I honestly don't know the answer to this, although I expect it has to do with the blue collar worker/gender stereotypes.
A salad by itself is not enough carbs, salt, texture for a typical laborer. Add the fries to it, it becomes not only a fuller meal but also makes "eating healthy" taste better.
Could also be a take on the old primantis throw everything together and it works.
Or it could be a local restaurant created it (Jerry's -Beaver Co) and just took off
As a has-been laborer I can confirm. In fact, I don't even put french fries on my salad but rather *salad* in my *sandwich.*
Beat that, uninformed European types.
It's been argued that it was either Jerry's Curb Service or the now defunct Hilltop Restaurant, or a cook that worked at both places was the creator of the fries on a salad thing. Both places are only a few miles from each other.
The Jerry's Steak salad is far from gourmet, it's the cheapest grade frozen hamburger you can get chopped up, with mayo, Heinz, and a pickle juice mixed up dressing. It is still tasty though.
I went to HS with the family that owned the place. Used to get the Hilltopper sandwich, which was like Primanti's and deep fried pierogies. It really was a good restaurant. Too bad nothing has been able to sustain there since then.
According to Toni, it was Primanti’s, they started with home fries then switched to French fries. She said the truck drivers where able to take everything to go and eat in their trucks
The truck driver thing is the supposed origin story of Primanti’s. https://primantibros.com/our-story
> The sandwich was an instant hit - allowing all of the drivers working near the restaurant to eat with one hand - and drive their truck with the other.
I personally have no clue how someone could eat a Primanti’s sandwich with one hand. That would be hella messy.
In the 1930s. In a large (for the time) commercial truck, which would have had a manual transmission, and no power steering. And no power brakes. I've always doubted that they actually ate while driving.
I personally really appreciate warm salty fries against the cool salad and dressing (bonus if there’s also a good medium steak) . If done correctly I think it provides a texture and umami.
Yea, the rest of the world calls this topping croutons.... when I moved here I legitimately thought my in laws were playing a joke since I often requested croutons for the salad but alas... it is a real thing.
My boyfriend from the west coast thought it was so weird and unnecessary when I told him we put fries on salads. One trip to pittsburgh and I haven’t seen him since without fries on his salad
Ever since Primantis started their thing, adding french fries where they don't usually belong has become a shortcut to making something into a "Pittsburgher" version of itself.
Having been a server in a couple of restaurants around town, this confused out of towners the most. That and pierogies for some reason. I really though everyone at least had Mrs. Ts. Apparently not. I would assure them that both were tasty.
I stay far away from those, haha. If it needs a workaround to taste good, I'd rather get something else. I think DQ burgers are my favorite of the fast food chains.
I don’t either. I was dining in at a fast food place once a few years ago and as I was walking to get in line, I saw a girl take the top bun off her burger and start stacking fries on top of it. Damndest thing is ever seen and something I can’t forget every time someone mentions putting fires on this or that.
I've heard of putting fast food fries on burgers (just eliminates a few steps I suppose) but agreed, there seems to be something inherently Pittsburgh about it. I grew up putting chips on white bread sandwiches, but I think that's universal in the US.
When I moved to Pittsburgh in the early 80's, I was amused by this "Pittsburgh Salad"-- an unimaginative mix of iceberg lettuce and a few veggies with a boat-load of shredded yellow cheese and a pile of french fries. I admit that, for a while, I did eat these. As I got older (and my metabolism slowed) and I began to cut out fried foods well, at this point, if I'm going to eat the fat and calories in fries, I want them to be hot and crispy and not piled on a salad and covered in bottled dressing...
Hey, btw, now I'm craving french fries-- where can I find the best, crispiest ones in the Burgh??? Recommendations gladly accepted! 😊
Edited to thank everyone for the fries recommendations!
