Let Them Reserve Cake

The Cheesecake Factory, that predominantly mall-adjacent dinner destination with a menu as thick as an ad-filled Gutenberg Bible, has decided to allow customers to make reservations on a limited basis, a major change from its previous no-reservations policy. The new system is expected to ease customer frustration over long wait times by setting aside a portion of its tables for guests to reserve in advance.

In paying attention to its customers, and changing the way it operates in order to adapt to their needs, The Cheesecake Factory is keeping their brand customer-focused. 

And that’s a lot of customers! Each year the company sells in the neighborhood of 35 million slices of cheesecake alone in its 206 restaurant locations. (Maybe there’s a partnership opportunity with pants manufacturers and gyms)

It would have been easy to dismiss their problem as the collateral damage to success, but The Cheesecake Factory decided to strengthen their customers’ relationship instead - which will help create Irrational Loyalty with the brand.