Restaurant Owner Offers Reward for Finding Man Who Threw a Cheesesteak into Employee’s Face

**Legendary Philadelphia Cheesesteak Establishment Offers Reward After Assault Incident**

Pat’s King of Steaks, a renowned cheesesteak institution in Philadelphia, has publicly condemned an alleged assault involving one of its employees and has announced a significant reward for information leading to the suspect’s identification and arrest. The incident occurred on September 30 when a man reportedly threw a cheesesteak at the face of a staff member before fleeing the scene.

Police in Philadelphia confirmed that they responded to the restaurant shortly after the attack, with authorities stating that no injuries were reported. The suspect has yet to be identified; however, he has been described as a Black male, approximately 6 feet tall and weighing around 170 pounds. He was seen wearing a blue Under Armour jacket, black shorts, and red Beats headphones during the incident.

Frank Olivieri, the owner of Pat’s King of Steaks, expressed outrage over the incident. “The guy picked the sandwich up, threw it in his face and ran off. The coward,” Olivieri remarked in an interview with CBS News Philadelphia. The owner also suggested that the alleged assailant may have acted to gain notoriety on social media. “He wants to be an influencer. He wants to be famous,” he said, urging the individual to stop hiding and face the consequences of his actions.

Tom Francano, the general manager of Pat’s, who has been with the restaurant for nearly half a century, stated that he had never encountered anything like this in his long tenure. “I was pretty p****d off, you know? I’m not used to getting a steak thrown in my face,” Francano shared. He urged customers to act with greater decorum, particularly if they are dissatisfied with their orders. “If you don’t like the steak, be a little nicer about it,” he added.

Surveillance footage from the restaurant shows the suspect filming his experience before the altercation took place. While the audio from the recording was not available, it appears that the man engaged in a brief exchange with Francano before launching the sandwich. The restaurant’s management expressed a belief that, as the suspect appeared to be trying to gain fame as an influencer, identifying and locating him should not be overly difficult.

In response to the incident, Pat’s King of Steaks has placed a reward of $5,000 for anyone who provides information that leads to the apprehension and filing of charges against the individual. Olivieri noted, “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,” indicating eagerness to see justice served.

The restaurant, which has been operating since 1930 and is often credited as the originator of the Philly cheesesteak, has built a reputation for quality and customer satisfaction. The incident marks a regrettable deviation from its longstanding commitment to providing excellent service.

While the investigation by South Detectives remains ongoing, no arrests have been made as of yet. The incident has garnered considerable media attention, prompting discussions about decorum, accountability, and the role of social media in influencing behaviour.

As the situation unfolds, customers and patrons of the legendary establishment remain hopeful that the suspect will be apprehended, and justice will prevail. Pat’s King of Steaks continues to uphold its values and commitment to the community, firmly stating that such behaviour will not be tolerated. Meanwhile, the search for the perpetrator proceeds as authorities solicit the public’s assistance in bringing the individual to justice.