Tony Luke's

Last updated
Tony Luke's Worldwide
Tony Luke's
Company type Private
IndustryRestaurants
Genre Fast casual
FoundedFebruary 3, 1992;32 years ago (1992-02-03)
FounderTony Lucidonio
Tony Luke Jr.
Nicky Lucidonio
Headquarters39 East Oregon Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States
Number of locations
16 (2021)
Area served
Products Cheesesteaks, Italian roast pork, and other sandwiches
OwnerLucidonio family
Website TonyLukes.com

Tony Luke's is an American-based cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1992 by Tony Lucidonio and his sons, Tony Luke Jr. and Nicky Lucidonio at its original location at 39 East Oregon Avenue in South Philadelphia. [1] [2] [3] The franchise has since expanded, with 16 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, one location each in Washington, DC, Maryland & Texas as well as one in Bahrain. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

History

In the early 1990s Luke, Jr., his father and his brother, Nicky, bought a property near the expressway in South Philadelphia. The restaurant opened on February 3, 1992. The restaurant did not initially serve cheesesteaks until six months after opening due to popular demand. To avoid competition with other local businesses, the original Tony Luke's stand offered a more diversified menu, offering hoagies and other fare, along with cheesesteaks. Luke Jr. soon took over the store's marketing. [7]

Eventually, the business grew to include several locations in the Philadelphia area and a line of frozen sandwiches. Through a partnership with Rastelli Foods Group, the business now has several franchised locations in Bahrain. [7] On January 21, 2019, the restaurant announced that they will be opening 7 locations in New York City. [8] The first location opened on April 3, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York on Flatbush Avenue. [9]

In July 2020, the owner Anthony Lucidonio Sr. and his son Nicholas were indicted on federal tax fraud charges. They are accused of failing to report over $8 million of income from 2006 to 2016. They are also accused of paying employees in cash to avoid payroll taxes. The Lucidonios dispute the criminal charges. [10]

Business ventures

In 2008 Tony Luke expanded his franchise to frozen cheesesteaks and pork products known as Tony Luke's Pronto. [11]

In mass media

Tony Luke was selected as Bobby Flay's adversary for an episode of the cooking show Throwdown! with Bobby Flay , with Luke winning the cheesesteak battle. [12]

Tony Luke's was featured on the Travel Channel's Man v. Food with Adam Richman attempting the "Ultimate Cheesesteak Challenge", which consisted of 42 oz. of beef, 18 oz. of cheese, and 8 oz. of fried onions on a 20-inch hoagie roll. [13] Richman chose American cheese for his cheesesteak while Luke, who also took on the challenge, opted for the more traditional Cheez Whiz on his. Richman succeeded in the challenge while Luke failed.

The restaurant was also featured on Food Wars (hosted by Camille Ford), going head-to-head with Pat's King of Steaks in a battle for best cheesesteak in Philadelphia, with Pat's beating out Tony Luke's in the competition. [6]

Tony Luke played host to former World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall on his visit to Philadelphia filming his 2019 series Eddie Eats America for UKTV. Luke said Eddie was the fastest eater of the "Ultimate Cheesesteak Challenge".

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheesesteak</span> Steak and cheese sandwich from Philadelphia

A cheesesteak is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. A popular regional fast food, it has its roots in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat's King of Steaks</span> Restaurant in Philadelphia

Pat's King of Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, and located at the intersection of South 9th Street, Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, directly across the street from rival Geno's Steaks. It was founded in 1930 by brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, who are credited with the creation of the cheesesteak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Roma's</span> American casual dining chain restaurant

Romacorp Inc., which does business as Tony Roma's, is an American casual dining chain restaurant specializing in baby back ribs. The first location was established by the founder, Tony Roma, in 1972 in North Miami, Florida. Clint Murchison Jr. purchased a majority stake in the restaurant in 1976, and he and Roma established the jointly owned Roma Corporation. The first international location opened in 1979 in Tokyo, followed by an international expansion with both company-owned stores and franchises. As of 2020, there are over 115 locations on six continents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Philadelphia</span> Popular foods of Philadelphia

The cuisine of Philadelphia was shaped largely by the city's mixture of ethnicities, available foodstuffs and history. Certain foods have become associated with the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charleys Philly Steaks</span> American restaurant chain

Charleys Philly Steaks is an American restaurant chain of Philly cheesesteak stores headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Formerly known as Charley's Steakery and Charley's Grilled Subs, the franchise was established in 1986 on the campus of Ohio State University. By 2017 there were 600 locations in 45 states and in 19 countries. Charleys is believed to have doubled in size in 2021. In addition to traditional Philly cheesesteaks, the chain also has other steak based sandwiches and multiple grilled chicken sandwiches, among other grilled sandwiches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beth's Cafe</span> Restaurant in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Beth's Cafe is a restaurant in Seattle, Washington, United States. Located on Aurora Avenue North in the Green Lake neighborhood, it is known largely for its "greasy spoon" cuisine and large portions. Beth's opened in 1954 and has remained at the same location since, under various owners. It closed in 2021 but reopened in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steak sandwich</span> Type of sandwich

A steak sandwich is a sandwich prepared with steak that has been broiled, fried, grilled, barbecued or seared using steel grates or gridirons, then served on bread or a roll. Steak sandwiches are sometimes served with toppings of cheese, onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and in some instances fried eggs, coleslaw, and french fries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Salt Lick</span> Texas barbecue restaurant

The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que is a U.S. barbecue restaurant chain based in Driftwood, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Luke Jr.</span> American screenwriter

Anthony Lucidonio Jr. better known as Tony Luke Jr. is an American restaurateur, musician, songwriter actor, and media host who founded the cheesesteak franchise Tony Luke's.

Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America is an American food reality television series that premiered on June 6, 2012 on the Travel Channel. The program is hosted by actor and food enthusiast Adam Richman. In each episode, Richman samples what he considers to be the best sandwiches across the country, chooses a regional favorite, and then pits the winners against each other to find the nation's No. 1 sandwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slows Bar BQ</span> Restaurant in Michigan, United States

Slows Bar BQ is a barbecue restaurant chain with locations in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Pontiac, Michigan. The chef is Brian Perrone, and the restaurant is owned by the Cooley family. The restaurant appeared on Adam Richman's Man vs. Food, and the "Yardbird", a pulled chicken sandwich from the restaurant, competed in the first season of Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America.

Jim's Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, founded in 1939 on North 62nd Street in West Philadelphia. Jim's Steaks currently has two locations, the original in West Philadelphia and another in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Jim's Steaks owned the restaurant on South Street until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John's Roast Pork</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

John's Roast Pork is an Italian roast pork and cheesesteak eatery in South Philadelphia that was founded in 1930 at its original location on East Snyder Avenue in Philadelphia, just outside the Pennsport and Whitman neighborhoods. The eatery is considered a favorite among South Philadelphia locals and has gained mainstream recognition for its roast pork and cheesesteaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil's BBQ</span> Barbeque restaurant

Phil's BBQ is a barbeque restaurant that was founded by Phil Pace. Their first location opened in 1998 in the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego, California. They have since expanded and now have four restaurant locations, with additional outlets in San Diego International Airport and Petco Park. The restaurants have received positive reception both in terms of their reviews as well as their success. It was featured on the shows Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America and Man v. Food. Phil's BBQ was the second most commonly reviewed business in the United States on Yelp for 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalessandro's Steaks</span> Restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Dalessandro's Steaks & Hoagies is a cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1960 in Roxborough, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2011, when referring to Dalessandro's, The New York Times declared that "Philly food could be summed up by those cheese steaks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve's Prince of Steaks</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Steve's Prince of Steaks is a cheesesteak eatery that was founded in 1980 on Bustleton Ave in the Oxford Circle section of Northeast Philadelphia. The eatery has since expanded to three additional locations and is popular among locals. The eatery is known for its melted American cheese and does not chop the meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop, formerly named Chink's Steaks, was a cheesesteak restaurant founded in 1949 in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Controversy over the restaurant's former name led to the owner renaming it. A second restaurant location opened in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia in 2015. In addition to its cheesesteak sandwich specialty, the company sold other types of sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and other foods. The original location closed in early 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primo Hoagies</span>

PrimoHoagies Franchising, Inc. , doing business as PrimoHoagies, is a United States east coast-based, fast casual restaurant chain founded in 1992 in South Philadelphia. Primo Hoagies has over 115 locations in ten states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny's Famous Steaks</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Sonny's Famous Steaks is a cheesesteak restaurant located on Market Street in Old City, Philadelphia. It consistently ranks as one of the best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim's South Street</span> Restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Jim's South St., formerly a part of the Jim's Steaks franchise, is a Philadelphia restaurant located on South Street specializing in cheesesteaks. The original restaurant chain known as Jim's Steaks was founded in West Philadelphia in 1939, however in 2011 ownership of the location on South Street changed and was later renamed to Jim's South St.

References

  1. ↑ McCarthy, I. (2012). Food Lovers' Guide to Philadelphia: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings. Food lovers' series. Globe Pequot. pp. 150–151. ISBN   978-0-7627-8896-5 . Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ Stern, J.; Stern, M. (2007). Roadfood Sandwiches: Recipes and Lore from Our Favorite Shops Coast to Coast . Houghton Mifflin. p.  145. ISBN   978-0-618-72898-5 . Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  3. ↑ Stern, J.; Stern, M. (2005). Roadfood: The Coast-To-Coast Guide to 500 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More. Roadfood: The Coast-To-Coast Guide to the Best Barbecue. Broadway Books. p. 146. ISBN   978-0-7679-2264-7 . Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Tony Luke's Stores" . Retrieved 2014-03-03.
  5. ↑ Hoye, Sarah (2010-12-09). "Get your Philly cheesesteak on – in Bahrain". CNN.
  6. 1 2 "What's the beef?". Metro US. March 6, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  7. 1 2 Darrow, Chuck (2011-02-08). "Renaissance man Tony Luke is a Philly guy with many talents". Philly.com.
  8. ↑ "Tony Luke's Announces Plan for 7 Cheesesteak Shops in New York City". January 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ Vianna, Carla (April 3, 2019). "Philly Cheesesteak Icon Tony Luke's Scores Critic Approval for NYC Comeback". Eater NY.
  10. ↑ "Founder of Philly cheesesteak shop Tony Luke's, son indicted for tax evasion". WPVI-TV. July 25, 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  11. ↑ Nichols, Rick (2009-03-12). "Tony Luke's frozen? How good can that be?". Philly.com.
  12. ↑ Meals, Caitlin (2007-10-11). "Take a bite". South Philly Review.
  13. ↑ "Man v. Food Philadelphia". Man vs. Food . Season 2. Episode 8. Philadelphia. 2009-09-23. Food Network.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.