National Cheesecake Day
Berry, chocolate, just plain cheesecake…whatever your favorite, try making it yourself or visit a bakery or restaurant to enjoy this sweet, cheesy treat.
Drive July foot traffic and online orders by positioning cheesecake as a shareable, indulgent treat—from bakery promotions to DIY recipe content and delivery partnerships.
- Share your cheesecake creation: user-generated content contest for best homemade or bakery find
- Cheesecake flavor showdown: highlight regional/creative variations (NY style vs. chocolate vs. no-bake)
- Recipe tutorials: easy no-bake vs. traditional baked cheesecake for different skill levels
- Flash promotions: 'Buy one cheesecake, get dessert sides 20% off' for restaurants and bakeries
Social angles6
- 🧁 ✨ Five days until National Cheesecake Day! Reintroduce your top 3 cheesecake flavors. Let followers comment their #1 pick. #NationalCheesecakeDayReady
- Behind-the-scenes: watch as our bakers craft the perfect cheesecake at 4 AM. Real dedication. Real deliciousness. #FreshBaked #CheesecakeLove
- The topping debate is REAL 🍓 vs 🍫 Drop your vote in the comments. We're settling this once and for all. #NationalCheesecakeDay
- Pro-tip: chill your toppings separately to avoid a soggy slice. Share YOUR cheesecake hack! #CheesecakeMastery
- July 30 is YOUR day. Whether you're indulging in-store or baking at home, we'll be celebrating the creamiest dessert on the menu. #NationalCheesecakeDayIsLife
- Swipe for 5 iconic cheesecake flavor combos from around the world. Which one are you trying first? #CheesecakeTourism #GlobalTaste
Ad copy starters5
“Half Off Any Slice on July 30 — Reward Members Only. This is The Cheesecake Day deal you've been waiting for.”
“Meet Our New Flavor: Peach Perfect with Raspberry Drizzle. One slice sold = $0.25 donated to end hunger. Celebrate taste & impact.”
“Fresh. Creamy. Made with love. 30+ legendary flavors. One perfect day. Cheesecake Factory — July 30.”
“DIY Cheesecake Night? We've got the ingredients. We've got the tips. We've got the inspo. #MakeCheesecakeHome”
“The cheesecake that started it all. Since 1985, America's been celebrating July 30. Will you? Order now before July 30 runs out.”
Tips4
- DO: Create urgency by promoting Rewards signups 1–2 weeks before July 30; tie them to exclusive perks (half-off, free samples). DON'T: Wait until July 30 to announce deals—you'll miss conversion time.
- DO: Embrace the 'topping debate'—it's trending social content. Run polls, ask for votes, share trending flavor combos. DON'T: Ignore user-generated content; repost customer cheesecake pics and recipes with credit.
- DO: Tie your campaign to charity (donation per slice). It amplifies reach and signals brand values. DON'T: bury the impact—highlight donation totals in follow-up posts.
- DO: Treat limited-edition flavors like product launches (teasers, reveals, exclusive launch events). DON'T: announce a new flavor on July 30 with zero buildup—momentum starts weeks earlier.
Although the original National Cheesecake Day was conceived and first celebrated in 1985, it didn’t really take off until 2001 when the power of the internet helped its cause. It then gained traction and became a sensation that is now celebrated all over the world!
Dating back to its invention by the Ancient Greeks, probably around 200 A.D., cheesecake was believed to have been one of the first “sweet” desserts in the world.
Or at least, it was one of the first to be written down! In its earlier time, this dish was originally made from a soft cheese but was probably very different from what we now know as cheesecake.
Over the centuries, cheesecake moved around the world and popped up as different expressions in different regions.
For instance, cheesecake in Italy is traditionally made with their favorite, ricotta cheese. Cheesecakes in Germany and Poland are often made with a special kind of soft cheese called “quark”. And, of course, American cheesecake uses its own home invention: cream cheese.
