The Cheesecake Factory expands in Charlotte area for its third restaurant
The Cheesecake Factory is expanding with plans for a third Charlotte-area store.
The popular California-based upscale casual restaurant chain filed a building review plan on March 30 for plans at Concord Mills mall.
“We are currently in discussions with (Concord Mills owner) Simon Properties regarding a location in Concord and look forward to signing our lease soon,” Alethea Rowe, a spokeswoman for The Cheesecake Factory, told The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday.
The Cheesecake Factory features more than 250 menu items and more than 30 cheesecakes, according to the company.
The first store in the region debuted in 2002 at SouthPark mall at 4400 Sharon Road. The south Charlotte mall and Charlotte Premium Outlets in Steele Creek are also owned by Simon.
In 2023, a second area location debuted at Birkdale Village in Huntersville. The 9,500-square-foot store hired nearly 300 full- and part-time employees.
The Cheesecake Factory’s plans at Concord Mills
The Concord plan involves converting an existing tenant space from a retail store to a restaurant space, according to the filing submitted by mall operator Simon, based in Indianapolis. It was not immediately known where in the mall the restaurant would go.
It will be a full-service restaurant with a commercial kitchen, bar and bakery service counter, according to the filing. The plan also includes a new mall entry tower and a covered patio.
Simon officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Concord Mills opened in 1999 with 1.4 million square feet. There are 190 stores that includes retail, restaurants and entertainment, including Sea Life Charlotte-Concord aquarium and AMC Theatres.
Recent store openings including Miss A beauty supply shop and Kids Jungle Playground, which hosts birthday parties and is place where kids can play, learn and excercise.
The mall also hosts other events, such as the LuminoCity Dino Safari, an immersive walk-thru experience opening May 6.
The Cheesecake Factory and its brands are expanding
The company expects to open as many as 26 restaurants this year, including up to six The Cheesecake Factory restaurants, six to seven North Italia locations, six to seven Flower Child locations and as many as eight Fox Restaurant Concepts restaurants.
The Cheesecake Factory’s total sale revenue last year was $3.8 billion up from $3.6 billion in 2024, the company reported during its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 annual earnings call on Feb. 18.
The Cheesecake Factory Inc. operates 371 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada under brands including The Cheesecake Factory, North Italia, Flower Child and Fox Restaurant Concepts brand. The Cheesecake Factory also has restaurants in Greensboro, Raleigh, Durham and Greenville, S.C.
This story was originally published April 2, 2026 at 12:29 PM.
