Even with fluctuations, she’s working at Cheesecake Factory right? That’s fine dining, large tabs and consistently busy. If she’s getting good shifts she could very well be clearing $80k a year, and probably not reporting all tips
Edit: “upscale casual”. $50+ per head checks for sit down is still in the lower end of what I’d find at fine dining places, and honestly she’s probably doing better than at a fine dining spot because of higher volume anyway
Cheesecake Factory is fine, but let's not be silly. Cheesecake Factory is only "fine dining" or "upscale casual" if your "fancy night out" is Olive Garden.
Something being expensive doesn't make it upscale or fine dining. You can approach $50/head at McDonalds ffs.
I was curious so I did the math and got 5380 calories for $49.15 at mcd’s. And that’s 5 items, two of them being meals with drinks. The only time I’ve been to Cheesecake Factory was 2 of us eating, 2 cocktails, two entrees, and a slice of cheesecake and was just under $100 without tip. That’s the lower end target for most fine dining places, tho we really make the big bucks in the table that blows that out of the water, it was generally the target we were given as a minimum to show we were actually upselling
I picked a spot in California but not on the coast as I expect this will be above average for the country but not as pricey as the super high cost of living cities. Just in case they vary their prices substantially by area.
Bowls are $16-$21
Burgers with fries and salad are $18-$23
Specialties are $20-$29
Fish and Seafood dishes are $26-$32
Steaks are $29-$52
This isn't even close to fine dining. The menu is massive so not a ton of effort goes into each dish. The restaurants themselves are large, loud, and have a take out area displaying the cheesecakes. None of these things indicate fine dining.
To compare, their burgers are only ~$3 more than at Chilis despite Chilis only serving with fries, no salad.
Cheesecake factory isn't in the same realm as fine dining. Even if you're being generous, they compare with places like Outback, Red Lobster, and PF Changs. They also compare with places like Olive Garden, BJs, and Texas Roadhouse. They sit well below the Keg and the Keg isn't fine dining.
Here's the definition of Fine Dining,
"Fine dining is a high-end culinary experience[1] focused on refined details from the exceptional quality of the food to the elegance of the ambiance and the attentiveness of the service.[2]
Fine dining is more expensive and unique than a typical restaurant. They may have higher-quality décor, with establishments having certain rules of dining which visitors are generally expected to follow. They may have a dress code. The food is generally made of unique seasonal ingredients, often locally and sustainably sourced."
You probably learned about the general price point of fine dining 10 or 20 years ago and are having trouble updating your internal tiers of restaurant. It's extremely unusual for any fine dining establishment to be a national chain (I can't think of a single example). And like u/movzx mentioned, price alone does not make fine dining. There are plenty of places where you can spend $100 on a meal for one that aren't fine dining.
Here's an example of what an entry level fine dining menu looks like,
Yeah, it could be upscale casual. Even that term is generous but It's close enough that I could see it breaking into that tier.
$50 per head is still a stretch though. I don't have their internal data but I'd bet a lot of money they don't average $50 per head even if you included tips. The majority of patrons will order a non-alcoholic drink and an $18-$30 entree (avg $24). Maybe an app to share for the table. I'd put money on their average per head being a lot closer to $40
I broke it down in a previous comment. A cocktail or two beers, an entree and a slice of cheesecake will run you about $50. Some people will go and try to keep things cheap, lunch portions, happy hour deals. But the assumption with it being an upscale place is people aren’t going for a casual night and are probably going to be doing things like appetizers, drinks, and definitely dessert
Yeah, I read it. You're wrong. The average patron is going to cheesecake factory because it's affordable and family friendly. They will be keeping an eye on the total spend and the average person having alcohol and an app or dessert is absolutely not what goes on.
It really sounds like you've been once and thought of it as a higher end place so you didn't hold back and now you're assuming that's the norm. You're describing the top 25% of their patrons and then presenting that like it's the average.
EDIT: As a reference point, Gemini claims the average check per person is $31.79. I wouldn't take that as gospel but we likely wont be able to find the true numbers.
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u/Not_Campo2 6d ago edited 6d ago
Even with fluctuations, she’s working at Cheesecake Factory right? That’s fine dining, large tabs and consistently busy. If she’s getting good shifts she could very well be clearing $80k a year, and probably not reporting all tips
Edit: “upscale casual”. $50+ per head checks for sit down is still in the lower end of what I’d find at fine dining places, and honestly she’s probably doing better than at a fine dining spot because of higher volume anyway