Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies	4. Commitments and Contingencies On April 11, 2013, a restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the California Superior Court, Placer County, alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by requiring employees to purchase uniforms for work (Sikora v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No SCV0032820). A similar lawsuit covering a different time period was also filed in Placer County (Reed v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc. et al; Case No. SCV27073). By stipulation the parties agreed to transfer the Reed and Sikora cases to Los Angeles County. Both cases (Case Nos. SCV0032820 and SCV27073) were subsequently coordinated together in Los Angeles County by order of the Judicial Council. On November 15, 2013, the Company filed a motion in Case No. SCV0032820 to enforce a prior judgment precluding certain claims and to preclude the prosecution of certain claims under the California Private Attorney General Act and California Business and Professions Code Section 17200. On March 11, 2015, the Court granted the Company’s motion. The parties are scheduled to participate in voluntary mediation in June 2015. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments. On November 26, 2014, a former restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by failing to pay overtime, to permit required rest breaks and to provide accurate wage statements, among other claims. (Masters v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No 37-2014-00040278). By stipulation, the parties agreed to transfer Case No. 37-2014-00040278 to the Orange County Superior Court. On March 2, 2015, Case No. 37-2014-00040278 was officially transferred and assigned a new Case No. 30-2015-00775529 in the Orange County Superior Court. The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of fees, penalties and other monetary payments on behalf of the plaintiff and other purported class members. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments. On January 14, 2015, a former restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by failing to permit required meal and rest breaks, and to provide accurate wage statements, among other claims. (Garcia v. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, et al; Case No 37-2015-00001408). On February 19, 2015, the Company filed an ex parte application to stay the litigation pending a hearing on the Company’s motion to compel arbitration. The Court granted the Company’s application, stayed the litigation, and set a hearing on the motion to compel arbitration in July 2015. The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of fees, penalties and other monetary payments on behalf of the plaintiff and other purported class members. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments. Within the ordinary course of our business, we are subject to private lawsuits, government audits, administrative proceedings and other claims. These matters typically involve claims from customers, staff members and others related to operational and employment issues common to the foodservice industry. A number of these claims may exist at any given time, and some of the claims may be pled as class actions. From time to time, we are also involved in lawsuits with respect to infringements of, or challenges to, our registered trademarks and other intellectual property, both domestically and abroad. We could be affected by adverse publicity and litigation costs resulting from such allegations, regardless of whether they are valid or whether we are legally determined to be liable. At this time, we believe that the final disposition of any pending lawsuits, audits, proceedings and claims will not have a material adverse effect individually or in the aggregate on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. It is possible, however, that our future results of operations for a particular quarter or fiscal year could be impacted by changes in circumstances relating to lawsuits, audits, proceedings or claims.

4. Commitments and Contingencies

On April 11, 2013, a restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the California Superior Court, Placer County, alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by requiring employees to purchase uniforms for work (Sikora v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No SCV0032820). A similar lawsuit covering a different time period was also filed in Placer County (Reed v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc. et al; Case No. SCV27073). By stipulation the parties agreed to transfer the Reed and Sikora cases to Los Angeles County. Both cases (Case Nos. SCV0032820 and SCV27073) were subsequently coordinated together in Los Angeles County by order of the Judicial Council. On November 15, 2013, the Company filed a motion in Case No. SCV0032820 to enforce a prior judgment precluding certain claims and to preclude the prosecution of certain claims under the California Private Attorney General Act and California Business and Professions Code Section 17200. On March 11, 2015, the Court granted the Company’s motion. The parties are scheduled to participate in voluntary mediation in June 2015. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

On November 26, 2014, a former restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by failing to pay overtime, to permit required rest breaks and to provide accurate wage statements, among other claims. (Masters v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No 37-2014-00040278). By stipulation, the parties agreed to transfer Case No. 37-2014-00040278 to the Orange County Superior Court. On March 2, 2015, Case No. 37-2014-00040278 was officially transferred and assigned a new Case No. 30-2015-00775529 in the Orange County Superior Court. The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of fees, penalties and other monetary payments on behalf of the plaintiff and other purported class members. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

On January 14, 2015, a former restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by failing to permit required meal and rest breaks, and to provide accurate wage statements, among other claims. (Garcia v. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, et al; Case No 37-2015-00001408). On February 19, 2015, the Company filed an ex parte application to stay the litigation pending a hearing on the Company’s motion to compel arbitration. The Court granted the Company’s application, stayed the litigation, and set a hearing on the motion to compel arbitration in July 2015. The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of fees, penalties and other monetary payments on behalf of the plaintiff and other purported class members. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

Within the ordinary course of our business, we are subject to private lawsuits, government audits, administrative proceedings and other claims. These matters typically involve claims from customers, staff members and others related to operational and employment issues common to the foodservice industry. A number of these claims may exist at any given time, and some of the claims may be pled as class actions. From time to time, we are also involved in lawsuits with respect to infringements of, or challenges to, our registered trademarks and other intellectual property, both domestically and abroad. We could be affected by adverse publicity and litigation costs resulting from such allegations, regardless of whether they are valid or whether we are legally determined to be liable. At this time, we believe that the final disposition of any pending lawsuits, audits, proceedings and claims will not have a material adverse effect individually or in the aggregate on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. It is possible, however, that our future results of operations for a particular quarter or fiscal year could be impacted by changes in circumstances relating to lawsuits, audits, proceedings or claims.