowed to call out up to four hours before the start of your supposed shift. “You can’t get written up,” she says. This is nice if you have kids or family emergencies, she adds.
Harlee Jo concludes her clip by saying she loves her job. She also can’t wait to see where “things take [her] with the company.”
Cheesecake Factory has some new fans
Several viewers were in awe at the seemingly rare pros of working in a restaurant. Many vowed to visit the restaurant after Harlee Jo shared that everything is made from scratch. One viewer even claimed to have becoming a “Cheesecake Factory STAN” after the video.
“So what ur saying is that Cheesecake Factory is like the Costco of the restaurant industry for their employees,” one top comment read. Costco is famously known for treating its employees well.
One viewer compared Cheesecake to other restaurants that were lacking in quality. “And to think you have 250 items from scratch and you have a company like Panera Bread where it a quarter of the amount and most things are outsourced,” they wrote.
More than a few were “influenced” to work at the Cheesecake Factory. Others who claimed to have worked there chimed in as well.
@harleejo20 things you may or may not know about The Cheesecake Factory from someone who works there and loves their job! ??? #fyp #foryou #cheesecakefactory #serviceindustry #server #funfacts #forbes ♬ original sound – Harlee Jo
What did Fortune have to say?
In its listing as one of the Best Places to Work For, the certification stated that “88% of employees at The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated say it is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.”
As one commenter on Harlee Jo’s video put it: “Cheesecake Factory manager here too!!10 years with the company and 5 as a manager. Definitely one of the best companies I’ve worked for even when I was a staff member!”
The Mary Sue reached out to Harlee Jo via TikTok message and to Cheesecake Factory via email.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
