Exhibit 5.1

140 Scott Drive

Menlo Park, California  94025

Tel: +1.650.328.4600  Fax: +1.650.463.2600

www.lw.com

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June 15, 2021

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

26901 Malibu Hills Road

Calabasas, California 91301

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-256963); 3,593,750 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the offering of up to 3,593,750 shares (including up to 468,750 shares issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”). The Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on June 10, 2021 (Registration No. 333-256963) (as so filed and as amended, the “Registration Statement”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers, and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by the form of underwriting agreement filed as an exhibit to the Company’s current report on Form 8-K dated June 15, 2021, the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the DGCL.

June 15, 2021

Page 2

 

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s current report on Form 8-K dated June 15, 2021 and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP