8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

December 8, 2016

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Delaware	0-20574	51-0340466
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

26901 Malibu Hills Road

Calabasas Hills, California 91301

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(818) 871-3000

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14.d-2(b))

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

ITEM 5.02        DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS

On December 8, 2016, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee recommended, and the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (the “Company”) subsequently approved, the appointment of Edie A. Ames effective, December 14, 2016 to fill the vacancy following an increase to the number of seats as described in Item 8.01 below. Ms. Ames will stand for election at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

ITEM 8.01        OTHER EVENTS

On December 9, 2016, the Board increased the number of directors from six to seven, effective December 14, 2016 in accordance with the Company’s By-Laws.

ITEM 9.01        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(d)            Exhibits

99.1     Press release dated December 13, 2016 entitled “The Cheesecake Factory Appoints Edie A. Ames to Board of Directors”

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date:    December 13, 2016	THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY
	INCORPORATED
	By:	/s/ W. Douglas Benn
		W. Douglas Benn
		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
		Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit	Description
99.1	Press release dated December 13, 2016 entitled “The Cheesecake Factory Appoints Edie A. Ames to Board of Directors”

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Stacy Feit
	(818) 871-3000
	investorrelations@thecheesecakefactory.com

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

APPOINTS EDIE A. AMES TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Calabasas Hills, Calif., December 13, 2016 – The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ: CAKE) today announced the expansion of its Board of Directors from six to seven members and appointed Edie A. Ames, 50, to the Company’s Board of Directors as an independent member, effective December 14, 2016.  The addition of Ms. Ames expands the number of independent Board members from five to six.  Ms. Ames also will serve on the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board and will stand for election at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

“Edie brings 30 years of restaurant industry experience across the casual dining, fast casual and fine dining segments,” said David Overton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated. “Her extensive operational expertise and leadership will be valuable additions to our Board.”

Ms. Ames currently serves as President of The Counter® and BUILT® Custom Burgers where she oversees company-owned operations and supports the growth of its franchise businesses. Prior, she held numerous leadership roles, including Executive Vice President of Wolfgang Puck Catering, Chief Operating Officer of both Real Mex Restaurants and Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, as well as President of Morton’s Restaurant Group. Earlier in her career, she spent 11 years at California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. where she held positions of increasing responsibility.

About The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated created the upscale casual dining segment in 1978 with the introduction of its namesake concept. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates 208 full-service, casual dining restaurants throughout the U.S.A. and Puerto Rico, including 194 restaurants under The Cheesecake Factory® mark; 13 restaurants under the Grand Lux Cafe® mark; and one restaurant under the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen® mark. Internationally, 15 The Cheesecake Factory® restaurants operate under licensing agreements. The Company’s bakery division operates two bakery production facilities, in Calabasas Hills, CA and Rocky Mount, NC, that produce quality cheesecakes and other baked products for its restaurants, international licensees and third-party bakery customers. In 2016, the Company was named to the FORTUNE Magazine “100 Best Companies to Work For®” list for the third consecutive year. To learn more about the Company, visit www.thecheesecakefactory.com.

FORTUNE and 100 Best Companies to Work For® are registered trademarks of Time Inc. and are used under license.  From FORTUNE Magazine, March 3, 2016 ©2016 Time Inc. FORTUNE and Time Inc. are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated.

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The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

26901 Malibu Hills Road, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301 · Telephone (818) 871-3000 · Fax (818) 871-3100