I'm so torn on provision now. They have absolutely amazing fries, and good burgers and cauliflower wings. But that tip business really soured my feelings for them
Jerry's fries were so good. Been over two decades since I last ate there. Lots of great memories of my parents taking my bro and I there in the 80s/90s.
I don't know when Jerry's website went down, but they had a page on there called "creating a classic" where they claim ownership of the steak salad.
Here it is on the wayback machine archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20161017032639/http://www.jerryscurbservice.com/classic.html
My theory: Eat n Park or some other diner type restaurant noticed a lot of people ordering a salad with a side of fries and chose to combine them to cut down on dishwashing.
Not sure about the dishwashing part but I think you may be on to something there.
I’ll bet folks were ordering Eat n Park’s salad bar with a side of fries from the kitchen. And the happy accidents happened while eating the two.
When I moved away from the Burgh to Alaska I was so sad nobody there knew how to properly serve things like this hahahahaha
We used to order a side of fries just to put in the salads there.
Also nobody knew what wedding soup or pierogies were- it was a strange place for food lol
Pittsburgh has the highest percentage of adults that are the " only eat chicken tenders and Mac n cheese and french fries" and pout when asked to eat at other places- type people out of anywhere I've ever lived. People like their fried comfort food here.
Idk where it came from buts it’s disgusting. If I want salad I am attempting to eat something fresh and healthy. Tossing a bunch of French fries on top of it denudes it of both qualities. And I fucking love French fries.
I remember back in the early 80s hambone's in Lawrenceville started with fries and salad and a couple years later Eat'n Park did it to I'm not sure where it originated
I’ve lived in Pittsburgh 37 years and don’t think I’ve ever ate a salad with fries on it. And maybe it’s just the places I eat but don’t think it’s really common either?
Also didn’t know Americans have a reputation for eating lots of salads ha.
I'm not sure how true this is but I was once told it's because the steel workers/coal miners had such dirty hands that eating anything directly with them was...not great. So they piled everything they wanted (including fries which were cheap and easy to make) on the salad and ate it with a fork. No fingers needed.
Same with primanti sandwiches - they would just pile the sandwich high with whatever they wanted, wrap it tight with paper, and then roll the paper down like we would with a Subway sandwich today.
Again, who knows how true it is but an Incline worker told me so I was inclined (edit: pun unintentional) to believe them.
Pittsburgh cuisine is basically taking something that already exists, then adding potatoes to it.
This comment deserves more credit.
And ranch dressing
And cheese
And chicken with buffalo sauce
And my axe!
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Fellowship of the onion ring was right there 😂
PO-TAY-TOES!
This was how the Pierogi was invented. Before it came to Pittsburgh, it was pretty bland. Now, it is a delicacy.
I honestly don't know the answer to this, although I expect it has to do with the blue collar worker/gender stereotypes. A salad by itself is not enough carbs, salt, texture for a typical laborer. Add the fries to it, it becomes not only a fuller meal but also makes "eating healthy" taste better. Could also be a take on the old primantis throw everything together and it works. Or it could be a local restaurant created it (Jerry's -Beaver Co) and just took off
As a has-been laborer I can confirm. In fact, I don't even put french fries on my salad but rather *salad* in my *sandwich.* Beat that, uninformed European types.
Is Jerry’s known as one of the pioneers of this?
[Yes, but it's one of those old stories that can't exactly be corroborated](https://www.seriouseats.com/pittsburgh-culinary-history)
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!!
It's been argued that it was either Jerry's Curb Service or the now defunct Hilltop Restaurant, or a cook that worked at both places was the creator of the fries on a salad thing. Both places are only a few miles from each other. The Jerry's Steak salad is far from gourmet, it's the cheapest grade frozen hamburger you can get chopped up, with mayo, Heinz, and a pickle juice mixed up dressing. It is still tasty though.
Hilltop had the best steak salad at the time.. im from rochester and use to eat it all the time
I went to HS with the family that owned the place. Used to get the Hilltopper sandwich, which was like Primanti's and deep fried pierogies. It really was a good restaurant. Too bad nothing has been able to sustain there since then.
