PHILADELPHIA — While air travelers at Philadelphia International Airport Monday might have anticipated lengthy security waits, the most impressive queue was actually made up of cheesesteaks.
Event coordinators announced they successfully established a new Guinness World Record for the most cheesesteak sandwiches arranged in a single line, displaying 1,291 sandwiches throughout a departure terminal in honor of National Cheesesteak Day. This achievement more than doubled the existing record of 500 sandwiches.
“We went for the world record for the longest cheesesteak in history,” stated Clarence LeJeune from MarketPlace PHL, which manages airport food services. “Today we accomplished that goal here in Philadelphia.”
The iconic cheesesteak sandwich, which first appeared in Philadelphia during the early 1900s, remains the city’s most recognizable culinary creation. LeJeune described it as being “synonymous” with Philadelphia, along with the city’s athletic teams.
Workers wearing black aprons constructed the sandwiches at tables positioned along the corridor connecting Terminals B and C, loading bread rolls from metal containers while moving past retail locations.
Once officials verified the record, volunteers distributed the sandwiches to passengers, airport employees, and Transportation Security Administration personnel, who had been working without compensation during the federal government shutdown.
LeJeune humorously noted that cheesesteaks have minimal strict guidelines, which contributes to the “beauty of the experience” — with one exception: “You don’t ask for Swiss cheese,” he said, alluding to a 2003 incident when presidential hopeful John Kerry faced backlash in Philadelphia for requesting Swiss on his cheesesteak.
Michael Empric, an official Guinness World Records judge, explained that regulations mandate all food in record attempts must be consumed or given away.
“In this case, they are going to TSA agents who definitely could use some lunch,” Empric noted.
