Tony Luke's
{{Short description|Cheesesteak restaurant in Philadelphia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| trade_name = Tony Luke's
| name = Tony Luke's Worldwide
| type = Private
| industry = Restaurants
| genre = Fast casual
| image =
| image_width =
| image_caption = The Real Taste of South Philly
| logo = Tony Luke's logo.png
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1992|02|03}}
| founder = Tony Lucidonio
Tony Luke Jr.
Nicky Lucidonio
| locations = 16 (2021)
| owner = Lucidonio family
| head-chef =
| products = Cheesesteaks, Italian roast pork, and other sandwiches
| rating =
| location = 39 East Oregon Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States
| area_served = {{plainlist|
}}
| website = {{URL|www.tonylukes.com|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.{{cite book | last=McCarthy | first=I. | title=Food Lovers' Guide to Philadelphia: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings | publisher=Globe Pequot | series=Food lovers' series | year=2012 | isbn=978-0-7627-8896-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TKkROvfuWoQC&pg=PA150 | access-date=December 5, 2017 | pages=150–151}}{{cite book | last1=Stern | first1=J. | last2=Stern | first2=M. | title=Roadfood Sandwiches: Recipes and Lore from Our Favorite Shops Coast to Coast | publisher=Houghton Mifflin | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-618-72898-5 | url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780618728985 | url-access=registration | access-date=December 5, 2017 | page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780618728985/page/145 145]}}{{cite book | last1=Stern | first1=J. | last2=Stern | first2=M. | title=Roadfood: The Coast-To-Coast Guide to 500 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More | publisher=Broadway Books | series=Roadfood: The Coast-To-Coast Guide to the Best Barbecue | year=2005 | isbn=978-0-7679-2264-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r1R8f1A5tgoC&pg=PA146 | access-date=December 5, 2017 | page=146}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.tonylukes.com/stores/ |title=Tony Luke's Stores |accessdate=2014-03-03}}{{cite web |url=http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/12/09/get-your-philly-cheesesteak-on-in-bahrain/ |title=Get your Philly cheesesteak on – in Bahrain |first=Sarah |last=Hoye |date=2010-12-09 |publisher=CNN}}{{cite web | title=What's the beef? | website=Metro US | date=March 6, 2016 | url=https://www.metro.us/philadelphia/what-s-the-beef/zsJpcf---IakdbkrfQX4SM | access-date=December 5, 2017}}
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.
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.{{cite web |url=http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-08/entertainment/27107151_1_tony-luke-edgar-cayce-kid/2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715075611/http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-08/entertainment/27107151_1_tony-luke-edgar-cayce-kid/2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2011 |title=Renaissance man Tony Luke is a Philly guy with many talents |first=Chuck |last=Darrow |date=2011-02-08 |publisher=Philly.com}} On January 21, 2019, the restaurant announced that they will be opening 7 locations in New York City.{{Cite web|url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/tony-lukes-cheesesteaks-new-york-brooklyn-philadelphia-seven-restaurants/|title=Tony Luke's Announces Plan for 7 Cheesesteak Shops in New York City|date=January 19, 2019}} The first location opened on April 3, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York on Flatbush Avenue.{{Cite web|url=https://ny.eater.com/2019/4/3/18292817/tony-lukes-philly-cheesesteaks-open-brooklyn-nyc|title=Philly Cheesesteak Icon Tony Luke's Scores Critic Approval for NYC Comeback|first=Carla|last=Vianna|date=April 3, 2019|website=Eater NY}}
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.{{cite news |title=Founder of Philly cheesesteak shop Tony Luke's, son indicted for tax evasion |url=https://6abc.com/tony-lukes-tax-fraud-evasion-anthony-lucidonio-sr-nicholas/6332901/ |accessdate=11 August 2020 |publisher=WPVI-TV |date=July 25, 2020}}
Business ventures
In 2008 Tony Luke expanded his franchise to frozen cheesesteaks and pork products known as Tony Luke's Pronto.{{cite web |url=http://articles.philly.com/2009-03-12/food/24984446_1_cheesesteaks-salt-cod-sandwich |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614101947/http://articles.philly.com/2009-03-12/food/24984446_1_cheesesteaks-salt-cod-sandwich |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 14, 2014 |title=Tony Luke's frozen? How good can that be? |first=Rick |last=Nichols |publisher=Philly.com |date=2009-03-12}}
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.{{cite web |url=http://www.southphillyreview.com/food-and-drink/features/79695232.html?printView=y |title=Take a bite |first=Caitlin |last=Meals |publisher=South Philly Review |date=2007-10-11}}
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.{{cite episode |title=Man v. Food Philadelphia |url= |series=Man vs. Food |network=Food Network |location=Philadelphia |date=2009-09-23 |season=2 |number=8}} 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.
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
{{Portal bar|Companies|Food|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.tonylukes.com}}
{{South Philadelphia}}
{{Cheesesteak}}
{{Restaurants in Philadelphia}}
Category:Restaurants established in 1992
Category:Submarine sandwich restaurants
Category:Restaurants in Philadelphia