Four graduates of Cheltenham High School recently shared an insider’s take on the origins of National Cheesesteak Day with Billy Penn.

According to their story, on Thursday afternoon of March 24, 1994, then-seniors Sean Mealey, John McGrath, Jeremy Hollis, and Ted Goldberg visited the now-closed Stoxy’s Steaks in Philly. 

The following March, McGrath sent out a letter under the header “National Cheesesteak Committee” to his Cheltenham friends along with some new college friends announcing the second annual National Cheesesteak Thursday, to be held March 23. It urged all readers to grab a sandwich with friends and inform them of the “history and meaning of this day.”

Copies of the letter made their way around college campuses and to younger siblings back home who helped spread the word. By 1996, National Cheesesteak Thursday had made its way all the way to San Francisco.

For the full story, including interviews with the “original four” from Cheltenham, you can read Billy Penn’s article here. For more on the quasi-holiday, you can check out this article by National Today, which gives a nod to similar food-centric holidays around the world.

Photos courtesy of Billy Penn