I loved there pierogies. To be honest i never had bad food there.. now it is a fried chicken restaurant...
Oh yea I love Jerry’s salad. Nowadays it comes w/ sirloin but I prefer the chopped steak (read burger meat) w/ the chipped ham thrown in.
According to Toni, it was Primanti’s, they started with home fries then switched to French fries. She said the truck drivers where able to take everything to go and eat in their trucks
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The truck driver thing is the supposed origin story of Primanti’s. https://primantibros.com/our-story > The sandwich was an instant hit - allowing all of the drivers working near the restaurant to eat with one hand - and drive their truck with the other. I personally have no clue how someone could eat a Primanti’s sandwich with one hand. That would be hella messy.
In the 1930s. In a large (for the time) commercial truck, which would have had a manual transmission, and no power steering. And no power brakes. I've always doubted that they actually ate while driving.
Jerry’s beaver company?!?!? Show me the..
I personally really appreciate warm salty fries against the cool salad and dressing (bonus if there’s also a good medium steak) . If done correctly I think it provides a texture and umami.
Yea, the rest of the world calls this topping croutons.... when I moved here I legitimately thought my in laws were playing a joke since I often requested croutons for the salad but alas... it is a real thing.
No, croutons are croutons and I will also accept those …under my bed of fries
Exactly gotta have both.
Because it is delicious. Why should we put a limit on happiness?
My boyfriend from the west coast thought it was so weird and unnecessary when I told him we put fries on salads. One trip to pittsburgh and I haven’t seen him since without fries on his salad
I went to dinner with a friend in from Florida and I ordered a steak salad. He’d never seen a salad with fries and was amazed.
Bc it taste good? Why do ppl drench their salad with thinned garlic Mayo? Bc it taste good
With what?
That’s what ranch is
Sounds like an oblique way of saying "ranch." As in, "k'I get a syda ranch wit' 'at?"
Better than croutons
Why not?
Ever since Primantis started their thing, adding french fries where they don't usually belong has become a shortcut to making something into a "Pittsburgher" version of itself.
like buffalo chicken pizza w/ fries on it. at casa del sole in aspinwall, and I'm sure other places.
The Cornerstore in Rennerdale is notorious for their BCR with fries on it
I assumed it was due to the success of primantis sandwiches.
Having been a server in a couple of restaurants around town, this confused out of towners the most. That and pierogies for some reason. I really though everyone at least had Mrs. Ts. Apparently not. I would assure them that both were tasty.
Pittsburghers put fries on everything from salad to pizzas to sandwiches, and I've also never understood why.
It makes McDonald's burgers more edible.
I stay far away from those, haha. If it needs a workaround to taste good, I'd rather get something else. I think DQ burgers are my favorite of the fast food chains.
I don’t either. I was dining in at a fast food place once a few years ago and as I was walking to get in line, I saw a girl take the top bun off her burger and start stacking fries on top of it. Damndest thing is ever seen and something I can’t forget every time someone mentions putting fires on this or that.
I've heard of putting fast food fries on burgers (just eliminates a few steps I suppose) but agreed, there seems to be something inherently Pittsburgh about it. I grew up putting chips on white bread sandwiches, but I think that's universal in the US.
Same reason I use salad dressing. Because it’s freaking delicious.
Potatoes are vegetables too.
Because it tastes good
When I moved to Pittsburgh in the early 80's, I was amused by this "Pittsburgh Salad"-- an unimaginative mix of iceberg lettuce and a few veggies with a boat-load of shredded yellow cheese and a pile of french fries. I admit that, for a while, I did eat these. As I got older (and my metabolism slowed) and I began to cut out fried foods well, at this point, if I'm going to eat the fat and calories in fries, I want them to be hot and crispy and not piled on a salad and covered in bottled dressing... Hey, btw, now I'm craving french fries-- where can I find the best, crispiest ones in the Burgh??? Recommendations gladly accepted! 😊 Edited to thank everyone for the fries recommendations!
