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	'''Pasquale "Pat" Olivieri''' (c. 1907 – c. 1974) was an Italian-American hot dog vendor and restaurateur from [[South Philadelphia]] who is widely credited with inventing the Philadelphia cheesesteak in 1930. His creation has become one of the most iconic foods in American cuisine and ~~synonymous with~~ Philadelphia's culinary identity.		'''Pasquale "Pat" Olivieri''' (c. 1907 – c. 1974) was an Italian-American hot dog vendor and restaurateur from [[South Philadelphia]] who's widely credited with inventing the Philadelphia cheesesteak in 1930. His creation has become one of the most iconic foods in American cuisine and is now inseparable from Philadelphia's culinary identity.

	== The Invention of the Cheesesteak ==		== The Invention of the Cheesesteak ==

	~~According to legend~~, Pat Olivieri was working his hot dog cart near South Philadelphia's Italian Market ~~in 1930~~ when he decided to grill some thinly sliced beef and ~~put~~ it on an Italian roll for his own lunch. A ~~passing~~ taxi driver ~~noticed~~ the ~~aroma~~ and asked ~~to try one~~. ~~The driver reportedly~~ told Pat ~~that he should forget about~~ hot dogs and focus on ~~the~~ steak sandwiches instead.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.patskingofsteaks.com/history \|title=Pat's History \|publisher=Pat's King of Steaks \|access-date=December 2025}}</ref>		The story goes like this. In 1930, Pat Olivieri was working his hot dog cart near South Philadelphia's Italian Market when he decided to grill some thinly sliced beef and throw it on an Italian roll for his own lunch. A taxi driver happened to pass by, caught the smell, and asked for a taste. He apparently told Pat to ditch the hot dogs and focus on these steak sandwiches instead.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.patskingofsteaks.com/history \|title=Pat's History \|publisher=Pat's King of Steaks \|access-date=December 2025}}</ref>

	~~Word spread quickly through~~ South Philadelphia~~, and~~ Pat ~~began~~ selling the steak sandwiches from his cart. The original sandwich ~~consisted of~~ chopped beef on an Italian roll ~~without~~ cheese.		People in South Philadelphia caught on fast. Pat started selling the steak sandwiches straight from his cart, and they became incredibly popular. The original sandwich was just chopped beef on an Italian roll. No cheese.

	=== Addition of Cheese ===		=== Addition of Cheese ===

	~~The addition of cheese, which transformed the "steak sandwich" into the "cheesesteak," is attributed to one~~ of Pat's employees, Joe Lorenzo, ~~who reportedly added~~ provolone cheese to a sandwich in the 1940s. Cheez Whiz, another popular option~~, was introduced in the 1950s after Kraft developed the product~~.		Cheese came later. One of Pat's employees, Joe Lorenzo, is credited with adding provolone cheese to a sandwich in the 1940s. That simple addition transformed the "steak sandwich" into the "cheesesteak" as we know it today. Then in the 1950s, Kraft developed Cheez Whiz, which became another popular topping option and remains one to this day.

	== Pat's King of Steaks ==		== Pat's King of Steaks ==

	Pat ~~Olivieri eventually~~ moved from his cart to a ~~permanent location~~ at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia~~, establishing~~ Pat's King of Steaks. ~~The restaurant has operated~~ continuously since ~~its founding~~ and remains one of Philadelphia's most famous tourist destinations.		Eventually Pat moved from his cart to a real storefront at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. Pat's King of Steaks was born. It's been operating continuously since and remains one of Philadelphia's most famous tourist destinations.

	~~Pat's King of Steaks~~ is known for:		The place is known for several things:
	* ~~Being open~~ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week		* Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
	* Its ordering system ("wit" or "witout" for onions)		* Its distinctive ordering system where you say "wit" or "witout" for onions
	* The rivalry with [[Geno's Steaks]] across the street		* The legendary rivalry with [[Geno's Steaks]] right across the street
	* ~~Neon~~-lit exterior ~~visible~~ from blocks away		* A neon-lit exterior that glows from blocks away

	== Legacy ==		== Legacy ==

	The cheesesteak ~~has become more than~~ a ~~sandwich—it represents~~ Philadelphia's working-class ~~heritage~~ and has ~~achieved international~~ recognition. Pat Olivieri's simple ~~innovation has~~ spawned:		The cheesesteak isn't just a sandwich anymore. It's a symbol of Philadelphia's working-class roots and has gained recognition worldwide. Pat Olivieri's simple idea spawned hundreds of cheesesteak shops throughout the city, national and international chains, fierce arguments about which shop makes the best one, and a permanent spot in practically every Philadelphia tourism guide.

