# Does a Philly Cheesesteak need Cheez-Whiz? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525 "2010-09-29T21:44:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/41 "2010-10-01T16:38:52Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > There’s a White House Sub shop in Atlantic City that makes The Best Cheese Steak I’ve ever had. Also make an awesome meatball parm. If it’s affiliated with the Rittenhouse Square one mentioned here, I believe the AC one is the original–it seems like it’s been ther since earlier than 1972. I am not thinking they are affiliated but I could be wrong. Agreed on their cheesesteaks being very good. Their other sandwiches are equally solid (and huge). Be prepared for long lines unless you go off-hours. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/42 "2010-10-01T21:48:18Z")
> [@](#): > > I am surprised to find out that Pat’s uses cheez whiz. I’ve always wanted to have one at Pat’s and one at Geno’s, but never realized either place had used Cheez whiz! Again, if you don’t like Whiz, don’t get Whiz. I’ve never yet seen a place that didn’t have Prov available. ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/43 "2010-10-01T23:20:19Z")
> [@villa](#): > > I can’t vote in the poll, because both Pat’s and Geno’s suck donkey balls. But I don’t have Whiz on my steak. I have provolone. And D’Allesandros, the greatest steak place in the universe, is happy to make it that way. This, although I am partial to Pudge’s. Pat’s and Geno’s are for tourists and drunk college students. ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/44 "2010-10-01T23:23:54Z")
Overcoming my distaste for Geno’s owner to vote for provolone. Or American, but provolone is better. I have only ever had Whiz at crummy food-court steak places that didn’t have actual cheese. Blech. When Rick’s was at the Reading Terminal Market they sometimes had mozzarella steaks. Very good and I wish they were more common. Particularly good as a pizza steak, of course–for non-Philadelphians, that’s a cheesesteak with pizza sauce on top. That could be another poll–the best cheesesteak topping/add-on. Onions? Mushrooms? Lettuce & tomato? Peppers? I always thought pizza sauce was the best steak add-on until I tried a cheesesteak with bacon. Oh my. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/45 "2010-10-02T02:15:52Z")
Cheez Whiz is not cheese and has no place near anything with pretensions towards being classed as “food.” I loves me some cheesesteak. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/46 "2010-10-02T03:47:51Z")
I like mine with American cheese so I voted with Geno. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/47 "2010-10-02T04:44:47Z")
Cheez Whiz is not cheese. It is a cheese flavored whey (a discard in the making of cheese). It might be edible to some but it is not cheese. Wallace would not eat it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/48 "2010-10-02T05:25:33Z")
Let me see if I understand this. A cheesesteak is something valued for its taste, right? And Cheez-Whiz is something valued for its ease of use, and not its taste. So why in the world would I want to mix one with the other? Why wouldn’t the Wizzed version be the inferior, cheaper, yet quicker version? Next, are we going to have debates on whether skirt steak (or worse ground beef) can be used instead of ribeye or top round? Oddly enough, I would find that a more palatable option, as skirt steak with white queso sounds like it would make an awesome sandwich. But I wouldn’t call it a cheesesteak. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/49 "2010-10-02T16:14:13Z")
Cheese Wiz is an abomination before the Lord and it doesn’t belong in any food. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/50 "2010-10-02T16:18:46Z")
Whatever. I like my fancy-ass cheeses, but I like the Whiz on a cheesesteak, just like I like (at least some) Velveeta in my mac & cheese, and Kraft singles in my grilled cheese. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/51 "2010-10-02T20:41:56Z")
You can’t buy either here in sweden. A while back I tried making one with Kraft slices. The results were ‘interesting’. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/52 "2010-10-02T22:29:35Z")
