I had never been to a Cheesecake Factory until last week when I met some friends for lunch. I have heard passionate arguements about why The Cheesecake Factory is great and also why it is a horrible place to dine. I walked through the doors of the restaurant with a handful of preconcieved notions about my experience, none of which turned out to be entirely true. Yes, the restaurant tries to be everything to everyone, which turns me off to a certain extent. I found myself struggling to get through the book-like menu quickly enough to place my order in a timely fashion. I ended up ordering a chicken salad sandwich, which in all honesty was pretty good. Not the greatest I have ever had, but solid. I felt the same way about my friends items that they so graciously let me try. All in all, the place is over the top, but it can satisfy many different tastes with portions big enough for two meals. Don't forget to have a piece of cheesecake, it is in the name after all.