	* Hundreds of cheesesteak establishments across Philadelphia		Today the intersection of 9th and Passyunk, where Pat's and Geno's sit facing each other across the street, draws tourists and cheesesteak pilgrims from all over. It's become a must-visit destination.
	* National and international cheesesteak chains
	* Intense debates about the ~~"best" cheesesteak~~
	* Inclusion in virtually every Philadelphia tourism guide

	~~The~~ intersection of 9th ~~Street~~ and Passyunk ~~Avenue~~, where Pat's and Geno's ~~face~~ each other, ~~is now~~ a must-visit destination ~~for tourists and a pilgrimage site for cheesesteak enthusiasts~~.

	== Family Continuation ==		== Family Continuation ==

	Pat's King of Steaks ~~remains family-owned,~~ operated by ~~descendants of~~ Pat Olivieri~~. The family has maintained~~ the original recipes and traditions while ~~building~~ Pat's into an ~~internationally~~ recognized ~~brand~~.		The business stayed in the family. Pat's King of Steaks is still operated by Pat Olivieri's descendants, who've kept the original recipes and traditions intact while turning Pat's into an international brand that's recognized worldwide.

	== See Also ==		== See Also ==

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{{Infobox person
|name = Pat Olivieri
|image =
|birth_date = c. 1907
|birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|death_date = c. 1974
|death_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|occupation = Hot dog vendor, restaurateur
|years_active = 1930–1970s
|notable_works = Credited with inventing the Philadelphia cheesesteak
}}

'''Pasquale "Pat" Olivieri''' (c. 1907 – c. 1974) was an Italian-American hot dog vendor and restaurateur from [[South Philadelphia]] who is widely credited with inventing the Philadelphia cheesesteak in 1930. His creation has become one of the most iconic foods in American cuisine and synonymous with Philadelphia's culinary identity.

== The Invention of the Cheesesteak ==

According to legend, Pat Olivieri was working his hot dog cart near South Philadelphia's Italian Market in 1930 when he decided to grill some thinly sliced beef and put it on an Italian roll for his own lunch. A passing taxi driver noticed the aroma and asked to try one. The driver reportedly told Pat that he should forget about hot dogs and focus on the steak sandwiches instead.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.patskingofsteaks.com/history |title=Pat's History |publisher=Pat's King of Steaks |access-date=December 2025}}</ref>

Word spread quickly through South Philadelphia, and Pat began selling the steak sandwiches from his cart. The original sandwich consisted of chopped beef on an Italian roll without cheese.

=== Addition of Cheese ===

The addition of cheese, which transformed the "steak sandwich" into the "cheesesteak," is attributed to one of Pat's employees, Joe Lorenzo, who reportedly added provolone cheese to a sandwich in the 1940s. Cheez Whiz, another popular option, was introduced in the 1950s after Kraft developed the product.

== Pat's King of Steaks ==

Pat Olivieri eventually moved from his cart to a permanent location at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, establishing Pat's King of Steaks. The restaurant has operated continuously since its founding and remains one of Philadelphia's most famous tourist destinations.

Pat's King of Steaks is known for:
* Being open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
* Its ordering system ("wit" or "witout" for onions)
* The rivalry with [[Geno's Steaks]] across the street
* Neon-lit exterior visible from blocks away

== Legacy ==

The cheesesteak has become more than a sandwich—it represents Philadelphia's working-class heritage and has achieved international recognition. Pat Olivieri's simple innovation has spawned:

* Hundreds of cheesesteak establishments across Philadelphia
* National and international cheesesteak chains
* Intense debates about the "best" cheesesteak
* Inclusion in virtually every Philadelphia tourism guide

The intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, where Pat's and Geno's face each other, is now a must-visit destination for tourists and a pilgrimage site for cheesesteak enthusiasts.

== Family Continuation ==

Pat's King of Steaks remains family-owned, operated by descendants of Pat Olivieri. The family has maintained the original recipes and traditions while building Pat's into an internationally recognized brand.

== See Also ==
* [[Philadelphia Cheesesteak]]
* [[Italian Market]]
* [[South Philadelphia]]
* [[Geno's Steaks]]

== References ==
<references />

{{#seo:
|title=Pat Olivieri - Philadelphia Wiki
|description=Pat Olivieri, South Philadelphia hot dog vendor credited with inventing the Philadelphia cheesesteak in 1930 and founding Pat's King of Steaks.
|keywords=Pat Olivieri, cheesesteak inventor, Pat's King of Steaks, Philadelphia food history, South Philadelphia, Italian Market
|type=Article
}}

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Business Leaders]]
[[Category:South Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Food History]]

Pat Olivieri - Revision history

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