At the corner of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, two cheesesteak institutions have faced each other since 1966. Pat's King of Steaks was founded in 1930 and claims the invention of the cheesesteak itself. Geno's opened 36 years later, directly across the intersection, specifically to compete. The rivalry has been going ever since — and picking a side is practically a Philadelphia citizenship requirement.
The Basics
Pat's is the original. Ordering is famously silent-fast: know what you want before you reach the window ("Steak, Whiz, wit"). The meat is chopped, the rolls are Amoroso's, and the operation has barely changed in nearly a century.
Geno's is the neon-lit answer across the street. Open 24 hours, a little more breathing room in line, thinner-sliced meat rather than chopped, and a quieter ordering ritual.
What the Debate Is Actually About
Honestly? Identity more than objective quality. Pat's people value tradition and efficiency. Geno's people love the energy and the spectacle. And most longtime Philadelphians will tell you their real favorite is neither — the move is to go to both, then spend the rest of your life finding the corner spot where the locals actually go.
How to Order
The formula is meat, cheese, wit or witout:
- Whiz wit — Cheez Whiz and onions. The classic.
- American wit — American cheese, onions.
- Provolone witout — provolone, no onions.
Don't ask what comes on it. Order, pay, step aside.
The Verdict
Do both in one visit. Eat half of each. Pick a side. Then vote in the debate on PlateWalk and see how the rest of Philadelphia lines up.