Featured Shows
All AMC Shows
More Shows
Watch Online
Featured Movies
Movies on AMC
Movie Resources
Watch Online
Start a Conversation
Talk is a public forum where you can ask questions and share your commentary with fellow Mad Men fans.
Pat's Steaks - Oh yes they did!
Someone posted that Pat's steaks didn't sell Chicken Parmesan....well, here's an article where the son of Pat says "oh yes they did!"
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/54672857.html
By Dan Gross
Philadelphia Daily News
ON SUNDAY'S episode of "Mad Men," Betty Draper's father, Gene, holds a big paper bag in the air and proclaims "We went to Pat's Steaks," when he arrives at the New York home of Betty and ad-exec husband Don Draper.
As we learned last season on the AMC hit series, Betty Draper comes from the Main Line, so it is not a stretch to think the Pat's that was referenced is Pat's King of Steaks, founded in 1930 by Pat Olivieri, who is credited as having invented the cheesesteak.
Pat's grandson Frank Olivieri Jr. freaked out yesterday when we told him of the name-drop.
"It's my favorite show in the world," said Olivieri, who planned to catch the episode on his iPod last night. "It's an honor for them to reference my family's restaurant and a cheesesteak," Olivieri said. On the show, Betty's father said he had brought a "half" for one of the kids and also had picked up a "chicken parmesan."
Olivieri said yesterday that in 1963, when the show is set, Pat's did sell half-size steaks, for 35 cents, while wholes were 55 cents. It has never sold chicken parm at the 9th and Wharton eatery, but did offer it at another Pat's Steaks, at 33rd and Ridge.
We asked AMC representatives whether Pat's Steaks was one of the Philadelphia Pat's Steaks, but they did not reply.
Being from Philly, I used to eat Pat's Steaks and Jeno's (which was on the same corner along with another smaller steak joint - I can't remember the name). I don't remember them selling chicken parmesan because I always ordered the cheese steak. Knowing that Betty is from the Main Line, I immediately caught the reference to Pat's Steaks. I also caught the reference to Grace Kelly when Roger said "Look Princess Grace swallowed a basketball." Princess Grace had an older brother (Jack), too. Although he was an athlete all his life, he dropped dead of a heart attack while jogging one day in his early 40's. I wonder if Betty's brother will suffer the same fate. Is Gloria Betty's sister? Because I believe Grace Kelly had 2 sisters. Apparently, from what I've read, Grace Kelly also had a lot of "daddy issues" just like Betty. It's pretty obvious Betty is modeled after Grace Kelly. January Jones looks so much like her that she would be the obvious choice to play her in a movie biography.
I also caught that Pat's reference, as did everyone who ever lived in Philly, and there is *no* doubt Matt means it to be *that* "Pat's". My guess as to why you never heard from the show was because they were afraid that right after they said "yes" you might say "good because now you owe me $1 million for unauthorized use of name" ;-)