The Cheesecake Factory Mission Statement

Mission

To create an environment where absolute guest satisfaction is our highest priority.

Vision

Through a shared commitment to excellence, we are dedicated to the uncompromising quality of our food, service, people and profit, while taking exceptional care of our guests and staff. We will continuously strive to surpass our own accomplishment and be recognized as a leader in our industry.

The Importance of The Cheesecake Factory Values and Culture

We have inherited a tradition of excellence that began in 1972 with our founders, Oscar and Evelyn Overton. Their values formed the cornerstones of our culture and continue to define the character and nature of our Company today.

These values guide our behavior, bind us together, and provide a framework for making decisions – defining for us the right courses of action. We set our objectives, formulate our strategies, and judge our results consistent with these values.

Although our Company operates in an ever-changing environment, our values remain constant. They do not shift with time or circumstance, waver under pressure or out of convenience. We must follow and reinforce them in all areas of our business, regardless of position or title.

Dedication to these values will enable us to meet the daily obligation we have to preserve and enhance The Cheesecake Factory name and all that it represents. Defending and upholding these beliefs will guarantee a continuing legacy of excellence for future generations of staff members, guests, and shareholders.

A Passion for Excellence

Passion fuels our commitment to the endless quest for excellence. This passion must permeate throughout our Company. We must think creatively, embrace change and continuously improve upon past accomplishments. We must grow our knowledge, learn from our mistakes and aggressively pursue new ideas and innovations. Though we may be better today than we were yesterday, we are not as good as we must be-come. Our passion drives us to persevere – to meet all challenges with enthusiasm – to achieve the unachievable. We will succeed as a result of our passion for excellence.

Integrity, Respect and Responsibility

We are committed to doing what is right without exception. We must be honest, treat others with respect and dignity and honor our commitments and obligations. Every decision we make and every action we take must follow the highest ethical and professional standards. We will strive to close the gaps between our principles and practices – our actions must reflect our words. Out of a deep respect for all individuals and for the communities of which we are a part, we will treat others as we would like to be treated.

People – Our Greatest Resource

Outstanding people make it all happen – they will lead us towards the future. Each individual’s efforts and skills are necessary to the success of our Company as a whole. Everyone’s contribution is valuable. We are committed to creating an energized, rewarding, safe and healthy work environment where each of us has the opportunity to offer new ideas in an unrestricted manner. Effectiveness increases when we encourage the opinions of others and share responsibilities as a team. We recognize individual accomplishments and provide opportunity for growth as a reward for outstanding performance. When we treat our staff members like our most precious resource and not as expendable commodities, we instill pride, commitment, and a sense of ownership – and make our organization the best it can be.

Service-Mindedness

We are dedicated to unparalleled hospitality and genuine care of our guests. The reason we exist as a company is to provide absolute guest satisfaction. We recognize that we are all linked together in the service process -- that each of us plays a distinct and vital role in delivering The Cheesecake Factory promise of caring service. The entire Company must actively participate and constantly seek service opportunities. A mindset of being "of service" must flow throughout our organization. We have a responsibility to support and serve one another, because ultimately we are all serving our guests.

Dynamic Leadership

As leaders of our Company, we must have dynamic energy and the ability to energize others. We must be open to new ideas from anywhere, have the self-confidence to involve everyone and be able to acknowledge our own shortcomings. We must foster mutual trust, resist bureaucracy, and avoid internal politics. As leaders we are committed to the success of others. We develop highly skilled and motivated teams. We establish clear expectations, give honest feedback and set goals for individuals that tie into the Company’s objectives as a whole. With a clear vision, we inspire people at all levels of our organization. As leaders, we embrace our mission and values and lead by example. We find the balance between head and heart as well as people and profit. Dynamic leadership transforms our vision into reality.

High Performance

We are dedicated to maximum levels of performance and productivity in all areas of our business. To drive the success of our Company, we must set aggressive goals, focus on results and hold ourselves accountable. We will approach our work with a sense of urgency and dissatisfaction with the status quo. We have an obligation to earn a profit in order to remain in business and grow – but it must be "Quality Profit." We must never jeopardize our future for short-term gain. We will balance our need for current earnings with our desire for consistent long-term profitability. We all will be challenged to achieve these goals.