Cheesecake Factory vs Grand Lux Cafe

[TheNoodleIncident]

can anyone comment on the differences between Grand Lux and Cheesecake Factory? i know they are both owned by the same company, and that there are similarities on the menu....also know that the portions are huge, and the menu has lots of variety

basically, im being taken to one of them for my birthday, and want to know if the food is significantly better at either, approx. price range for each, and if the difference in price is worth it....I guess price is my main question - they said they don't mind spending a few dollars, but i wouldnt want to waste other people's money any more than my own

[Andy M.]

Both restaurants have websites with menus.

I have been to the Cheesecake Factory but have never heard of a Grand Lux, let alone one in my area.

[TheNoodleIncident]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Both restaurants have websites with menus.

true, but neither have prices

i believe that grand lux has far fewer locations....ive heard that it is supposed to be a touch more upscale than CF, but ive also heard that they are very similar....from the one time i was in one, it does look a bit fancier

hopefully someone has been to both

[Andy M.]

You ma be able to judge the prices from the higher class decor and the menu items.

[Michael in FtW]

Well, according to their website FAQ - the prices at the Grand Lux Cafe range from $4.95 to $28.95. According to the FAQ for the Cheesecake Factory, their prices range from $4.95 to $27.95. While this is not a complete list of prices for each item on their menus it does give you a general idea of what their prices are like - and they really look comparable to me.

If you want to know the price of a specific item on their menu I'm sure they would be glad to tell you if you give them a call.

[TheNoodleIncident]

thank Mike, that does help....i missed that on the site

my guess would be that GL may have a few more items at the higher end of the scale, but either way they are very close....no need to call, just wanted to get an approximation

now, is there anyone that has been to both and can comment on the quality and selection of food?

[crankin]

I have been to both Grand Lux Cafe (GLC) and Cheesecake Factory (CF) and have enjoyed Grand Lux much more, every time. The only possible excuse I could see for going to CF over GLC is if you want a huge selection of cheesecakes. GLC has some cheesecakes, but not nearly as many as CF, despite being the same company. However, GLC has some really excellent "bake-to-order" desserts. You have to order them at the same time as your entree to be ready. The chocolate cake of those is by far the best and is outstanding. (I actually prefer these, because after eating a piece of CF cheesecake, I sort of feel like vomiting it's so rich.)

It also depends on what type of food you'd want. I think GLC has way better seafood options. GLC also has better sides, in my opinion. While CG might serve you mashed potatoes and over-buttered broccoli, GLC has mashed sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, and other good sides.

If you like salmon, the cedar plank salmon at GLC is really delicious. Substitute mashed sweet potatoes for the onion rings... any restaurant can make onion rings. The sweet potatoes are really good.

Well anyways. I'd recommend GLC over CG in a heartbeat. It just feels like a nicer place (and is). Go there. Prices are comparable to CF but the experience is better.

At CF, it seems like you are just given mounds of food.

At GLC, you still get mounds of food, but it seems like they care more and put more thought into what is there.

PS: What location, out of curiosity? Seeing as there are very few GLCs, ... maybe I've been to the one you'd visit.

[TheNoodleIncident]

exactly what i was looking for! we were lening towards GLC, and your post pretty much locked in that idea

im on long island - we actually have two CFs about equal distance from us, and one GLC at Roosevelt Field Mall....ive never seen another GLC, but this one is quite impressive looking, with a nice outdoor seating area (though i doubt we will be taking advantage of that tonight)

[Andy M.]

Report back on the meal. We'd like to know more!

[TheNoodleIncident]

will do!

[TheNoodleIncident]

so here is my quick review of Grand Lux Cafe in Garden City, NY:

first of all, the place is very big and impressive looking....huge ceilings, fancy decorations, semi-dim lighting - sort of like Cheesecake Factory, but a tiny bit more elegant and European (which is apparently what they were aiming for)....it sort of gave me the feeling of being in a nice hotel in Vegas or some other vacation hot spot (also appropriate, because I think the first one was modeled for a Vegas hotel)....you could spend half the meal just looking around

pricing - i'd say the majority of entrees were $16 - $24, with salads and sandwiches/burgers being a bit cheaper....so not outrageous, but a bit more than your average chain

service was pretty good....a little slow to get our main course, but the GM came by and apologized, and it didn't bother us much anyway....waitress was friendly and helpful....one thing that was nice is that when walking around, if you ever came to an intersection at the same time as a member of staff, they would always let you go first, even if carrying something...also, when i asked a random busboy where the bathroom was, he actually walked me over to it, instead of just pointing (may have something to do with the fact that the place is pretty big)....small touches, but nice

food - LOTS of choices....almost too much, but not quite.....i ordered the veal saltimbocca (or something like that) - thin strips of veal topped with prosciutto and fontina cheese, then coated in parmesan breadcrumbs and pan fried till a bit crispy, served over pasta....very good portion....i honestly didnt love it....it was very tasty, just sweeter than i expected....it also left me feeling very full and gross, even though i didnt even finish, but having some bread (good, btw) and a large beer may have had something to do with that....my wife loved her chicken - i dont remember which dish it was, but it was pounded thin until it was literally the size of the plate....it was the most tender piece of chicken i have ever had, no joke....father in law seemed to very much like his pot roast

we also ordered two of the "baked to order desserts" - a chocolate melting cake, and the french beignets ....the cake was as good as any i have had (easy to find that just about anywhere nowadays) and the beignets (you get like 6 HUGE ones) were surprising light compared to carnival zeppole....those came with three dipping sauces - dark chocolate was good and tasted just like the choc melting cake, whiskey cream was the best one, and the raspberry was tasty though i preferred to just dip my spoon in that one instead of the beignet

so, overall, i would say it was a very good meal (and not only because it was free!)....its perfect if you want an impressive atmosphere, a slightly more upscale experience, above average but decent prices, and the consistency of a chain...i would def go again, but i think i want to go back to Cheesecake first to really compare the differences....i wouldnt order what i got this time, largely because they have so many other choices that looked good, and partly because it didnt blow me away

feel free to ask questions

[pua.melia409]

i have only ever been to the cheesecake factory but there is a mall nearby to me with bot restaurants and cheesecake factory is always the more busy of the two

[CookLikeJulia]

I think they're subsidiaries, almost the same but differentnames and slightly different menu/prices nevertheless, they're sisters!