The Philly cheesesteak is more than just a sandwich. It’s a cultural icon with generations of loyal fans. And on March 24th, Cheesesteak Day, there is no better time to discuss the much-debated topic of toppings. Namely, do you put lettuce and tomato on a Philly cheesesteak? 

Among cheesesteak eaters, the largest percentage (57%) keeps it traditional, leaving lettuce and tomato out of the equation. However, 24% sometimes add these fresh toppings, and 20% say they always do, but they call it a ‘steak hoagie’ rather than a ‘Philly cheesesteak.’

Those who prefer their Philly cheesesteak sans lettuce and tomato skew older and higher income. The data show that it’s the youth–namely Gen Z–and low-income earners who are in favor of adding the fresh veggies and renaming the sandwich in the process. 

However, this is just the beginning of what sets Philly cheesesteak traditionalists apart from the rest. Here are the facts: 

Online Review Services: The largest percentage (61%) of those who prefer a traditional Philly cheesesteak say they ‘never’ use online review services such as Yelp. Meanwhile, those who add their lettuce and tomato and call it a steak hoagie lead in using those same services multiple times a week. 

Diverse Menu Preferences: Despite their strong cheesesteak opinions, Philly cheesesteak traditionalists are 12 percentage points more likely than those who add lettuce and tomato to highly value diverse menu options when dining out (31% vs 19%). 

Splurging Habits: Fans of a Philly cheesesteak without lettuce and tomato are eight percentage points more likely to say they do not splurge on themselves than those who enjoy adding lettuce and tomato (27% vs 19%). 

Sriracha Appreciation: Those who enjoy lettuce and tomato on their ‘steak hoagie’ are 12 percentage points more likely to feel favorably about sriracha sauce than cheesesteak traditionalists (58% vs 46%). 

Obstacles to Healthy Eating: While 50% of those who add lettuce and tomato say they lack the time and money to eat healthier, just 34% of those who prefer a traditional Philly cheesesteak say the same.

Clearly, how you prefer your cheesesteak is more than just a preference of taste, it’s a key indicator of other consumer behaviors, beyond the grill. 

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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.