No American regional sandwich comes with more built-in rivalry and lingo than the Philly cheesesteak — ordering one "wrong" won't get you turned away, but knowing the actual etiquette will make you look like you've done this before.
Where it actually came from
The cheesesteak is generally credited to Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor in South Philadelphia who in the 1930s started grilling thin-sliced beef on a roll instead, and the idea reportedly caught on fast enough with cab drivers that it turned into a full business. That business became Pat's King of Steaks, still operating on the same South Philly corner today.
The rivalry you'll hear about immediately
Directly across the intersection from Pat's sits Geno's Steaks, opened in 1966 by a former Pat's employee — and the two have operated in direct, open competition on the same corner ever since, each with fiercely loyal regulars who consider the rivalry a genuine local institution rather than a marketing gimmick. Trying both back to back, if you're up for two sandwiches, is a legitimately common way to form your own opinion.
How to actually order one
Philly cheesesteak ordering has real, specific lingo, and locals notice when you get it wrong:
- Cheese choice: "Whiz," "American," or "provolone" — Cheez Whiz is the most traditional and most argued-about choice
- Onions: "wit" means with onions, "witout" means without
- So "whiz wit" — Cheez Whiz, with onions — is the classic, most traditional order
Beyond the famous rivalry
Pat's and Geno's get the tourist traffic, but plenty of Philadelphians will tell you their actual favorite is somewhere else entirely — Jim's Steaks on South Street is frequently mentioned as a serious contender by locals who find the Pat's-versus-Geno's rivalry more about tourism than about which sandwich is genuinely best.
A practical note
Cheesesteak spots move fast and expect you to know your order before you reach the window — hesitating or asking a lot of questions at a busy counter is the fastest way to feel out of place. It's worth deciding your cheese and onion preference before you're at the front of the line.