Influencer Charged With Harassment After Allegedly Hurling Cheesesteak at Philadelphia Restaurant Worker
An apparent food influencer turned himself in and faces a summary harassment charge for allegedly throwing a cheesesteak at a manager at Philadelphia's Pat's King of Steaks on Sept. 30.
Food influencer charged after throwing cheesesteak at employee.
A man accused of throwing a sandwich in the face of a worker at Philadelphia’s legendary Pat’s King of Steaks has been charged with harassment.
The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) said Friday, Oct. 2, that the suspect, an apparent food influencer, turned himself in and now faces a harassment offense. NBC Philadelphia, CBS Philadelphia and PhillyVoice all reported the development. Police have declined to release his name.
Officers were first called to the restaurant around 5:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Sept. 30, over a report of an assault, the PPD previously confirmed to People. “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.
What the Cameras Captured
Security camera footage aired by 6 ABC, CBS News and NBC Philadelphia shows the suspect filming himself throughout his visit. The employee on the receiving end was identified as the restaurant’s general manager, Tom Francano.
Francano told the outlets the customer was already recording when he arrived to order a cheesesteak. He said the man walked around the business taking photos and videos on a cell phone attached to a selfie stick. Owner Frank Olivieri said the footage shows the customer tearing the sandwich apart with his hands before going back to the service window.
Francano told NBC the man came across as an influencer “trying to make a little name for himself.” He added, “I knew exactly what he was doing.”
The Confrontation
Returning with the opened sandwich, the man allegedly told Francano, “This steak’s garbage,” and then hurled the food at his face before running off.
“The guy picked the sandwich up, threw it in his face and ran off. The coward,” Olivieri told CBS.
Francano told NBC that the sandwich left him unscathed. “I’m not hurt, I’m fine,” he said.
A Bid for Social Media Fame?
Olivieri suggested the stunt may have been staged for online attention. “He wants to be an influencer. He wants to be famous … stop hiding behind a keyboard, stop hiding behind the camera,” he said.
Pat’s King of Steaks, which bills itself as the “originators of the Philly steak & cheesesteak” and has been in business since 1930, had earlier offered $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and charges in the case.