Comments

• Mar 16, 2011 3:36am - Activist - CA
  Call, email, write to the offending racist, city of Philadephia, the mayor, human rights commission, etc.
  
  Come on...it's not that hard. It only takes a few minutes.
  
  Instead of being so passive, and debating each other -- move, do, act.
  
  I have, and I do it all the time. I've blasted him several times by phone, mail, mail and emal.
  
  It takes critical mass.
  
  And some cajones.
  
  Step up.
  
  
• Jul 15, 2009 7:27pm - DE
  Everyone, not just Chinese Americans, Everyone just boycott the place. He will feel the pain. Take a page from the bus boycotts down South in the 60's.
• May 13, 2008 1:33am - Jerry Ko
  Aren't we over reacting a little too late? I mean, why there weren’t any controversy prior to the change of ownership. I don't approve of the name, however, if we or the ‘other races’ are to be offended by the name, it should be done something about it before, maybe not in the beginning when it was first opened back when, but possibly in the eighties, nineties or early two thousands...My point is this, there is no denial that we as an Asian culture does not like controversy or speaking out. We tend to mind our own business and not getting involved. It is great now that we finally found our voices and getting more active and involve but we need to be more selective, quality and not quantity.
• May 9, 2008 4:36pm - Alan - New York
  It is no doubt is offensive to have such a name in a racial conscious and diverse nation. However, I think the most important issue and the concern I have is if there is any discrimination against the Asian patrons due to its name. I am not only talking about if the owner, the server or the chef that may have the discrimination attitude, but also talking about other ehnicity customers that dine there which due to the controversial name may trigger their racial discrimination agaist the Asian customers.
• May 4, 2008 10:26pm - EC
  Thats funny! LOL!!
• May 1, 2008 12:52pm - Young Ma
  Times have changed and we have no choice but to go along with the flow of society. As a Korean-American, the name of the restaurant did not offend me but then I realized that it is equivalent to "Nigger's steak" or "Gook's steak". It is just inappropriate. I do understand however that the new owner wants to keep the origin of the place and its "history" intact as a "vintage" place or whatever, but this is the 21st Century. People are more vociferous and much more racially aware. I am sure the owner did not mean to offend, he was just trying to keep the original name intact. Nothing is wrong with that, but how long does he think the place will stand with that name? Many customers, not just asians, will be offended, and if anything, his sales might plummet. I mean, its Philadelphia. I am sure you can find other cheese steak places to eat at.
• Apr 30, 2008 9:11am - Brion J. Shreffler
  Yes, that name jumped out at me as well. Only recently heard of this place, though I'm from Philadelphia. Thought that it was derived from the sound of a spatula upon a grill, an incessent sound wherever cheesesteaks are made. Origin aside the name stands to offend. The origin given here, if true, makes it blatantly offensive. Cheesesteak places shouldn't be the center of controversy(<Ahem>, Geno's).