The Cheesecake Factory – Kuwait
I just got an email from a reader called Nawaf saying that The Cheesecake Factory will be opening up at The Avenues phase III. The owners will be both a Kuwaiti and a Saudi, the Saudi being the same owner as The Cheesecake Factory in Saudi Arabia. I hope this turns out to be true although I doubt it since according to The Cheesecake Factory website:
Franchise Information
Thank you for your interest in The Cheesecake Factory. Our full-service restaurants are Company owned and operated. We currently do not offer franchises or joint venture opportunities and have no plans to do so in the future.
Also under locations on the website it doesn’t list Saudi Arabia although. I am guessing because the Saudi branch isn’t a “full-service” restaurant but just an outlet that sells only cheesecakes its not listed on their website? Here is a picture of one of the Saudi Branches. [Picture]
Update: I emailed The Cheesecake Factory asking about their Saudi and Kuwait branch and I got the following generic response:
Thank you for your interest in The Cheesecake Factory.
We are flattered that you feel that our brand would be a success in Kuwait. Our plan at this time however, is to focus on growing our brand within the continental United States and Hawaii, rather than other markets. We wish you the best of luck with your endeavors and hope that you will have an opportunity to dine with us again sometime soon!
Thank you for contacting us and have a wonderful day!
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37 Comments, add your own...
1. moose | October 28th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
no way… why kuwait?
2. Pediatric Dent | October 28th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
excluding the dessert , The Cheesecake factory is only an expensive TGI Fridays. Plus, it is always overcrowded .
3. croco rock | October 28th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Mark, I heard that the Saudi one is fake (?)…..kinda like that “Virgin” hairdresser outside Marina Mall, they just took the name.
4. J.J | October 29th, 2008 at 12:07 am
its true …they will open in Kuwait but only selling Cakes like the one in Suadi Arabia. Not the Actual Resturant.
5. 3anooda | October 29th, 2008 at 12:12 am
MAN I NOW HAVE A REASON TO COME TO KUWAIT
I HEART Cheesecake Factory bas laish mub il ma63am?? the food is SOOO good
6. Patrick | October 29th, 2008 at 12:15 am
w00t. Something to get excited for. Finally.
7. Ghaith | October 29th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Cheesecake factory is one of the best restaurants ever ! i love the one in downtown chicago ! the food is amazing and its NOTHING like friday’s
i hope they open a full functioning restaurant, i even tried to get a franchisee but i got similar response to the one u got mark :)
8. Ghaith | October 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am
something else … we need olive garden in here … I also tried that and got similar response :( corporate owned and opertated
9. Weiner | October 29th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Only cheesecake there are more than one that tried to bring the restaurant to Kuwait. And i mean stockholders in the cheesecake factory which goes under the name CAKE. But only cake will sound really great. Better than getting krispy kreme…. I hope it will be the original not the fake because i know some saudi and they are here in the united states and trust me they say its not the same. We will wait and see
10. zaydoun | October 29th, 2008 at 1:20 am
The only one I’ve been to is the one in downtown Chicago… below average food similar to any number of American franchises. Expect the usual suspects: Bland nachos and quesadillas… tasteless pasta… rubbery burgers.
The cheescakes kick ass though…
11. zaydoun | October 29th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Olive Garden??? You call that Italian?? Seriously??!! It’s just one step above the godawful Johnny Carino’s
12. Sheep | October 29th, 2008 at 2:28 am
my dad sent cheesecake factory an email mark about a year ago.. and got the same exact response you did :P
13. holla | October 29th, 2008 at 2:35 am
Stupid brand not opening in kuwait? OMFG ITZ THE END OF THE WORLD
14. Yazeed | October 29th, 2008 at 7:51 am
in saudi they sell cheesecakes only, dont know if it is the original brand or just a knockoff
15. Yousef | October 29th, 2008 at 7:56 am
They won’t be opening the full service restaurant in Kuwait. My friend emailed them a year ago and got the same exact response. The one in Saudi only sells cheesecakes, not the full service restaurant.
16. Randy | October 29th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Too good to be true. Best Cheesecake Factory I’ve been to is at Houston’s Galleria. Food & atmosphere is awesome. Headed that way in three weeks :-)
17. dj_will | October 29th, 2008 at 9:07 am
why such a utopian attitude in that e-mail they sen tu :P
18. bazaar | October 29th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Zaydoun, I totally agree with you. Olive garden is simply horrific. And Cheesecake Factory is only known for the huge portions they serve which perfectly suits the ‘ fat yanks in shorts and white socks’ crowd. Their cheesecake is good, but certainly not the best. They are just another TGIF,Applebees,Carinos,Ruby Tues,Chilies with another name.
That said, Im sure if they opened here they would do very well since we have ‘fat yanks’ syndrome here in the Middle East.