I worked one summer in 1969 at Sammy’s Steaks, a small chain (like 3 shops) in Reading. They were definitely a variant of a Philly sandwich being thin-sliced sirloin, grilled onions, tomato sauce (not pizza) and provolone. We had various cold sandwiches as well but I don’t think there was even any sliced american on hand. We did have shredded mozzarella since we made pizzas as well, but I don’t recall anyone ordering a steak sandwich with it. Our competitor, V&S Steaks, had provolone and tomato sauce as well. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/53 "2010-10-03T00:27:23Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Cheese steaks are a lot like Buffalo wings. The farther you get from the ridiculous and sad traditions of the originals the better the meal gets. That’s ludicrous. Duff’s or Anchor Bar are hands down superior to anything I’ve had after leaving Buffalo. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/54 "2010-10-03T05:33:34Z")
Jeez. If it had a name like “Bill Penn’s Philly Special Sauce” I bet folks wouldn’t be so against it. Having said that, the very best cheesesteak I’ve ever had used Rico’s nacho cheese, so what do I know, right? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/55 "2010-10-03T06:25:51Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Pat is the undisputed originator of the Philly steak sandwich. If you go up to the window at Pat’s and order a cheese steak you get Cheez Whiz. Yes, like no-one before him thought of putting thinly sliced steak on a roll.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/56 "2010-10-03T06:35:09Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Cheese steaks are a lot like Buffalo wings. The farther you get from the ridiculous and sad traditions of the originals the better the meal gets. Very true. I’ve had steaks at both Pats and Ginos and both were mediocre. The best cheesesteak I had in Philly was at the train station on our way out of town. It’s the same in most any town - the pizza at Uno’s and Gino’s East is, at best, mediocre and bland. I know of a dozen better pizzas in Chicago, but those are the two that everyone steers visitors to. And the best BBQ in Kansas City is NOT Arther Bryant’s. My general rule of thumb in a new town is to find the top two places for the local specialty that everyone recommends - then keep asking. #3 or #4 are going to be the real thing, not coasting on their rep. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/57 "2010-10-03T06:51:49Z")
I’m bi-cheesual and will consume it both ways but non-traditional should be labeled steak and cheese for clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/58 "2010-10-03T16:39:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, like no-one before him thought of putting thinly sliced steak on a roll.:rolleyes: [Cheesesteak History](http://www.visitphilly.com/restaurants-dining/authentic-philly-cheesesteaks/) “The cheesesteak made its official debut in 1930. Pat Olivieri was a South Philadelphia hot dog vendor who one day decided to put some beef from the butcher on his grill. A taxicab driver noticed the alluring aroma and asked for his own steak sandwich. The next day, as the story goes, rumor of the delicious lunch had spread, and cabbies around the city came to Olivieri demanding steak sandwiches. Soon after, Olivieri opened up a shop on 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, Pat’s King of Steaks, to sell his new creation. Eventually, according to legend, he added cheese to the recipe. Today, Pat’s grills are sizzling 24 hours a day, as are Geno’s, the rival shop across the street.”😛 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/59 "2010-10-03T19:01:24Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > Yes, like no-one before him thought of putting thinly sliced steak on a roll.:rolleyes: > > [Cheesesteak History](http://www.visitphilly.com/restaurants-dining/authentic-philly-cheesesteaks/) > “The cheesesteak made its official debut in 1930. Pat Olivieri was a South Philadelphia hot dog vendor who one day decided to put some beef from the butcher on his grill. A taxicab driver noticed the alluring aroma and asked for his own steak sandwich…s. Soon after, Olivieri opened up a shop on 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, Pat’s King of Steaks, to sell his new creation. Eventually, according to legend, he added cheese to the recipe. Today, Pat’s grills are sizzling 24 hours a day, as are Geno’s, the rival shop across the street.”😛 That’s nice. But it’s hardly proof he thought of the first steak sandwich. In fact, since the Earl of Sandwich (and likely before) there’s been steak sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525/60 "2010-10-03T21:57:56Z")
You’re absolutely right, of course … unless this thread is about the Philly Cheesesteak. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-philly-cheesesteak-need-cheez-whiz/555525.md?page=4)