Philadelphia Airport Breaks Cheesesteak Record

Travelers at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday might have anticipated long lines at security, but the longest wait was actually for cheesesteaks.

To celebrate National Cheesesteak Day, organizers lined up 1,291 cheesesteak sandwiches in the departure hall, setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest line of cheesesteaks. This new record significantly surpassed the previous one, which stood at just 500 sandwiches.

“We aimed to achieve the world record for the longest cheesesteak ever,” remarked Clarence Lejeune of Marketplace PHL, the operator of the airport kiosk. “And today, we made that happen here in Philadelphia.”

The cheesesteak, a staple that emerged in Philadelphia in the early 1900s, is often regarded as the city’s signature dish. Lejeune referred to Philadelphia as being “synonymous” with its legendary sports culture.

Volunteers donned black aprons, crafting cheesesteaks along tables set up in the corridor between Terminals B and C, filling silver buckets with fresh rolls as they worked.

Once the records were validated, volunteers distributed sandwiches to travelers, airport personnel, and even TSA employees who were on duty without pay during the government shutdown.

Lejeune humorously noted that while cheesesteaks have few strict rules, that’s part of what makes them special. He specifically pointed out, “You don’t have to order Swiss cheese,” referencing the criticism former presidential candidate John Kerry faced in 2003 for choosing Swiss cheese on his cheesesteak.

Michael Emprich, a judge from Guinness World Records, mentioned that all food involved in the record attempt must be consumed or donated.

“In this case, they’ll definitely be going to a TSA employee who needs lunch,” Emprich added.