Mark, I too share the dream that Wendys might someday come back to these shores…
19. shaima | October 29th, 2008 at 10:26 am
I love Wendy’s :( i actually when i was in state i ate it as if i never eat food … the best junk food ever are Wendy’s & Arbey’s .. am really sad that they closed Fudds for a Lebanese restaurant :s it was my favorite place for the breakfast in weekend :(
20. Adrenaline | October 29th, 2008 at 11:00 am
The US is interested only in the oil business at this region, so save ur efforts and only contact British companies….oh i forgot Al Shaya got them all.
I contacted like 20 US Franchises and got the same answer, only one said yes and still nagging but i was not really interested in them i just wanted to check http://www.fruitflowers.com/
21. pearls | October 29th, 2008 at 11:04 am
did you send them the flickr link
22. Bu Bader | October 29th, 2008 at 11:23 am
chan zain bs walla atwag3a mu cheesecake Factory eb kobra ra7 telga ta7t el brand ( Mestwrad mn cheesecake Factory b5a6 9′3eer methel ele bl khobar ) ya5ale 3nda el cheesecake 3adi lmdat 3 months bl thlajat ele bl ma5zan 3enda ..cheesecake Factory w7ta victoria secret ma ydshoon lekuwait (its for the same owner)
23. naserm | October 29th, 2008 at 11:39 am
alsayer group already set up a deal with the cheese cake factory, they will provide the cheese cake factory cheese cakes through their caribou outlets, currently they r in the testing phase.
24. Qutaiba | October 29th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Long time ago (7 years ago), a Kuwait Food company contacted Cheesecake Factory and they responded that they don’t have plans for our region yet. But they offered (accepted) just a cafe style of cheesecake factory, and not the full menu. The Kuwaiti company rejected the offer and insisted on the full menu !!!
So now I guess what is going to open in Kuwait is the “cafe”style menu.
25. Realist | October 29th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
If you love the food, get the franchise of Nexxt, which is a copycat set up up by an ex cheesecake factory chef. Overall, they both suck, but for a country that worships tgif, chillis, and all other crap places, it should work.
http://www.thenexxtcafe.com/
Go Forest Go
26. zaydoun | October 29th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
If there’s a such a demand for Cheesecakes, would a home-grown business started here in Kuwait and specializing in cheesecakes be a big hit? Probably not, because the lure of the franchise is more powerful. And Cheesecake Factory depends on its other food offerings to make money..
If y’all want decent cheesecakes in Kuwait.. Lorenzo is one option, and Zahra Cafe of course is in a league of its own with its fresh – preservative free – cheesecakes. Heaven!
27. Mark | October 29th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Well choowy goowy started making cheesecakes and you need to book one like 2 days ahead because they’re always sold out. so i guess there is a market.
28. L.K. | October 29th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I want Legal Seafood from BOSTON my beloved city … :(
And really pure mexican restaurants not american-mexican..
29. Nouf | October 29th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
For those that have facebook, this place claims to be selling the Cheescake factory cheescakes:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32323014085&ref=ts
30. FoRZa_iTaLia | October 29th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Maybe the original Cheesecake in USA see it as free advertising in Kuwait & Saudi Arabia, & once they decide to open it up in Q8 or KSA, then they can legally take over the business (cuz they’re entitled to it) & they can open up the full service & on top of that the food & cake will be fresh instead of frozen :)
and isnt this the same company that made it in the news this summer regarding a Male VS Male rape incident inside their shop where the managers ignored it instead of intervening?
i suppose there’s no such thing as bad publicity..!!
31. kwt23 | October 29th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Honestly, The Cheesecake Factory is beginning to lose its touch. (at least here in Columbus).
32. DiabloQ80 | October 30th, 2008 at 7:54 am
The Cheescake Factory (Owned by the Saudi) in the Kingdon of Saudi Arabia is fake. After endless attempts to get the franchise into the Middle East, The Saudi businessman raplicated the entire restaurant to the door knob. He even build the largest Cheesecake restaurant and cafe in the world. The one they are bringing to Kuwait is just a duplicate of that. Don’t get your hopes up – We tried to franchise that SOB but no luck. Its entirely owned by the cooperation and only in the USA. you would think they would at least franchise it in Canada or Europe before it actually come to kuwait :)
33. ilsul6ana | October 30th, 2008 at 10:20 am
I went to the cheesecake factory KSA…its only for Cheesecake! they just called it the cheesecake factory!..it been in KSA for more then 5 years i think!
34. ilsul6ana | October 30th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Yaaa also kwt23 is right there food is not that tasty anymore, but they still have good cheesecakes.
35. stan | October 31st, 2008 at 5:25 pm
dude, id love to have ur schedule. You must have a lot of time on ur hands to investigate restaurant openings…
36. meqnaqi | November 2nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
My favorite dish is “Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp”
37. Q80 In Denver | November 6th, 2008 at 3:08 am
Hey I emailed Cheesecake factory about the Saudi Store and it looks its valid!
Thank you for your interest in The Cheesecake Factory. At this time we do not have any plans to expand internationally. Our current focus is on growing our brand within the continental United States and Hawaii, rather than other markets.
We did license our name and products to a company in Saudi Arabia many years ago. While this has been very successful, we are not currently looking to expand this venture.
Thank you for contacting us and have a wonderful day!
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