Your Cheesesteak Location
Much of the value of the cheesesteak experience is gained through external influences which include a consumer’s social environment and their situational influences (Babin/Harris, 27). The social environment is how others influence your decision making, where as, a situational influence is specific to a time and place (Babin/Harris, 27). These influence, whether one realizes it or not, make a large impact on where a consumer gets their cheesesteak.
Every Philadelphian has their cheesesteak place. For my Dad it was Pat’s. Why did he choose Pat’s? He went because all of his friends in college did. When he attended the University of Pennsylvania, his friends had a rule. Whenever someone said Pat’s, everyone else had to drop what they were doing and go to Pat’s for a cheesesteak. This was tradition, and he wouldn’t have purchased so many cheesesteaks from Pat’s, if it weren’t for his social environment. His friends and wanting to spend time with them, is what made my dad purchase so many cheesesteaks and not try another cheesesteak place in the area.
My social environment and the reason I always go to Jim’s, is because of my brother and the people who typically go to Jim’s after a major Philadelphia sporting event. My brother’s favorite place is Jim’s, so he always took me there. When I went the first time, I loved how lively the line was. Everyone is talking about whatever sporting event just ended, and if the Philadelphia team won, everyone is in a great mood and chatting your ear off. The people who go to Jim’s are normally people who just love Jim’s and not the tourists, who mainly go to Pat’s or Geno’s, so by going to Jim’s, you get a line of people who love what you love: a great steak and Philadelphia.
Even celebrities are expected to pick which they like best. But some are smart and try not to upset anyone in Philly by choosing to eat at both Pat's and Geno's, like Mark Sanchez did here.
While some people, like my dad, are influenced to go to Pat’s by their social environment, most of the people coming from outside of Philadelphia to try a steak, are influenced by situational influences. This is because most people from out of town go to Pat’s or Geno’s. Both are on the same street and both are regarded as the best in the city. The steaks and experiences are almost exactly the same. The biggest difference however, are the buildings and the history. The bright flashy lights of Geno’s tend to draw people to its line, while the the more traditional person might be drawn to Pat’s brick restaurant with florescent lights. Some people pick Pat’s because it is said to be the creator of the typical cheesesteak, but Geno’s tries to make the decision difficult on consumers by offering the same quality steak with different situational influences.
So where will you decide to go when you visit? If you want to stick to the traditional Pat's or Geno's, this description of their rivalry might help you to decide.
Samara,
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog post. The first time that I went to Philadelphia I was drawn in by the lights of Geno's and that was where I had my first "real" Philadelphia cheesesteak. I believe a major reason that I picked Geno's over Pat's was due to the concept of source attractiveness. Source attractiveness "is defined as as the degree to which a source's physical appearance matches a consumer's expectations for beauty and elicits a favorable or desirous response" (Babin and Harris 232). I think that all of the lights made it seem like Geno's was a popular place which aided in my decision.
Good Blog.
Albert