Suspect charged with harassment after viral incident at Pat's King of Steaks
A man has been charged with harassment after throwing a cheesesteak at Tom Francano, the general manager of Pat's King of Steaks in South Philadelphia. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday evening, was captured on surveillance video and subsequently posted by the suspect on social media. Police confirmed the suspect turned himself in on Friday, though his identity has not been released. The manager was not injured and returned to work the following day.
Key points
- The suspect threw a cheesesteak at general manager Tom Francano on Wednesday evening at the Pat's King of Steaks location on Passyunk Avenue.
- Surveillance footage shows the man holding a camera while throwing the sandwich, and he later posted the video to YouTube and Instagram.
- Police charged the suspect with a summary offense of harassment on Friday after he turned himself in.
- Owner Frank Olivieri offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's identification.
- Tom Francano stated he was not injured and returned to work on Thursday.
Background
This incident follows a pattern of viral food-related controversies in Philadelphia, such as the earlier coverage of the Washington Commanders' gunner Tyler Owens, which highlighted the intersection of local sports and national social media attention. The current case mirrors previous local disputes regarding influencer behavior in public spaces.
How outlets are covering it
Fox 29 and NBC10 both confirm the suspect was charged with harassment and turned himself in, though NBC10 provides more detail on the owner's $5,000 reward. PhillyVoice initially reported the incident as an assault investigation before the charges were finalized. All outlets agree that the suspect, suspected to be an influencer, posted the video himself. Francano's perspective, shared across outlets, emphasizes that the customer mangled the food before throwing it, while Olivieri criticized the lack of accountability among influencers.
Why it matters
The case highlights the growing tension between local businesses and social media influencers who create content through disruptive or confrontational behavior. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of digital evidence in resolving public incidents, as the suspect's own posted video aided the investigation despite initial anonymity.
What to watch
Police will continue to review digital evidence, but the case is largely resolved with the suspect charged. The business has returned to normal operations, and the owner has expressed satisfaction with the resolution.
- Man turns himself in after viral cheesesteak attack at Pat’s in South Philly FOX 29 Philadelphia
- Man at center of Philadelphia cheesesteak assault at Pat's King of Steaks surrenders, police say 6abc Philadelphia
- Man charged in cheesesteak attack on Pat's King of Steaks employee NBC10 Philadelphia
- Restaurant Owner Offers Reward for Finding Man Who Threw a Cheesesteak into Employee’s Face people.com
- Pat's King of Steaks offers $5,000 reward to find customer who chucked cheesesteak in manager's face PhillyVoice
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Read on FOX 29 Philadelphia