Email- Order early for special occasions. To ensure holiday delivery, contact the company to learn the order cut-off date. December 19 is a common deadline date.
- Consider the number of servings. Most 8-inch cheesecakes serve 12. Eileen's sells only 10-inch cheesecakes that serve 16.
- Factor in defrosting time. Most cheesecakes ship frozen and must be left out at room temperature for 4-5 hours before serving.
- Factor in shipping cost. Most companies ship via overnight or 2-day mail, which can add as much as $25 to the cost of shipping. Saturday delivery costs even more.
- Some cheesecakes are designed with special diets in mind. Junior's sells a sugar-free cheesecake that's made with Xylitol and is low in carbohydrates. Many mail-order cheesecakes are kosher, but some ingredients (such as liqueur or candy) may not be, so ask before ordering.