Editing Philadelphia Cheesesteak (section)

== Origins ==

The cheesesteak originated in 1930 when Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor at a stand near South Philadelphia's Italian Market, grilled some beef and put it on an Italian roll. A passing cab driver requested one, word spread, and Olivieri shifted from hot dogs to steak sandwiches. Cheese was added later—some accounts credit Olivieri's manager Joe Lorenza with adding provolone in the 1940s.<ref name="steak"/>

Pat Olivieri opened Pat's King of Steaks at its current location at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue in 1940. Geno's Steaks opened across the intersection in 1966, establishing the rivalry that remains central to cheesesteak mythology. The two shops, facing each other with neon signs blazing, have served as the primary venues for the ongoing debate about which serves the superior sandwich.<ref name="steak"/>