Pat's King of Steaks

What Pat's King of Steaks does

Pat's King of Steaks is a privately held, family-owned Philadelphia restaurant founded in 1930 by Pat Olivieri, who is credited with inventing the cheesesteak sandwich at the base of the Italian Market in South Philadelphia. The business operates a single brick-and-mortar location at 1237 E Passyunk Ave, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a counter-service, two-window ordering system that prepares chopped beef on Italian rolls on a hot-dog grill. It is currently owned and operated by Frankie Olivieri, the third-generation owner, and serves walk-in customers, Philadelphia tourists, and event clients seeking the "original" cheesesteak experience.

The core product line centers on steak sandwiches (Plain, Cheese, Extra Cheese, Pizza, Mushroom, Pepper variations priced $18-$22), with hot dogs, fish cakes, fries, and a Chicken Cheesesteak introduced in 2024 as the first new protein in the company's history. Ancillary revenue lines include an e-commerce merchandise store (apparel, accessories, the "Philadelphia Legacy" book, and gift cards), catering for corporate and private events, a bookable food truck with a $3,800 per-event minimum, group dining party packages at $50 per guest, and shipping nationwide via a Goldbelly partnership alongside local delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash.

The revenue model is direct-to-consumer across physical counter service, digital merchandise, gift cards, and event bookings; payment processing runs through PayPal, Clover, and cash. Marketing is overwhelmingly earned-media-driven, anchored by appearances in the Rocky film franchise, Mad Men, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Food Network, supplemented by an organic social presence and a Constant Contact newsletter. Pat's has no disclosed external funding, operates as a single-site family business, and relies on brand heritage and 24/7 availability as its primary demand drivers.

Name

Pat's King of Steaks

Legal name

Pat's King of Steaks

Website

https://patskingofsteaks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pat's King of Steaks is a single-location Philadelphia restaurant founded in 1930, credited with inventing the cheesesteak sandwich. Open 24/7/365, it serves walk-in customers, tourists, and event clients through counter service, catering, merchandise, and nationwide shipping partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant (Cheesesteak)

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

Keywords

• Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant
• Counter service dining
• Event catering services
• Branded merchandise apparel
• Mobile food truck

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. In-restaurant food sales: Counter service dining at single South Philadelphia location, open 24/7. Menu includes cheesesteaks, chicken steaks, hot dogs, fries, and beverages.
2. Merchandise sales: Online store selling branded apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, beanies), accessories (lanyards, baby bibs), and official book 'The Philadelphia Legacy'.
3. Gift cards: Physical gift cards ($25, $50, $75, $100) shipped via USPS and digital gift cards delivered via email.
4. Catering services: Catering for weddings, corporate events, private events, and parties. Includes food truck bookings with $3,800 minimum per event. Group dining packages at $50/guest.
5. Delivery partnerships: Third-party delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash platforms.
6. Nationwide shipping: Partnership with Goldbelly for shipping cheesesteaks across the United States.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pat's King of Steaks operates a single 24/7 counter-service restaurant in South Philadelphia serving the original cheesesteak sandwich (chopped beef on Italian rolls, with or without onions, and cheese options including Cheez Whiz, Provolone, American, and Cooper Sharp), alongside chicken cheesesteaks, hot dogs, fish cakes, and fries. The business also sells branded merchandise (apparel, accessories, the "The Philadelphia Legacy" book), digital and physical gift cards, and offers catering, food truck, wedding, and group dining event services. The restaurant is credited as the originator of the cheesesteak sandwich, founded by Pat Olivieri in 1930 and currently run by third-generation owner Frankie Olivieri.

