‘They Literally Cut It In Half’: North Carolina Man Orders Red Velvet Cheesecake For $13 From The Cheesecake Factory. Then He Notices Something Unusual

Customers are sounding the alarm about what they say is a dramatic change at the Cheesecake Factory—and it’s not just about the prices.

Multiple diners claim the restaurant chain’s iconic cheesecake slices have become just another item lost to shrinkflation.

Are Cheesecake Factory Slices Shrinking?

In a viral video with more than 910,000 views, a man known as King Meel (@kingmeel93) shared his disappointment after ordering what he expected to be a generous slice of red velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.

“I’ve been getting word that there has been a dramatic shrinkage in The Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecake slices,” he says in the TikTok.

King Meel  said that he was “flabbergasted” and “disgusted” when he first hear the news, but ddn’t quite believe it.

Determined to see for himself, King Meel ordered a slice for pickup. Before opening the bag, he shared his expectations based on past experiences.

“The last time that I had a slice, the slice was so big, and it was such a blessing,” he says. “And that container, that hard, strong container with the black bottom with a just a luscious piece of cheesecake, that’s what I remember.”

But when he opened the bag, his disappointment was immediate.

The restaurant had switched from its signature sturdy black-bottom container to a clear plastic one—and the cheesecake inside appeared noticeably smaller.

“I’m appalled. I’m flabbergasted,” he says.

King Meel examines the $13 slice closely, noting multiple changes.

“This is missing some inches in girth,” he says. “You shrunk the cheesecake dramatically. You changed the case dramatically. Did you change the recipe?”

After tasting it, he confirms his suspicions. “This isn’t the red velvet cheesecake that I remember at Cheesecake Factory,” he says.

Not The Only One

King Meel isn’t alone in his observations. In a video with more than 139,000 views, content creator Toya (@toya_ona) expressed frustration after ordering what appeared to be a noticeably thin slice of triple berry cheesecake.

“Y’all see that, right? Y’all see how skinny this piece is? I take one piece off the top; half of it’s done,” Toya says.

Toya suggests the downsizing is a deliberate business decision that doesn’t benefit the consumer.

“This is a, like, what, company-wide mandate? Skimp the people. Don’t give them a full slice of cheesecake. Give them half of a cheesecake,” she says.

She notes that the portion sizes seem inconsistent, sharing that there are days you might get a solid slice and days when it’s smaller.

“When I get cheesecake, I expect it to be a big fat piece of cheesecake. I’m not thinking about calories at that moment. You better give me everything you got,” she says.

Despite her frustration, she admits the change won’t stop her from returning.

“Am I gonna stop eating this triple berry cheesecake? No. But y’all not right. Right is right. Wrong is wrong,” she says.

Reddit Users And Employees Weigh In

The complaints aren’t limited to TikTok. According to Delish, customers have been voicing similar concerns on Reddit, with one viral thread questioning whether the Cheesecake Factory has been skimping on portions.

“The last couple of times I got a slice of cheesecake, it was about half the size of the usual slice. Have others continued to experience smaller slices?” one Redditor wrote.

The comments flooded in with confirmations. “They’re definitely smaller,” one user wrote. “I remember getting massive slices and not being able to finish them in one sitting, having to split it up over a day or two. Now, they’re gone in minutes! Kinda disappointed.”

According to Food Republic, the issue appears to be part of a broader trend known as “shrinkflation”—when food portions shrink while prices stay the same or increase. The phenomenon has hit popular foods at stores like Costco and menu items at chains like Subway.

While the Cheesecake Factory has not officially addressed the matter, some current and former employees offered different explanations online.

Some blamed poor management at certain locations and misaligned cutting machines that accidentally slice smaller wedges. Others claimed the machines are purposely set to cut smaller pieces to get more slices from each whole cheesecake.

Some employees maintained that workers are instructed to dispose of undersized slices rather than serve them to customers.

But another former employee said the shrinkage is intentional.”

I have not been affiliated with Cheesecake Factory for a couple of years[,] but around the time I was leaving they were reducing portion sizes of the food they made in-house,” the former worker said, according to Food Republic. “It wouldn’t surprise me if they were also reducing portion sizes on their [cheesecakes] in the factories.”

Commenters React

“Ok?! It used to be hefty and last 2-3 days,” a top comment read.

“$13 ….. they increased the price and the slice got smaller,” a person said.

“I worked in the bakery of the Cheesecake Factory a few months ago and they told us the slices were going to get smaller and that guests would probably say something, and to just deny it,” another wrote.

“I can vouch as an avid Cheesecake Factory veteran… That is half a slice….” a commenter added.

BroBible reached out to King Meel and Toya via email and TikTok direct message for comment, and to The Cheesecake Factory via email.