Looking for Cheesesteak Judges - Giving Away up to $500 to Rate Cheesesteaks

Looking for Cheesesteak Judges - Giving Away up to $500 to Rate Cheesesteaks
Image © OddsSeeker.com
Hannah Workman
Written by:
Hannah Workman
Alicia Butler
Fact checked by:
Alicia Butler
🗓
Updated: January 31st 2024

Judging a Cheesesteak

It’s almost National Cheesesteak Day! Each year on March 24th, we honor this icon of melty deliciousness by biting into a bun filled with grilled beef, onions, and cheese. In celebration of the sandwich made popular in Philadelphia, PA way back in 1930, we offered $500 to one player from each state.

To apply, applicants should be based in one of the following states: PA, NJ, or NY. Applicants had to also live near five restaurants that serve cheesesteaks, and of course, have a deep love for cheesesteaks.

How to Judge a Cheese Steak?

  • Steak Quality 
  • Cheese Rating
  • Grease Level
  • Bread Quality
  • Overall Taste

Are you a foodie or sandwich enthusiast with a discerning palate? Tell us what makes you a great cheesesteak judge and what you’ll base your ruling on. You could win up to $500!

Why is OddsSeeker looking for cheesesteak testers? As you may know, OddsSeeker is a leading news publication covering online casinos, sweepstakes casinos, and sportbooks.

And with that, we know our incredible readers are red, white, and blue-blooded American sports fans who love Americana & what's more American than cheesesteaks?!

We want to create the ultimate guide to cheesesteaks to add to our database of the best tailgating food options in every major city. Frozen hot dogs? Frozen burger brands?

Yup - we're going after it all because we love watching & betting on sports at the best online sportsbook and everything else that makes watching sports the ultimate experience.

Competition Terms and Conditions

Eligibility: This competition is open to all participants 18 years of age or older at the time of entry living in the following states: PA, NJ, and NY. Participants associated with OddsSeeker will be excluded.

Entry: To enter the competition, participants must register online, submit their name, email, state of residence, zip code and explain what makes them qualified to be a cheesesteak judge. Participants may only enter once. Entries will be accepted until March 23, 2023 at 11:59pm EST.

Winner: The winners will be randomly selected on National Cheesesteak Day, March 24, 2023, and notified via email. The winners accept their details and images may be used for promotional activity by OddsSeeker and agree to follow the guidelines provided in subsequent communication.

Prize claim: Prizes must be claimed by the winner; no third parties will be accepted. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim their prize within 48 hours of the announcement, OddsSeeker reserves the right to offer the prize to another eligible entrant. The promoter does not accept any responsibility if the winner is unable to claim the prize.

By entering this competition, participants are opting-in to this promotion and agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.

America’s Favorites: Finding the Best Cheesesteaks and Pizza

With National Cheesesteak Day fast approaching, we wanted to know where to get the best one.

So, we asked over 850 Americans — mostly those living in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York (the cheesesteak experts) — about their favorite toppings and what else makes a cheesesteak great. While we were at it, we also asked them to share their pizza preferences. See how they weighed in and how your favorites match up.

The Best Cheesesteak Toppings

Would you believe our survey revealed that nearly 1 in 10 Americans have never tried a cheesesteak? If you’re one of them, take note of these pro tips for indulging in your first one.

Survey data about the best cheesesteaks

Key Takeaways

  • When judging a cheesesteak, PA, NJ, and NY residents said overall taste, steak quality, and bread quality matter the most.
  • Residents of Pennsylvania were 86% more likely than New Yorkers to be concerned about grease level when judging a cheesesteak.

The Cheese

  • PA, NJ, and NY residents said they prefer American (35%) and provolone cheese (34%) over Cheez Whiz (15%).
  • PA residents (37%) prefer provolone on their cheesesteaks, but New Jersey (44%) and New York (35%) residents said American cheese is the way to go. 
  • PA residents were 38% more likely than New Yorkers to prefer Cheez Whiz on their cheesesteaks.
  • Some may consider ordering Swiss on a cheesesteak offensive, but 12% of PA residents said it’s their favorite cheesesteak cheese. 

The Bread

  • PA, NJ, and NY residents said their top choice is a hoagie roll (52%), and an Italian roll ranked second best (33%).

