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June 25, 2018

Nothing beats dry, bland meat: a Reddit query for the worst Philly cheesesteak

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Debate Cheesesteaks
Stock_Carroll - Pat's and Geno's Cheesesteak Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice

Pat's and Geno's in South Philadelphia.

The best cheesesteak in Philly has been debated for some time now. It seems everyone has their own opinion has to who can wear that crown, but the passion for the best also results in a passion for the worst. One Reddit user took to the Philadelphia subreddit Sunday night to hash out the worst cheesesteak in Philly. 

Worst cheesesteak in Philly? from r/philadelphia
He wrote, “Hey guys, it’s not my first time in Philly, and I’m looking for the nastiest cheesesteak this city has to offer. Most upvoted place I will take a Tinder date to and tell her it’s my go to spot.” May god have mercy on this poor woman’s soul.


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While Subway was the top comment of the thread, Wawa was voted fairly heavily. Their digital ordering system may make ordering a cheesesteak easier than any other place on this list, but as one Redditor points out, “What could go wrong with a precooked meat product that's reheated in a bag via a hot water bath?”

Arguably, Geno’s and Pat’s may be neck-and-neck nationally for the best cheesesteak, but in this thread, they’re neck-and-neck for the worst. Geno’s has a 2.5 star rating on Yelp and 3.8 stars on Google, while Pat’s has 4.1 stars on Google and 3 stars on Yelp. Geno’s won the most votes, and one Redditor claimed that Geno’s was even worse than Wawa. That was discredited when another Redditor wrote, 

“Honestly, I’ll say Wawa is worse. The onions taste like someone dumped straight sugar on them, and the cheese can only be described as a thick film.” …Yum.

via GIPHY

But the real winner of the entire thread? Jim’s on South Street. Ironically, it has the higher-star rating of Pat’s and Geno’s, with a 3.5 star rating on Yelp and 4.4 stars on Google. Not all Redditors agreed they were the worst, and as one Redditor put it, “Even if it’s overrated, it’s not the worst.”

Mama’s Pizzeria on Belmont Avenue in Bala Cynwyd was mentioned, but met with some harsh backlash, as was Abner’s in University City, Steaks N' Shakes in Kensington, Drexel Pizza, Oscar’s Tavern in Center City, and Campo’s in Old City.

What do you think is the worst cheesesteak in Philly?

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