But no matter the variation, cheesecake is a tasty invention that has developed and evolved over time into something that almost everyone in the world loves to eat!
Eat Some Cheesecake
The most obvious way to celebrate is to grab a piece to-go, pick up a whole cheesecake at a bakery and take it to the office to share, or even get a boxed mix and make an easy refrigerator cheesecake at home. No matter how it’s done the most important thing on this day is to somehow, some way, get cheesecake into that belly!
Make a Cheesecake
Depending on the recipe chosen, making cheesecake can either be simple or a little bit fussy. A true cheesecake recipe will be made from ingredients such as cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs, then baked in the oven for about an hour or more. It is important to bake it slowly on a low temperature to keep it from cracking. This is the way cheesecake is made at a bakery or at a specially themed restaurant such as The Cheesecake Factory. Some simpler versions of cheesecake recipes are no-bake, which instead use the refrigerator to get cream cheese, whipping cream or other ingredients to set up into a dessert. These recipes typically do not include eggs as the cake is not baked. But they are still deliciously tasty!
Get Creative with Cheesecake Recipes
A slice of classic, New York style cheesecake is nothing to complain about! But some people like to mix things up a bit and get more creative with the way they make their cheesecakes. Try these unique styles of cheesecake for fun, or make up your own: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake. Enjoy the fun of this classic American cookie alongside the beauty of a delectable cheesecake! It includes actual chocolate chip cookie dough in the batter, and is topped with actual chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake. A tasty strawberry flavored cheesecake is poured into a graham cracker crust, then finished off with a chocolate ganache topping reminiscent of chocolate covered strawberries. It’s a dessert-lover’s dream. Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cheesecake. Another American favorite, peanut butter and Nutter Butter cookies are included in this recipe that is baked and then topped with a yummy peanut butter sauce and then garnished with peanut butter cookies. Cannoli Cheesecake. Channel that inner Italian baker with this yummy recipe that embraces ricotta and mascarpone cheeses on a graham cracker crust and is topped with mini chocolate chips.
Host a Cheesecake Gathering
While friends, family and neighbors can be invited, the guest of honor at this particular event must be the venerable Cheesecake! Get a bunch of folks together for this day and have a few different people bring a plain cheesecake each. Ask some others to bring along some toppings for a toppings bar, and then get to eating! For a cheesecake toppings bar, include different fruit, candy or sauce options that people with different preferences might like to try. Canned pie fillings make easy and tasty toppings in cherry, strawberry or blueberry. Fresh strawberries or mandarin oranges are also a great idea. Sauces for the cheesecake toppings bar can include chocolate, caramel or peanut butter. Add some dishes filled with nuts such as pecans, peanuts or slivered almonds. Some toasted coconut would also make a lovely addition. And don’t forget candies such as chocolate chunks, ice cream sprinkles, pieces of snickers bars or even gummy bears. The options are basically endless!
Head to New York for Some Cheesecake
Maybe it’s not the actual place of origin for cheesecake, but New Yorkers would argue that it’s the only place to get a real slice of the good stuff! This style of pure cheesecake, with no fancy ingredients, became popular in New York in the early 1900s and the recipes really have not changed much since then. In order to get access to the best cheesecakes in New York, it will likely be necessary to visit a few different bakeries or restaurants, including: Veniero’s Paticceria and Cafe. An authentic Italian Bakery located in the East Village since 1894, this bakery does the New York cheesecake just perfectly. Junior’s Restaurant. Since 1950, Junior’s Restaurant has been making cheesecakes at the same family owned location in Brooklyn. It’s now a chain with storefronts in a few other locations throughout the NYC area. Eileen’s Special Cheesecake. In business for more than 45 years, this bakery began with a recipe that was passed down by Eileen’s mom. Her Nolita location offers at least 20 flavors but, of course, the classic New York style is always on offer. La Cheesecake Bake Shop. Aptly named, this takeout counter in Queens has been offering “light as air” cheesecakes, along with other delicious baked goods, since 1985.