The Guardian
‘Like Saddam opened a Cheesecake Factory’: how did the restaurant end up in a Maga fight over ‘elitism’? 28 October 2026 at 20:41

‘Like Saddam opened a Cheesecake Factory’: how did the restaurant end up in a Maga fight over ‘elitism’?

28 October 2026 at 20:41

Obama has been accused of ‘snobbery’ over his Trump diss, as people rush to defend the restaurant chain’s ‘affordable opulence’

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, a Rolls-Royce stopped at the intersection of Beverly Drive and Dayton Way in Beverly Hills, California. Local people in athleisure walked past Balenciaga, Dior and Prada boutiques, as visitors on Hollywood bus tours ogled nearby Rodeo Drive, where Burberry and Louis Vuitton shops meet at a celebrated street corner.

Up the street, across from the upmarket Erewhon grocery store – home to $21 smoothies – a few diners sat outside an American landmark: the Cheesecake Factory.

NYT > Top Stories
What Does the Cheesecake Factory’s Designer Think of Obama and Trump’s Jabs at His Décor? 28 October 2026 at 20:55

What Does the Cheesecake Factory’s Designer Think of Obama and Trump’s Jabs at His Décor?

NYT > Top Stories

By: Kim Severson

28 October 2026 at 20:55

Long before its baroque décor and class identity became midterm talking points, this durable restaurant chain survived some withering critiques.

The Cheesecake Factory has defined the term “upscale casual dining,” and closely read the psyche and the appetite of the American diner.

The Guardian
Sardinian restaurants ban families from using phones at the table 27 October 2026 at 19:43

Sardinian restaurants ban families from using phones at the table

The Guardian

By: Angela Giuffrida in Rome

27 October 2026 at 19:43

Fifteen establishments join trial scheme to encourage parents and children to talk while dining out

A group of restaurants in Sardinia are banning families from using smartphones and other devices at the table in a quest to encourage conversation.

The initiative, called A tavola senza schermi or At the table without screens, is being spearheaded by Anna Cau, the children’s ombudsman for the Italian island. It is part of a campaign to curtail excessive screen use among children and inspire interaction during meals.