Cheesecake Factory Prepares to Open on Wednesday

Local business owners, residents and mall employees got a sneak peek of The Cheesecake Factory at the Quaker Bridge Mall on Friday and Saturday.

It was also an opportunity for employees to get some final on-the-job training before the restaurant opens to the public on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

The restaurant is a big undertaking, with room to accommodate 293 diners and featuring a 200-item menu, plus a bakery and bar.

“We expect more than 10,000 people a week,” said restaurant manager Scott Bender who most recently managed the Freehold location and launched the Bridgewater Cheesecake Factory before that.

Bender will oversee about 250 employees at Quaker Bridge Mall, including 43 cooks, although only about nine cooks will work on a given day, he said.

The kitchen features stations for salad, pizza, broiler, fry, pasta and sauté.

Despite the enormous menu, Bender said what sets The Cheesecake Factory apart is its focus on fresh ingredients. The restaurant will receive six produce deliveries a week and four deliveries of other food supplies throughout the week.

Bender said he expects the Route 1 location will be tremendous, noting the high volume of traffic and the recent improvements at the mall.

The mall recently announced the addition of several new retailers, including Michael Kors, Sephora, Sur La Table, Pandora, Teavana, H&M, Ann Taylor, and Brighton Collectables.

"I think it's a phenomenal location for us," Bender said.

The new restaurant is located the west (Route 1) side of the mall adjacent to the mall entrance located between the Macy’s and J.C. Penney department stores. It is on the side of the entrance opposite from the Lawrence Grill.

This will be the restaurant chain's eighth New Jersey location and includes an 8,644 square foot dining room and a 1,517 square foot patio.

The restaurant will be open the following hours beginning Sept. 19: Monday – Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.