Kurt Leisure
Director, Risk Services
Cheesecake Factory
26901 Malibu Hills Road
Calabasas Hills, California 91301

Dear Mr. Leisure:

I took my mother, father and cousin to lunch at the Grand Lux Café, located at 121 North La Cienega Boulevard; Los Angeles, California 90048, on May 6, 2010. We had the best waiter — I am unable to recall his name — and this being one of our three favorite restaurants in Los Angeles – the other two are Cheesecake Factory and Rock Sugar – we relished the delicious food.

The next day while exercising, I realized I had lost my wallet with at least $200 dollars (my rent money) in it. I had my mother call and inquire if my wallet had been found or turned in. I am pretty sure she did not record the name of the person to whom she spoke and I don’t know if she related the believed location of my wallet.

Today, I received the envelope pictured above containing my wallet minus all cash. After informing my parents — also my landlords — that the wallet had been returned, my father suggested contacting the restaurant and suggesting that any lost property be documented as to finder name and contents of found item — this would also provide for reward.

I called the Grand Lux Café to speak with the manager and express my gratitude for return of my wallet, make my suggestion and inquire as to the circumstances of my wallet being found, as the return address on the envelope had aroused my suspicion because I have never visited the Cheesecake Factory at 364 North Beverly Drive; Beverly Hills, California 90210. I related my story and Mark (Restaurant Manager) explained to me the lost/found policy:

• items are held for thirty days for retrieval
• unclaimed items are sent to the Cheesecake Factory Corp/Cheesecake Factory, Beverly Hills — to be honest with you, I don’t remember the exact phrasing used by Mark — to be returned to the customer, if possible

After I hung up with Mark, I decided to call — who I thought was corporate — and repeat my suggestion, as I never rely on relay of information from the bottom to the top. I spoke with Chris (Floor Manager) and recounted my story. Chris admitted to me that he was not aware of such a policy and I promised not to identify him if it turned out he was misinformed. Chris also clarified that I was calling a restaurant, not corporate offices. Now my suspicions were increasing that something was afoul within your organization. Chris provided me with the phone number of your corporate offices and I called.

I relayed my story to Tracey Lepore and she confirmed that she was not aware of the lost/found policy explained by Mark and explained that returned items are normally mailed via FedEx and insured — further evidence of misconduct. (I am including a scanned image of the envelope for probably use in identifying the culprit by handwriting.) Tracey also agreed with me that something was amiss, informing me that she would be calling Mark after we disconnected. I asked her for your name and address, as I believe in going to the top. My phone discussion with Tracy prompted me to develop the following evidence:

• my wallet was returned in less than thirty days, which counters Mark’s policy explanation
• my wallet was returned from an address to which I have never visited
• my wallet was not returned with any corporate identification
• a guest would have taken the cash and thrown away my wallet, much less return it to a restaurant I have never visited for return
• my wallet was not returned via FedEx
• Mark lied to me
• The postage meter stamp (Sherman Oaks) does not match the location of the restaurant or the corporate office

While I am grateful to have my wallet back, my primary reason for going to such lengths is to improve my favorite restaurant chain’s lost/found policy. You guys really are my family’s favorite place to eat and being the food enthusiast I am, I really hate to discontinue a relationship with what I have considered to be such a fine establishment. I held hope that the caliber of your guests might return my wallet intact; imagine my disappointment to suspect an employee of such criminality.

While I realize my suspicions are circumstantial, I would appreciate your follow-up regarding this issue, as I will be posting this experience on my blog.

PS: I ran out of ink and I am unemployed, therefore, I am emailing this communication via your website. I’ve always wanted to be a waiter!