PHILADELPHIA — While Monday travelers at Philadelphia International Airport might have anticipated long security queues, the most intriguing line consisted of cheesesteaks.
In a remarkable feat, organizers claimed a new Guinness World Record for the longest line of cheesesteak sandwiches, arranging 1,291 of them in a departure hall to celebrate National Cheesesteak Day. This impressive display shattered the previous record of 500 sandwiches.
“We set out to create the longest cheesesteak ever,” said Clarence LeJeune of MarketPlace PHL, the company responsible for managing airport concessions. “Today, Philadelphia has achieved that milestone.”
The cheesesteak, a beloved culinary creation that originated in Philadelphia in the early 1900s, is deeply rooted in the city’s identity. LeJeune noted that it is as emblematic of Philadelphia as its vibrant sports culture.
Dedicated individuals, donned in black aprons, meticulously assembled the cheesesteaks along tables placed in the corridor between Terminals B and C, filling the rolls from silver buckets as they progressed past the storefronts.
Once the record was officially recognized, volunteers distributed the sandwiches to travelers, airport staff, and TSA employees, who have been working without pay during the ongoing government shutdown.
LeJeune joked there are few hard rules for cheesesteaks, which is part of the “beauty of the experience” – except, he said, “You don’t ask for Swiss cheese,” referencing a 2003 moment when then-presidential candidate John Kerry drew criticism in Philadelphia for ordering one with Swiss.
Michael Empric, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, said rules require all food used in record attempts to be eaten or donated.
“In this case, they are going to TSA agents who definitely could use some lunch,” Empric said.
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