The Toppings

  • Most PA, NJ, and NY residents agreed onions are the best topping (78%).
  • 13% of people said they don’t want any toppings on a cheesesteak.
  • PA residents were 27% more likely than NJ residents not to add any toppings to a cheesesteak. Picky eaters or cheesesteak purists?
  • Only 14% of PA residents reported dipping cheesesteaks in ketchup. They were also 36% less likely than New Yorkers to do so.
  • 82% of people said they don’t dip their cheesesteaks in ketchup, and 21% top it with hot sauce.
  • New Jersey residents like it spicy: They were 67% more likely than Pennsylvanians to top their cheesesteaks with hot sauce.

Survey data about the best cheesesteaks in America

  • Americans said they’re willing to drive an average of 23 minutes and pay $12 for a high-quality cheesesteak.
  • Americans think these three cities have the best cheesesteaks:
    • Philadelphia, PA
    • New York City, NY
    • Pittsburgh, PA
  • Overall, Americans who had eaten a cheesesteak in Philadelphia reported these restaurants as the top 3:
    • Geno’s Steaks (32%)
    • Pat’s King of Steaks (17%)
    • Jim’s Steaks (13%)
  • PA residents were 76% less likely than NJ residents to think Geno’s Steaks has the best Philly cheesesteak.

What About Pizza?

Next, we’ll answer the age-old question once and for all: Should pineapple go on a pizza? Let’s see what America thinks and find out which toppings they prefer.

Survey data about the best pizza in the USA

  • The top five non-meat pizza toppings among PA, NJ, and NY residents were:
  1. Mushrooms
  2. Onions
  3. Bell peppers
  4. Black olives
  5. Pineapple
  • Overall, 40% of residents living in PA, NJ, and NY agree that pineapple belongs on pizza. 
  • NJ residents were the most likely to say that pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza (70%), while those living outside this tri-state area were most likely to say it does (57%).
  • New Yorkers were 30% more likely than NJ residents to agree that pineapple belongs on pizza.
  • The top five meat pizza toppings of Americans living in PA, NJ, and NY were:
  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Bacon
  4. Chicken
  5. Meatballs
  • New Yorkers (48%) were more likely than NJ residents (42%) to put pepperoni on their pizza, but they were equally as likely (30% each) to enjoy mushrooms on their pizza. 
  • 78% of residents living in PA, NJ, and NY don’t dip their pizza in Ranch, but more than 1 in 5 New Yorkers said they do. 
  • Americans think these three cities have the best pizza:
    • New York City, NY
    • Chicago, IL
    • Philadelphia, PA

Survey data about which city has the best pizza

The Cheesesteak and Pizza Verdicts

If you think Swiss cheese belongs on a cheesesteak, you might be confusing it with its preferred cousin, provolone. But as long as it has fried onions and a hoagie roll, you’re in business. Head to Geno’s Steaks in Philly for the best version.

And while pizza comes in a wide array of shapes, sizes, and flavors, one thing’s for sure: It must have mozzarella and tomato sauce. For most people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, it also needs to be New York style. No matter your pizza preference, if you haven’t tried dipping it in Ranch dressing, you’re missing out.

Methodology 

To explore preferences about popular foods such as cheesesteaks and pizza, we surveyed 857 Americans.

Respondents reported living in the following states: Pennsylvania (27%), New Jersey (15%), and New York (32%). The remaining 26% lived in other states.

About OddsSeeker

We want cheese steak loves and online gamers to win more cash, so we offer all the tools to claim online casino promotions and free money at the top real-money and sweepstakes operators to give you the best chances to win big.

Fair Use Statement

If you just confirmed that your favorite cheesesteak is, in fact, the best, feel free to share this article. We just ask that you do so for non-commercial purposes only and include a link to this page.

Hannah Workman
Topic Expert
Hannah Workman

Hannah Workman is a project manager with a bachelor's degree in advertising and public relations. After joining her employer’s office fantasy league, she became deeply enthralled with football. She was a martial artist as a child, so she always enjoys a good fight night. When Hannah isn't watching a fight or football, she enjoys live music and spending time with family and friends.

More about Hannah Workman

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