Is The Cheesecake Factory Coming to El Paso?

As El Paso continues to grow, more and more national chains have taken notice. Lately, there's been a surge of restaurants establishing locations around town, or announcing future plans to do so -- most recently Johnny Rockets and Ruth's Chris Steak House.

And now, word on the street is The Cheesecake Factory is looking to open its first restaurant in El Paso. The talk I'm hearing is that the company will open the eatery sometime in the fall of 2016 in Northwest El Paso at the intersection of Resler Drive and Trans Mountain. That's the area where Sierra Providence and Texas Tech are building a new hospital.

But is there anything to the rumor?

I reached out to the company's corporate office for comment, and received the following emailed form-letter statement from Alethea Rowe, senior director of public relations and brand management:

“The Restaurant Development team is always on the look-out for A-1 sites to further grow our Cheesecake Factory brand presence, and all sites that fit our criteria for success will be seriously considered.”

Not exactly a confirmation. So, I asked, is El Paso one of those "A-1 sites"?

"I do not have any additional information to share," was the reply I got. Well, at least it wasn't a flat-out 'no' like the In-and-Out Burger reply.

Generally, company's are non-committal until a lease is signed, even if talks or negotiations are underway. In other words, to paraphrase Jim Carrey's character in "Dumb and Dumber," there's still a chance.

Currently, the closest Cheesecake Factory to El Paso is in Albuquerque.