Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Carango Keith
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
05/01/2018
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC [CAKE]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
26901 MALIBU HILLS ROAD
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President (Subsidiary)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

CALABASAS HILLS, CA 91301
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 13,128
D
 
Common Stock 5,300 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 03/07/2021 Common Stock 2,000 $ 35.62 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 03/06/2022 Common Stock 3,200 $ 48.19 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 03/05/2023 Common Stock 4,200 $ 48.01 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 03/03/2024 Common Stock 5,040 $ 50.26 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (6) 03/02/2025 Common Stock 5,200 $ 61.59 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (7) 02/15/2026 Common Stock 8,300 $ 47.06 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (8) 04/05/2026 Common Stock 3,000 $ 51.74 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Carango Keith
26901 MALIBU HILLS ROAD
CALABASAS HILLS, CA 91301
      President (Subsidiary)  

Signatures

Keith Carango 05/02/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares of restricted stock subject to forfeiture. 4,000 shares vest 60% 2/15/2021 and 20% on each of 2/15/2022 and 2/15/2023. 1,300 shares vest 60% 4/5/2021 and 20% on each of 4/5/2022 and 4/5/2023.
(2) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The installments became exercisable on each of 3/7/2014, 3/7/2015, 3/7/2016, 3/7/2017 and 3/7/2018.
(3) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The first four installments became exercisable on each of 3/6/2015, 3/6/2016, 3/6/2017 and 3/6/2018. The fifth installment becomes exercisable on 3/6/2019.
(4) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The first three installments became exercisable on each of 3/5/2016, 3/5/2017 and 3/5/2018. The fourth and fifth installments become exercisable on each of 3/5/2019 and 3/5/2020.
(5) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The first two installments became exercisable on 3/3/2017 and 3/3/2018. The next three installments become exercisable on each of 3/3/2019, 3/3/2020 and 3/3/2021.
(6) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The first installment became exercisable on 3/2/2018. The next four installments become exercisable on each of 3/2/2019, 3/2/2020, 3/2/2021 and 3/2/2022.
(7) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The five installments will become exercisable on each of 2/15/2019, 2/15/2020, 2/15/2021, 2/15/2022 and 2/15/2023.
(8) The option is exercisable in five equal installments. The five installments will become exercisable on each of 4/5/2019, 4/5/2020, 4/5/2021, 4/5/2022 and 4/5/2023.

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