Product overview

Pat's King of Steaks is a single-location Philadelphia restaurant founded in 1930, known as the originator of the cheesesteak sandwich. The business operates as a unified offering combining its core restaurant (open 24/7, 365 days) with merchandise and event services. Core offerings include various steak sandwiches (Plain, Cheese, Extra Cheese, Pizza, Mushroom, Pepper varieties), Chicken Cheesesteak (introduced 2024), hot dogs, fish cakes, and fries. The merchandise line includes apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, polo shirts, hats, beanies), accessories (baby bibs, lanyards), branded merchandise (The Philadelphia Legacy book, Perry Shall collaboration t-shirt), and gift cards. Event services encompass catering for corporate and private events, a bookable food truck, and wedding/event hosting. The company partners with third-party delivery platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash) and Goldbelly for national merchandise shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Steak Sandwiches Pat's signature chopped beef steak sandwiches on Italian rolls, customisable with cheese (Cheez Whiz, Provolone, American, Cooper Sharp), onions, mushrooms, peppers, and pizza sauce. Priced $18-$22 per sandwich.
• Chicken Cheesesteak Chicken-based cheesesteak sandwich introduced in 2024 as the first chicken protein option in company history. Priced $18-$19.
• Hot Dogs and Fish Cakes Traditional hot dogs (small $6, large $17) and fish cakes (small $8, large $17) carried over from the original 1930 hot-dog stand.
• Fries and Cheese Fries French fries ($7), cheese fries ($8), and extra cheese fries ($9) ordered at the second window of Pat's counter service.
• Digital Gift Cards Email-delivered gift cards redeemable for food and drinks at Pat's King of Steaks.
• Physical Gift Cards Physical gift cards in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations, shipped via USPS.
• Pat's Branded Apparel and Accessories Branded apparel and accessories including t-shirts ($15-$40), sweatshirts ($40), hoodies ($50), polo shirts, fitted hats ($35), beanies ($25), kids tees ($15), baby bibs ($10), and lanyards ($5), printed locally in Philadelphia.
• The Philadelphia Legacy Book Official 100-page paperback book titled 'The Philadelphia Legacy: The Original Pat's King of Steaks and the Birth of the Steak Sandwich', priced at $24.99.
• Catering Services Catering for office lunches, weddings, private events, and groups, available for pickup and delivery throughout the Philadelphia area.
• Food Truck Bookings Custom food truck available for weddings, family gatherings, and work events with a $3,800 minimum per event, including staff, serve ware, and condiments.
• Wedding and Engagement Event Services Wedding and engagement celebration services offering food truck, catering delivery, or hosting at the Pat's location.
• Group Dining / Party Packages Group dining party packages starting at $50/guest including reserved seating, cheesesteak, fries, drink, and Pat's t-shirt. Available Mon-Thu 11am-7pm and Sat-Sun 3pm-6pm; bookings 1 week to 2 months in advance.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• De Gustibus Cooking SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2025Frankie Olivieri hosting a seated multicourse cooking class in NYC on March 15, 2025. Classic menu items prepared and paired with cocktails from Max Green.
• Philadelphia Visitor's CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborative Rocky Tour partnership. Tour kicks off at 'the Rocky Steps,' stops at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Mighty Micks Gym, and ends at Pat's where guests enjoy The Original. Pat's bus transports tourists.
• Chef Conference LA & ResyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 October 2024Brought Pat's to Los Angeles for a Cheesesteak & Martini Event at The Benjamin in Hollywood.
• Perry ShallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhiladelphia artist and Grammy Award-nominated designer partnered to create limited-edition America 250 commemorative T-shirt. Only 75 shirts produced initially.
• Awesome Dudes PrintingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal Philadelphia printer for merchandise. Printed the Perry Shall America 250 T-shirts on heavyweight, garment-dyed, 100% ring-spun cotton.
• GoldbellycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNationwide shipping partnership allowing customers to order Pat's cheesesteaks delivered anywhere in the US. $20 off first order with code GOLDB3LLYIT.
• Uber EatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party food delivery platform partnership for Philadelphia area delivery.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party food delivery platform partnership for Philadelphia area delivery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dalessandro's Steaks: Philadelphia cheesesteak specialist competing in the same authentic steak-sandwich category, with comparable counter-service delivery and tourist appeal in the broader Philly market.
• Steve's Prince of Steaks: Philadelphia-area cheesesteak chain with multiple locations and a comparable steak-focused menu, competing for the same regional cheesesteak-craving customer.
• Geno's Steaks: The canonical head-to-head rival cheesesteak shop located directly across the intersection from Pat's on 9th & Passyunk; identical 24/7 counter-service model, identical 'originator-style' positioning, identical tourist customer base.
• John's Roast Pork: Historic Philadelphia Italian-market-area cheesesteak and roast pork shop; competes for the same on-Passyunk/9th-Street tourist and local customer cohort as Pat's.
• Jim's Steaks: Long-running Philadelphia cheesesteak institution (since 1976) competing for the same authentic Philadelphia steak customer with a similar counter-service format and similar pricing tier.
• Tony Luke's: Philadelphia cheesesteak brand that expanded beyond the single-origin location into multiple storefronts and food-service distribution, comparable heritage and product focus to Pat's.

Broad incumbents

• Jersey Mike's Subs: National submarine sandwich chain with significant Philadelphia-area presence, competing for the same hoagie/sandwich-eating customer cohort with a more standardized, scaled model.
• Five Guys: National premium-priced QSR chain operating at a similar premium price point and counter-service format; competes for casual dine-in traffic in the broader QSR category.

Others

• Goldbelly: Nationwide e-commerce platform Pat's uses as a shipping and distribution partner; not a competitor but a channel/infrastructure peer relevant to evaluating Pat's off-premise commerce strategy.

Regional players

• Wawa: Mid-Atlantic convenience/QSR chain headquartered near Philadelphia; competes for convenience-driven sandwich and late-night food occasions in the same geography though with a broader category footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pat's-king-of-steaks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pat's King of Steaks