October 01, 2026
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
A customer at Pat's King of Steaks was caught on video throwing a cheesesteak in the face of a restaurant manager on Wedesday afternoon. The shop reported the incident to police and is now offering a $5,000 reward to identify the customer.
Pat's King of Steaks wants help from the public to identify a customer who threw a cheesesteak in the face of a manager at the shop's window Wednesday, prompting a police investigation and an offer of a $5,000 reward from the South Philly restaurant.
The incident — which was caught on video — happened around 5 p.m. at the takeout window of the famed shop on Passyunk Avenue. General manager Tom Francano told CBS3 a customer ordered a cheesesteak, got his food and then returned to the window about 10 minutes later to complain.
Francano said the customer called the cheesesteak "garbage," and when Francano asked other customers about the quality of their cheesesteaks, they all said the sandwiches tasted fine.
"That's when he got a little pissed off, he got mad, and he picked the steak up and threw it at me," Francano told the TV station.
Video of the incident, captured by security cameras at the restaurant, shows the customer holding a video camera mounted on a small tripod as he confronts Francano and throws the cheesesteak. Francano said he suspects the customer might have been an influencer attempting to cause a stir that could be used for content.
Philadelphia police said the business filed a report of an assault Wednesday after the customer fled the store. Police noted that Francano did not suffer any injuries from being struck with the cheesesteak.
Police have not made any arrests and declined to comment on whether throwing a cheesesteak could be grounds for assault charges.
Pat's King of Steaks owner Frank Olivieri said the shop's security footage showed the customer ripped the sandwich apart by hand before he returned to the window.
"He assaulted my employee, so we'll see how many of his friends that he has online are really his friends, see who's going to turn him in first," Olivieri told CBS3. "The power of the camera, AI, we'll find him. We'll find him. $5,000, we'll pull him out of whatever rock he's living under right now."
