The Unhealthiest Menu Items At Cheesecake Factory Gallery

The Cheesecake Factory's menu is more than a little overwhelming — it's basically a book. While they now display the calorie count next to every menu item for your perusal, it can still be difficult to compare all of the options and decide which item you truly crave.

It's surprising to some that the nationwide chain chooses to display the calorie information so readily, since it is also known for its insane calorie numbers. Wouldn't seeing a sky-high number next to a scrumptious-sounding cheesecake deter people from ordering?

Regardless, the chain has managed to attract people far and wide. People may not be frequenting Cheesecake Factory in search of a skimpy meal. And many leave the place full-bellied with an even fuller bag of leftovers. And if you know how to do it right, you can easily make those leftovers come alive from your fridge days later.

Since Cheesecake Factory does not publicize any nutrition information other than their calorie counts, it was impossible to take into account any other nutritional value in this list. However, there are so many other factors besides calories that a person should take into consideration when debating the health of a particular food item. But regardless, these are the menu items with calorie counts most worthy of a gawk at.

We also have a list of the healthiest menu items at the Cheesecake Factory.

This dish seems like it could be healthy — what's wrong with chicken breast and mushrooms? But the buttery wine sauce and heap of bowtie pasta shoot the calorie count of this dish up to 1,810. This dish is definitely not for anyone looking to eat low-carb (not that you necessarily should).

Sautéed chicken, mushrooms, and onions are tucked between layers of penne pasta all smothered in wine sauce — another vegetable dish gone wrong. This meal, similar to the chicken Marsala, also contains 1,810 calories.

Though this is labeled a "platter," it's intended as a meal for one. These deep-fried shrimp come with greasy French fries and mayo-soaked coleslaw. Each platter has 1,860 calories — many of which, we suspect, are from fat.

A thick roll of French bread holds a hefty portion of breaded and cheese-smothered chicken in this outrageous sandwich. There is just one redeeming vegetable — roasted peppers. Even still, this is far from a balanced meal. The Chicken Parmesan Sandwich has 1,920 calories if you can manage to scarf down the whole thing.

Fish and chips is one of the most notoriously greasy and unhealthy dishes around the world. It's served at many chain restaurants, but Cheesecake Factory managed to really up the ante. Their version contains 1,930 calories of fried, tartar sauce-covered goodness.

This may be a salad, but it's far from light. Chicken and avocado are two staples of a healthy diet and go great in lots of nutritious recipes; but pair them with tortilla strips, cashews, and loads of vinaigrette and the calorie total jumps through the roof. This salad has 1,930 calories. However, it's got lots of good-for-you ingredients, so don't feel too badly if you're tempted to order it!

They don't call this meal a "Comfort Classic" for nothing. This meal will keep you cozy and satisfied for hours — or maybe even a whole day. It involves 1,930 calories of sautéed chicken and mashed potatoes, both smothered in gravy, alongside some mushrooms, other vegetables, and buttermilk biscuits. No one ever said Southern food was low-cal!

Here's one secret about your local Chinese takeout joint: Those meals are loaded with sodium and calories. This Chinese-style dish follows in that tradition — it's 2,040 calories per order. The chicken is paired with green onions, roasted cashews, and white rice. Don't bother swapping for brown rice. If you're ordering this dish, you're going all in.

Carbonara is known for being creamy, rich, and indulgent — but Cheesecake Factory may have taken things too far. Their bacon-filled carbonara is 2,160 calories of creamy, buttery pasta if you order it with chicken.

Anything smothered in Cheesecake Factory's roasted garlic-parmesan cream sauce is bound to be tempting to some, but a calorie bomb. In addition to the thick sauce, the pasta is mixed with pancetta, peas, caramelized onions, chicken, mushrooms, and tomato for a grand total of 2,170 calories.

Eating shrimp is a great way to load up on lean protein — unless you fry it. The fried shrimp alongside the other portions of this dish push it over the edge. The Bistro Shrimp Pasta is 2,190 calories and contains crispy battered shrimp, fresh mushrooms, tomato, and arugula tossed with spaghetti and a basil-garlic-lemon cream sauce. Of course, there's nothing wrong with treating yourself to something greasy and creamy every now and then. But if you're looking to lighten up on your saturated fat, this dish is not your friend.

Spicy foods can boost your metabolism, and this dish is on fire. But we doubt it revs your metabolism up fast enough to account for all 2,210 calories in this pasta dish. All those calories come from parmesan-crusted chicken served over pasta with mushrooms, peppers, and onions in a spicy New Orleans sauce.

Typical advice for ordering healthy meals at a restaurant always includes, "Avoid the Alfredo!" Here's why. That creamy sauce loads your pasta with fat and extra calories. If it's your favorite dish, go for the splurge. But if you're wondering, the Cheesecake Factory's version contains 2,230 calories.

There is nothing "little" about this dish. Maybe that's why they kept it in quotes — order it and 2,280 calories of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn succotash will arrive at your table. We wonder if it tastes anywhere near as good as the best fried chicken in America — it better, for that calorie count!

This may be an appetizer, but it's definitely not small. The Factory Nachos are so loaded with toppings that they have enough calories and fat to keep you full for days. These tortilla chips are covered — and we mean covered — in multiple types of melted cheeses (though, not as many as this record-breaking pizza), spicy chicken, guacamole, red chile sauce, sour cream, jalapeños, green onions, and salsa. The grand total? 2,800 calories. Looking for something a little lighter? You might want to check out the healthiest items at the Cheesecake Factory for a guide to a lower-calorie order.

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