Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — A man accused of throwing a cheesesteak into the face of a manager at the iconic Pat’s King of Steaks has been charged with harassment after turning himself in to police.
The Philadelphia Police Department said Friday, Oct. 2, that the man surrendered following an incident at the longtime cheesesteak restaurant earlier in the week. Police said he was charged with a summary harassment offense.
The incident happened Wednesday, Sept. 30, when officers responded to Pat’s King of Steaks at approximately 5 p.m. local time following a report of an assault.
“According to the investigation, an unknown male allegedly threw a cheesesteak at an employee’s face before fleeing the location,” police said. No injuries were reported.
Police Say Suspect Fled After Alleged Attack
According to authorities, the man allegedly threw the sandwich at an employee before leaving the restaurant.
Security camera footage later showed the incident unfolding after the customer had been recording his visit. The footage was aired by several Philadelphia news outlets and appeared to show the man filming his experience before the alleged attack.
The employee was identified as Tom Francano, the restaurant’s general manager.
Francano told local news outlets that the customer was recording when he first arrived to order a cheesesteak. Restaurant owner Frank Olivieri said security footage appeared to show the customer ripping the sandwich apart by hand before returning to the service window.
Francano said the man had been walking around the restaurant taking photos and videos with a cellphone attached to a selfie stick.
“I knew exactly what he was doing,” he said.
Customer Allegedly Criticized the Cheesesteak Before Throwing It
According to Francano, the customer eventually returned to the service window with the cheesesteak opened up. The man allegedly told him, “This steak’s garbage,” before throwing the sandwich at his face and running away.
“The guy picked the sandwich up, threw it in his face and ran off. The coward,” Olivieri told CBS.
Francano said the sandwich did not cause him any injuries.
“I’m not hurt, I’m fine,” he said.
Although the incident did not result in physical injuries, the restaurant quickly turned to authorities for help identifying the person involved.
Restaurant Offered $5,000 for Information
Pat’s King of Steaks previously announced that it would offer a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charges related to the incident.
The restaurant, which describes itself as the “originators of the Philly steak & cheesesteak,” has been operating since 1930 and is one of Philadelphia’s best-known cheesesteak destinations.
The incident therefore attracted considerable attention, particularly after surveillance footage showing the confrontation began circulating publicly.
The restaurant’s management also questioned whether the incident was motivated by an attempt to gain attention on social media.
Owner Says Incident May Have Been About Social Media Attention
Francano told NBC that the customer appeared to be an influencer who was attempting to attract attention with the encounter.
“He seemed like an influencer ‘trying to make a little name for himself,’” Francano said.
Olivieri also suggested that social media attention may have played a role in the alleged incident.
“He wants to be an influencer. He wants to be famous … stop hiding behind a keyboard, stop hiding behind the camera,” Olivieri said.
Francano, who has worked at Pat’s King of Steaks for about 50 years, said he had never experienced anything similar during his time at the restaurant.
Longtime Manager Says He Was Upset
Francano said the incident left him angry, particularly because he had spent decades working at the restaurant without experiencing an incident like this.
“I was pretty pissed off, you know?” he told. “I’m not used to getting a steak thrown in my face. I mean, if you don’t like the steak, I mean, be a little nicer about it.”
Police have not released the suspect’s name.
The harassment charge now moves the unusual restaurant confrontation into the legal system after days of attention surrounding the alleged cheesesteak attack.
What do you think about the incident at the Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant? Should customers simply complain when they dislike their food rather than taking things this far? Share your thoughts in the comments.