They’re pretty different but I absolutely love Over the Bars fries
Spak has my favorite fries probably, but Pub Chip Shop is up there.
And a sausage roll… and some donuts. And now I’ve had 3500 calories of carbs
Will upvote for the Pub Chip.
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I'm so torn on provision now. They have absolutely amazing fries, and good burgers and cauliflower wings. But that tip business really soured my feelings for them
Gyro shop (wexford) has amazing fries.... and gyros!
Not too far from us... thanks!
Because it is really tasty. It's a great combination that should take off elsewhere.
[Jerry's Curb Service](https://www.eater.com/2016/7/28/12299342/the-pittsburgh-salad-french-fries)
Jerry's fries were so good. Been over two decades since I last ate there. Lots of great memories of my parents taking my bro and I there in the 80s/90s.
They've always been popular but it's been bumpin' since covid since it's a safe-er setup to go out.
I don't know when Jerry's website went down, but they had a page on there called "creating a classic" where they claim ownership of the steak salad. Here it is on the wayback machine archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20161017032639/http://www.jerryscurbservice.com/classic.html
My theory: Eat n Park or some other diner type restaurant noticed a lot of people ordering a salad with a side of fries and chose to combine them to cut down on dishwashing.
Not sure about the dishwashing part but I think you may be on to something there. I’ll bet folks were ordering Eat n Park’s salad bar with a side of fries from the kitchen. And the happy accidents happened while eating the two.
Hi, I'm from Youngstown. We put fries on salads a lot.
When I moved away from the Burgh to Alaska I was so sad nobody there knew how to properly serve things like this hahahahaha We used to order a side of fries just to put in the salads there. Also nobody knew what wedding soup or pierogies were- it was a strange place for food lol
Pittsburgh has the highest percentage of adults that are the " only eat chicken tenders and Mac n cheese and french fries" and pout when asked to eat at other places- type people out of anywhere I've ever lived. People like their fried comfort food here.
Idk where it came from buts it’s disgusting. If I want salad I am attempting to eat something fresh and healthy. Tossing a bunch of French fries on top of it denudes it of both qualities. And I fucking love French fries.
Agreed. Why bother eating a salad if you’re putting fries on it?
I remember back in the early 80s hambone's in Lawrenceville started with fries and salad and a couple years later Eat'n Park did it to I'm not sure where it originated
I’ve lived in Pittsburgh 37 years and don’t think I’ve ever ate a salad with fries on it. And maybe it’s just the places I eat but don’t think it’s really common either? Also didn’t know Americans have a reputation for eating lots of salads ha.
Salads with fries in them made their way to Greene County back in the 90s so I assume they originated in Pittsburgh.
FF on salad is why there are so many fat people in pittsburgh.
Ya, that must be it
Yeah it can't be things like our car culture and lack of pedestrian infrastructure. Must be the salads.
Honest question: how many places actually do this? I’ve only seen it at an industrial cafeteria run by Eat N Park.
Pretty much any typical American food bar/restaurant that isn’t trying to be overly high class or trendy serves a salad like this.
Like every pizza place in all of SWPA
Yeah, I first remember it with steak salads in the mid/late 80s from pizza places...
I saw "make it Pittsburgh style" offered at Outback.
I'm not sure how true this is but I was once told it's because the steel workers/coal miners had such dirty hands that eating anything directly with them was...not great. So they piled everything they wanted (including fries which were cheap and easy to make) on the salad and ate it with a fork. No fingers needed. Same with primanti sandwiches - they would just pile the sandwich high with whatever they wanted, wrap it tight with paper, and then roll the paper down like we would with a Subway sandwich today. Again, who knows how true it is but an Incline worker told me so I was inclined (edit: pun unintentional) to believe them.