8-K

================================================================================

                       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):
                                 January 7, 2004


                       THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


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

                                26950 Agoura Road
                        Calabasas Hills, California 91301
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

              Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                 (818) 871-3000

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

================================================================================







ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS

     On January 7, 2004, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated issued a press
release entitled "The Cheesecake Factory Announces Executive Officer
Promotions." A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.


                                       2




                                   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:    January 7, 2004          THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED



                                  By:  /s/ GERALD W. DEITCHLE
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Gerald W. Deitchle
                                       President


                                       3




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

      Exhibit            Description
- ---------------------    -------------------------------------------------------
        99.1             Press Release dated January 7, 2004 entitled "The
                         Cheesecake Factory Announces Executive Officer
                         Promotions."


                                       4

EX-99

                                                                  Exhibit 99.1

    The Cheesecake Factory Announces Executive Officer Promotions

    CALABASAS HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2004--The
Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (Nasdaq:CAKE) proudly announces the
following executive officer promotions.
    Michael Dixon has been promoted to the position of Senior Vice
President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Dixon, 41, joined the
Company in 2000 as Vice President, Finance and Controller after
several years in finance and business development with The Walt Disney
Company and nine years with the international accounting firm of
Coopers & Lybrand. He is a CPA and holds BS and MS degrees from the
University of Michigan. In his expanded role, Dixon will assume full
responsibility for all financial, accounting and internal control
activities for the Company. As CFO, Dixon succeeds Jerry Deitchle, who
will continue his duties as corporate President. "I am very pleased to
pass the CFO baton to a financial executive of Mike's caliber,"
commented Deitchle. "Both David Overton, our Chairman and CEO, and I
are confident that Mike will do an excellent job in his expanded role,
supported by our talented and experienced financial team, solid
balance sheet, state-of-the-art systems and strong financial
flexibility."
    Also promoted was Debby Zurzolo to the position of Executive Vice
President, Secretary and General Counsel. Zurzolo, 47, joined the
Company in 1999 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. From
1982 until joining the Company, Zurzolo practiced law at Greenberg
Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP in Los Angeles, California. As
a partner with that firm, Zurzolo represented the Company on various
real estate matters. She will continue to lead the Company's in-house
legal department and manage all of the Company's legal affairs. "Debby
has added significant value to our Company as our General Counsel, and
we are fortunate to have her on our senior management team," said
Overton.
    The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated operates 73 upscale, casual
dining restaurants under The Cheesecake Factory(R) name that offer an
extensive menu of more than 200 items with an average check of
approximately $15.78. The Company also operates a bakery production
facility that produces over 50 varieties of quality cheesecakes and
other baked products for the Company's restaurants and for other
leading foodservice operators, retailers and distributors.
Additionally, the Company operates three upscale casual dining
restaurants under the Grand Lux Cafe(R) name in Los Angeles, Chicago
and Las Vegas; one self-service, limited menu "express" foodservice
operation under The Cheesecake Factory Express(R) mark inside the
DisneyQuest(R) family entertainment center in Orlando, Florida; and
licenses three bakery cafe outlets to another foodservice operator
under The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe(R) name.

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
and that undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the dates on which they
were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statements or to make any other
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise unless required to do so by the securities
laws. Investors are referred to the full discussion of risks and
uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements contained in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    CONTACT: The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
             Jane Vallaire, 818-871-3000