Think Twice About Ordering Cheesecake At A Steakhouse

Having dinner at a steakhouse rarely disappoints. Meat cooked at a nice restaurant always seems to taste better than a homemade version, and the large cuts often dwarf what we usually make for ourselves. So, after the meal is over and you're feeling happy and full, when the server asks if you want dessert, you decide you still have a little room left for something sweet. But while you're considering what to get, you may want to think twice about ordering cheesecake.

The popular dessert is a common sight on steakhouse menus. But international culinary expert and chef Adonis Ouano Icalina thinks it's time for it to go. He told Food Republic, "Every restaurant has it, and it's always the same. Dense, dry, and just ... boring. Unless we're talking about a really unique twist on the classic ... then no, I wouldn't waste my calories on it."

Icalina didn't reject all steakhouse after-dinner treats, enthusiastically mentioning crème brûlée and chocolate cake. But his complaint about poor quality and lack of variety often rings true for dessert menu items in general, and not only at steakhouses. It's not widely known that some restaurants aren't making their own desserts, but are buying them frozen wholesale. One Redditor who said they'd worked for many years in the industry wrote that "90% of restaurant cheesecakes come from Costco." Of course, we can't confirm that statistic; however, cheesecake has a delicate taste and texture, and when it's commercially produced and frozen, it can certainly taste flatly sweet and feel more block-like than lusciously creamy.

Many restaurants lack the budget for a dedicated pastry chef; typically, only high-end establishments can afford a staff member solely for desserts, where patrons are willing to pay a premium for them. In addition to sourcing them wholesale, restaurants will sometimes have nearby bakeries make their desserts, which are typically better quality. Or they'll have line cooks whip up simple desserts at the beginning of their shift for the day's service, which aren't likely to be anything beyond the most basic.

Restaurants make a decent profit on wholesale frozen items like cakes and pies, which don't cost much and are then sold to customers by the slice. But at the same time, if they're busy and people are waiting for tables, they actually often prefer that you don't order dessert. They can make more money from a table of new patrons ordering full meals than from a lingering party having coffee and a treat.

If you're at a high-end steakhouse or restaurant that has a reputation for good desserts, or you know has a pastry chef, go ahead and order the cheesecake or anything else sweet you want. Otherwise, consider picking up a treat from the store on the way home, or making your own special rendition — like a ricotta and cherry cheesecake — ahead of time so it's waiting when you get there. You could also give your night a second act and head to a bakery for something you know was made fresh.