National Cheesesteak Day is a holiday that’s observed in the United States every March 24th. It celebrates one of the most delicious, classic sandwiches ever created. This sandwich is made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese placed in a hoagie roll and served hot.

Cheesesteaks can be served either with or without onions, and while they’re normally made with American cheese, there are versions with provolone or melted Cheez Whiz as well. Regardless of what type of cheesesteak a person decides to enjoy on this day, one thing is for sure: Everyone who eats one is going to have a big smile on their face.

The History of National Cheesesteak Day

Although we’re unsure who invented National Cheesesteak Day, we’re quite familiar with who invented the cheesesteak. According to our research, the cheesesteak was invented by Pat and Harry Olivieri.

They were two brothers who ran a hot dog stand in South Philadelphia. According to popular belief, they wanted to offer a new sandwich to their customers during the 1930s. The new sandwich they invented consisted of grilled beef and onions in a toasted roll.

And that sandwich originally didn’t have cheese on it. It wasn’t until the 1940s that provolone would be added to the sandwich by Joe Lorenza (also known as Cocky Joe), who was a manager at Olivieri’s Ridge Avenue location. As they say, the rest is history.

Some Quick Facts About Cheesesteaks

Although most people who enjoy cheesesteaks don’t know much about them, other than that they’re delicious, there is a small group of people who love them so much they want to learn everything they can about them. It’s for this group of people that we decided to list some of the most interesting facts that we learned about cheesesteaks. We’ve listed these facts below and think they are almost as delicious as a cheesesteak.

• Steak-umm frozen beef sandwich steak got its name after an argument over its name.
• People have begun making a variety of vegetarian cheesesteaks that don’t use beef or sometimes even cheese.
• There was once a cheesesteak-flavored chip created by Herr’s.
• In 2003, the Philly Taco was invented. It’s a cheesesteak rolled up in a slice of pizza.
• In St. Louis, Missouri, it’s not uncommon to make cheesesteaks with Provel cheese. This is aptly known as a St. Louis Cheesesteak.
• There are over 300 million sandwiches eaten in the U.S. each year. While many of those are PB&J sandwiches, cheesesteaks are also among the most popular sandwiches in the U.S.

Observing National Cheesesteak Day

This is the day for people to enjoy a sandwich that has been around for more than eight decades. A sandwich that is meaty, cheesy, and oh-so-satisfying. Sandwich lovers can choose to make their own cheesesteaks for friends and family members (or even just for themselves), or they can go to one of the many restaurants that serve these sandwiches.

It’s also a good day for people to spread their love of cheesesteaks across the world by using the hashtag #NationalCheesesteakDay online.