Cheesecake Factory 401(k) Plan

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated 401(k) Plan covered 5,907 total participants with 2,674 holding account balances at the end of the 2024 plan year, and held $96.9 million in net plan assets per the Form 5500. Fidelity Investments Institutional serves as recordkeeper, with Global Retirement Partners, LLC acting as investment advisor. The fund menu is direct (Pattern A) and includes a Vanguard target-date series, Fidelity index funds, several actively managed equity and bond mutual funds, and the Morley Stable Value collective investment trust. Effective October 1, 2024, the Plan was amended to permit Roth contributions.

Participants: 6,408 Plan assets: $96,872,347 Plan number: 001 Form 5500 plan year: 2024 Last verified: Jun 10, 2026 View Form 5500
Match
4% Match
Vesting
Participant contributions are immediately vested; Company matching and profit-sharing contributions vest over a five-year period based on years of service.
Investment Options
28 funds
Plan Size
$96,872,347

By Zac Murphy, CFA charterholder and CFP professional. Published June 10, 2026. Verified against Form 5500 plan year 2024.

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Fund lineup

Fund Asset Class Type
MORLEY STABLE VALUE FUND Stable Value Other
Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2070 Fund Target-date Index
Fidelity® 500 Index Fund US Large Cap Index
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund US Mid Cap Index
Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund US Small Cap Index
Fidelity Total International Index Fund International Equity Index
Fidelity® U.S. Bond Index Fund US Bonds Index
JPMorgan Large Cap Growth Fund US Large Cap Active
American Funds American Mutual Fund US Large Cap Active
JPMorgan Small Cap Growth Fund US Small Cap Active
Victory Integrity Small Cap Value Fund US Small Cap Active
Vanguard International Growth Fund International Equity Active
DFA Emerging Markets Fund Emerging Markets Active
Dodge & Cox Income Fund US Bonds Active
PGIM High Yield Fund High Yield Bonds Active
PIMCO Real Return Fund TIPS Active
DFA Real Estate Securities Fund Real Estate Active

Why our allocations use only index funds

The actively managed funds in this plan cost more per year than the plan's index funds, which run roughly 0.02% to 0.06%. Decades of research on long-term active fund performance do not support reliable outperformance net of fees, which is why the allocation ideas below may consider using only the low-cost index options.

Employer match

Match summary
50% match on the first 4% of eligible pay
Match cap 50% of pay
Effective match rate 4%
Vesting Participant contributions are immediately vested; Company matching and profit-sharing contributions vest over a five-year period based on years of service.
Waiting period Six months of service and attainment of age 21.
$
Contribute this much to capture the full match
50% of your eligible pay, every paycheck.

50% match on the first 4% of eligible pay Contributing less than 50% of your eligible pay leaves part of Cheesecake Factory's match unclaimed.

What the match is worth at your pay After 1 year of service, contributing 50%
Annual pay Your contribution Employer match Total to 401(k)

Estimates assume a constant salary and the match formula shown above. Your actual match depends on your plan's exact terms.

The cost of contributing only --%

On a $60,000 salary, contributing just half the match threshold would leave about -- in employer match unclaimed each year. Invested over 20 years at a hypothetical 7% annual return, that forgone match could have grown to roughly -- (a hypothetical illustration, not a projection). The match is the highest-return contribution you will make all year.

Sources

  • Plan metadata (employer, participants, assets, plan year): Form 5500 annual return/report, plan year 2024 -- view filing
  • Summary Plan Description (SPD) and fee disclosure (404a-5), where available from the plan administrator.

This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice, nor a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Information is drawn from public Form 5500 filings and plan documents and may be incomplete or out of date. You may consider consulting a qualified professional and confirming all details with your plan administrator before making decisions. Waterfall Planning is not affiliated with Cheesecake Factory.

Find your risk profile

Answer 13 questions to see which allocation fits your situation.

Question 1 of 13

Risk assessment methodology based on Grable, J. E., & Lytton, R. H. (1999). Financial risk tolerance revisited: The development of a risk assessment instrument. Financial Services Review, 8, 163-181.

Allocation ideas

Five sample mixes built from this plan's funds, from conservative to growth. Take the assessment above to see which one fits your risk profile.

Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Conservative
Conservative

Capital preservation with minimal market exposure, built from bonds and stable value.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity® U.S. Bond Index Fund 70%
MORLEY STABLE VALUE FUND 30%
0% stocks / 100% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Income & A Little Growth
Income & A Little Growth

Mostly bonds with a small stock sleeve for modest growth.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity® U.S. Bond Index Fund 49%
MORLEY STABLE VALUE FUND 21%
Fidelity® 500 Index Fund 19%
Fidelity Total International Index Fund 8%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 3%
30% stocks / 70% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Balanced
Balanced

A classic 60/40 split of stocks and bonds.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity® 500 Index Fund 39%
Fidelity® U.S. Bond Index Fund 28%
Fidelity Total International Index Fund 15%
MORLEY STABLE VALUE FUND 12%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 6%
60% stocks / 40% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Growth & Income
Growth & Income

Stock-heavy with a bond cushion for a long horizon.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity® 500 Index Fund 52%
Fidelity Total International Index Fund 20%
Fidelity® U.S. Bond Index Fund 14%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 8%
MORLEY STABLE VALUE FUND 6%
80% stocks / 20% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Growth
Growth

All stocks for maximum long-term growth potential, with higher short-term volatility.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity® 500 Index Fund 65%
Fidelity Total International Index Fund 25%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 10%
100% stocks / 0% bonds
Stay on track

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  • What your match is really worth
  • How to keep costs low with index funds
  • Plan updates when your filing changes

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These allocation ideas are educational illustrations built from this plan's available funds and a standard risk-tolerance assessment. They are not personalized investment advice or a recommendation, and risk tolerance is only one factor in an investment decision. You may consider consulting a qualified professional before making changes to your account.