I visited The Cheesecake Factory for the first time to see why sales are skyrocketing, and I was disappointed by mediocre food at high prices

Zoe Miller/INSIDER

• I visited a Cheesecake Factory location in Rochester, New York to see why it's so popular.
• I was excited about the extensive menu, but most of the dishes were just okay at best.

I've never been to The Cheesecake Factory before, but sales are booming and I wanted to see why, so I went to a location near Rochester, New York.

The Cheesecake Factory in Rochester, NY.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

My photos don't convey the scale - the building itself is absolutely massive, with a huge, full parking lot next to it.

The parking lot was packed.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

About 10 of the spots closest to the entrance were reserved for picking up to-go orders. They were almost the only open spots in the entire parking lot.

To-go pickup area.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

To-go orders grew during the last year and a half, and other casual chains have also gotten in on the trend.

To-go pickup area.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Cheesecake Factory also had a recently paved path added for delivery drivers to enter through the side door and pick up orders.

The path for delivery drivers.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The outdoor seating was all in use, thanks to an unseasonably warm October.

Outdoor seating area.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The front door of The Cheesecake Factory is huge and ornate. It immediately communicated everything I needed to know about the chain - it's unnecessarily large, a weird mishmash of different styles, but somehow appealing.

Cheesecake Factory entry way.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Even the menu, posted outside, meets this description.

Menu on display.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

On the inside, the doors are framed by two large columns.

Giant doors and columns.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

They're impossible to ignore, and immediately let you know what to expect from this restaurant.

The columns and decor are impossible to ignore.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The columns are "Egyptian style," inspired by designs the founder saw in a London bathhouse.

The columns and decor are impossible to ignore.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Source: Eater

The tops of the columns are inspired by palm trees, with palm fronds.

The columns and decor are impossible to ignore.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Other columns have different designs, with carved faces near the top.

Column.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Floors are French limestone, according to the designer.

Tiles.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The rest of the restaurant looks like a complement to the columns. There are ceiling beams, dark wood, and hanging, warm-toned lights.

Cheesecake Factory interior.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The bakery with the namesake cheesecake is one of the first things you see after entering.

Bakery section.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

A glass display case shows off some of the many, many varieties the restaurant has.

The cheesecakes.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

More individual slices are in a refrigerator behind the counter.

The famous cheesecakes.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Past the bakery, we finally got to the host stand, where we learned it would be a 20 to 30-minute wait for a table, though it was a Monday night.

Hostess stand.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

We weren't the only ones waiting. Several other groups sat on benches in the entryway and right outside the door.

Benches to wait for a table.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Hardly anyone was wearing masks besides a few servers, and there was a sign on the hostess stand explaining the restaurant's air filtration system.

Air filtration system explanation.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

While we waited, I gladly took the opportunity to look around the restaurant and take in the busy, opulent decor.

The interior is massive.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Everything was big and decorated in something that feels like Renaissance art meets Egyptian motifs, even the light fixture over the entrance.

An extremely ornate light fixture.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

I was most struck by how massive the interior was. Rows and rows of tables seemed to go on endlessly, all full of customers.

The booths just keep going.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The restaurant is mostly dark inside, which makes all the giant lights pop even more.

Cheesecake Factory interior.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

All of the other decor has to be similarly large to match the scale of columns and high ceilings, like planters with trees and extremely tall booths.

Cheesecake Factory plants.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

We were seated after about 30 minutes and given menus that looked more like small books.

Menus.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The menu is absolutely gigantic and starts with a full-page introduction to the chain.

The massive menu.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

I didn't count because it would have taken all night, but there were easily hundreds of options on the menu.

Joe reading the menu like a book.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

There are two full pages just of appetizers, plus another page of small plates.

The massive menu.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

As if that wasn't enough, there's another smaller menu insert of "Skinnylicious," low calories dishes.

The massive menu.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The gigantic menu is especially striking in comparison to chains I recently visited, like Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse, that used the pandemic as an opportunity to streamline menus with fewer options.

The massive menu.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Source: Insider, Insider

We started with drinks, a pineapple Moscow mule. It came with a generous slice of pineapple, which I loved.

Cocktail.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Next up, the waitress brought over two types of bread.

Two kinds of bed.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

It was delicious, but I've learned through my chain dining adventures to pace myself on the bread because portions tend to be large.

Bread and butter.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

I knew before we even arrived that I wanted to try the fried mac and cheese balls, which I've heard multiple friends rave about. The server told me they're very popular with DoorDash and Uber Eats orders.

Fried mac and cheese.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

They didn't disappoint, with a creamy gooey inside and crunchy fried breading over marinara sauce.

Fried macaroni and cheese.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

But, at $13 for an order of four, they're quite pricey.

Fried mac and cheese.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Service was slow, presumably because of how busy the restaurant was.

Hamburger meal.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

My fiance Joe got a hamburger, known as a Glamburger at The Cheesecake Factory.

Hamburger.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

He said it was good, covered in a yummy cheese sauce that burst out the sides when he took a bite.

Cheese from the burger.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The burger was quite large, a decent deal for $16.

Glambuger.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

It also came with a hefty serving of fries, which we split.

French fries.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

I ordered the Cajun jambalaya pasta, which contained chicken, shrimp, and vegetables over linguine.

Cajun Jambalaya pasta.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The shrimp was great, but the sauce wasn't as spicy as promised.

Shrimp.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

It tasted good, though I couldn't help but think of what other things I wished I'd ordered instead.

Linguine.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The portion was huge though, which I appreciated for leftovers.

Cajun Jambalaya pasta.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The fries were probably the best part of the meal, which I wasn't expecting.

Fries and ketchup.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The check came out to $69.50 before tip, which I thought was a bit expensive for what we got.

Receipt.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

I see the appeal of The Cheesecake Factory after my first visit. It's extravagant, and large, and options feel endless for different types of cuisines.

Pasta entree.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Unfortunately, those aspects are also Cheesecake Factory's weaknesses. It's trying to do too much, instead of doing a few types of food well. There are hundreds of options, but at least the ones we tried were just okay.

Hamburger toppings.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

If I'm craving pasta, I'd rather go to Olive Garden, and if I'm craving a burger or steak, I'd pick Texas Roadhouse. Cheesecake Factory has the options, but none of them seem to be the best.

Glamburger.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Sales are up 150% over 2020, and nearly 10% over 2019. Even though I thought it was mediocre, clearly Cheesecake Factory is doing something right.

The plate when we were done.      Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.