TORONTO — The highly anticipated Cheesecake Factory opened today at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The first Canadian location of the popular U.S. chain covers more than 10,000 sq. ft. of space at the upscale Dufferin Street and Hwy. 401 mall and features two covered patios.
On Nov. 17, the restaurant — which features imported limestone floors and custom wood columns, hand painted murals and modern lighting — opened its doors to friends, family and media as part of a training exercise to get its 301 new staff up to speed on the 250-item menu — not to mention the more than 50 cheesecake varieties available.
The chain, which has 210 locations in the U.S. and another 18 internationally, brought in staff from its U.S. stores to help its Canadian counterparts learn the ropes. Guests were treated to appetizers such as the Eggroll Sampler, featuring Avocado, Tex Mex, Crispy Cuban and Firecracker Salmon varieties; choice of entrée, including the Smokehouse BBQ Burger and the California Cheesesteak; and a selection of cheesecake.
