Since April 2018, the Cheesecake Factory & Jerk House in Salem has been open to the community. Among the options available for customers include, jerk chicken, veggie subs, hamburgers, oxtails, hotdogs, brown stew, chicken strips, curry chicken and cheesesteaks.

The difference between a good restaurant and an average one, according to Chauncey Savage, comes down to effort.

“An excellent restaurant isn’t one that only shows hospitality to its customers, but also shows care to its staff in addition to taking pride in the food that’s served,” said Savage who runs Cheesecake Factory & Jerk House along with his brother Ben. “We pride ourselves on serving high-quality food and earning the trust of our customers.”

Because of the overwhelming support the community has shown Cheesecake Factory & Jerk House, Savage wanted to find a way to give back.

“When I was in school, I remember so many kids not having access to food at home. I always told myself that if I ever got an opportunity to feed children in need, I would take full advantage,” he said. “Through the end of summer, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. every day, kids 15 and younger can eat anything off of our menus for free. No questions asked. It’s just a great feeling to be able to give back to the less fortunate.”

Without surrounding himself with high character people, Savage says the restaurant wouldn’t be as successful as it is.

“I’ve been working here for about a month, and I would say that our hospitality and jerk seasoning are two things that separate us from other restaurants,” Timothy Harris said. “It is truly amazing at how a simple act like providing a free meal to someone in need can have such a profound impact.”

Savage plans on being around for the long haul. “It’s an absolute blessing to be here in Salem. We just want to do our part in making a positive difference in the community,” he said.