Obama likens White House renovations to a Cheesecake Factory amid chain's record quarterly revenue

President Barack Obama, speaking at a campaign event in Cleveland, compared the ongoing White House renovation to a Cheesecake Factory, saying the president had "paved over the Rose Garden, put a helicopter pad on the South Lawn, and there’s gold everywhere." The comment came as the administration pursues a privately funded ballroom project that donors such as Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta and Lockheed Martin have supported.

President Donald Trump responded at Joint Base Andrews, calling the remark a sign of Obama’s poor performance as president, and later defended the restaurant chain at a rally in Mississippi, describing it as a successful company and dismissing the renovation costs as modest. The White House’s official X account posted a mock menu referencing the chain, while spokesperson Davis Ingle told USA Today that no other president has done more to beautify the nation’s interior.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ate lunch at a Cheesecake Factory near the White House and told a Fox Business reporter the restaurant “looks like Darth Vader’s tomb,” referencing the Obama Presidential Center.

The chain’s longtime designer, Rick McCormack, told CNN that the comparison was “a little bit sad” and reflected “the pettiness of politics,” noting that the restaurants do not resemble the White House redesign.

In its earnings release, chairman and CEO David Overton said third-quarter revenue rose 14% to $1.03 billion, with comparable sales up 15.2% and adjusted earnings of $1.02 per share surpassing forecasts. He credited strong brand affinity and social-media engagement for the growth, and noted the company opened six new locations and expects up to 26 openings this year.

The stock, which has more than doubled this year, traded around $108-$110 following the remarks and the earnings report. The Cheesecake Factory did not comment on the political exchange, and the topic was not addressed on the earnings call.