Activist calls for Cheesecake Factory to join boycott movement

As the “Economic Blackout Tour” continues to mobilize Americans against corporate giants, a growing number of companies are finding themselves in the crosshairs of consumer activism. Organized by The People’s Union USA, the campaign has targeted corporations over tax avoidance, labor practices, and the recent rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Target, General Mills, and McDonald’s have already been subjected to scheduled boycotts, with Walmart’s next boycott slated for May 20–26 and Target’s from June 3–9. The movement, which bills itself as nonpartisan and grassroots, is urging Americans to halt spending at major corporations on designated blackout days and instead support small and local businesses.

“The less we give them, the more power we take back,” reads a statement from the group’s website.

The People’s Union USA says the tour will continue through July, culminating in an Independence Day boycott on July 4. While the campaign has drawn mixed reactions from corporate spokespeople—some of whom insist on their companies’ charitable and economic contributions—financial reports suggest the boycotts are having an effect. Target’s CEO, Brian Cornell, cited consumer backlash over DEI pullbacks as one contributing factor to a nearly 4% dip in quarterly sales.

While major brands attempt damage control, one outspoken critic believes another target has gone unnoticed: The Cheesecake Factory.

Tad Crater, an unaffiliated activist and part-time dishwasher union liaison, has called for a full boycott of The Cheesecake Factory, citing what he describes as “anti-human dining conditions masquerading as ambiance.”

“It’s not just the lighting,” Crater told Alpine 6 Action News. “It’s the phonebook-sized menu that reads like the lost gospel of Guy Fieri. Nobody needs this many pasta variations.”

Crater says the sheer size of the menu, combined with dim lighting and what he alleges is “a symphony of clattering plates and booming ‘Smooth Jazz Chill’ playlists,” creates an environment of chaos, not comfort. He has issued a petition titled Consolidate or Else, demanding the restaurant chain streamline its offerings.

Cheesecake Factory CEO Jim Cheeseykake has publicly defended the menu and dismissed Crater’s concerns.

“The Cheesecake Factory has something for everyone, and who are we to determine what people want?” Cheeseykake said in a statement. “People want to stuff their face holes with the most absurd desserts ever thought up by God, man, or our Lord Satan. What can you wash that cake down with? Why just about every food ever made, you smooth-brained fucks.”

Cheeseykake emphasized that the restaurant was founded on the principle of excessive choice and has no intention of backing down.

“We were built on this hill of abundant menu options, and by god, we will die on it.”

Though not yet formally included in The People’s Union USA’s schedule, Crater’s call for a Cheesecake Factory boycott is beginning to attract attention on social media, where supporters are posting grainy photos of the menu under flashlight apps and using the hashtag #MenuTooLong.

Whether or not Cheeseykake’s fortress of fried mac-and-cheese balls will be breached by the Economic Blackout movement remains to be seen. But as corporations from Bentonville to Silicon Valley face mounting pressure, one thing is clear: the American consumer has rediscovered the power of saying no—with their money.