Chickie's & Pete's Terminal A — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Chickie’s & Pete’s – Philadelphia Airport October 29, 2025

What’s a trip to Philly without a cheesesteak? Like flying to Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower — it just isn’t done. So naturally, I made my way to Chickie’s & Pete’s, the original spot everyone swears by.

Chris, my server, greeted me with a grin that could sell sunshine. They buzzed behind the counter with that practiced rhythm — quick, cheerful, and just chaotic enough to prove you’re in a real Philly joint. Ask for something and bam! — it materializes before you even finish your sentence.

They recommended “The Classic” Philly Cheesesteak, loaded with mushrooms and onions. When it hit the table, it was love at first sizzle. The sandwich was piping hot, cheese gloriously gooey and stretching like it had something to prove. Suddenly, the mountain of napkins they brought made perfect sense — this was not a polite sandwich; this was a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-dive-in situation.

The first bite was pure comfort: juicy, tender beef seasoned just right, with a whisper of garlic that lingered like a good secret. The onions had character — cooked just long enough to bring out flavor and attitude, but not so long they turned soft or brown. Even the bun held its ground, soft yet sturdy enough to carry the load like a true Philly hero.

To wash it all down, I tried their Donut Hard Cider from Ship Bottom Brewery in Swarthmore, PA (5.5% ABV). It’s basically fall in a glass — crisp apples, a swirl of cinnamon, a touch of sugar, and just enough cardamom to make you want to wear flannel. The finish was warm, sweet, and cozy, like dessert disguised as a drink.

The sounds of sizzling beef, clinking glasses, and the faint hum of airport travelers made for the perfect Philly soundtrack. The air smelled of toasted bread and melted cheese — a fragrance that should honestly be bottled and sold at duty-free.

By the end, I was full, happy, and maybe a little emotional. This wasn’t just a sandwich — it was a Philly initiation, and I passed with flying colors (and...

Pretty good Philly cheesesteak here at PHL Airport Terminal A (near A23) which normally would earn this restaurant 4-5 stars. Instead, I'm ranking it 2 stars as I sit here inside the restaurant charging my phone. Why only 2 stars? Well for starters, when I walked in, I wasn't greeted or even sure if it's seat-yourself. Then, the tables and bar tops were a mess. Next, I had to find a menu, which a nearby patron offered me theirs. 20 minutes in, a waitress takes my order and seems rushed and unfriendly/doesn't want to be here. Admittedly, the food comes out quick, fresh and tasty. The waitress gives me napkins underneath which is my check - I had to ask if this was my check because I thought maybe she grabbed the wrong check, or it was just inside a stack of napkins. She said yes...

... And this is where it gets good. I eat my sandwich, all while constantly waving for the waitress to take my payment and she completely ignores me. Atleast 6 times she ignores me, with a customer sitting right next to me and her taking the order. I asked another waitress if they have pepper relish and she looks at me like I'm from Mars. I asked her where do I pay and she says (you guessed it) with my waitress. The same one that has been ignoring me. Finally, I grab her attention loudly and she takes my payment that has been sitting on the table for 45 minutes (atleast).

It's not like it's an AIRPORT or anything where people have to catch flights, right? Right.

Be forewarned. Pay as soon as you order. Don't wait for the food, or the waitress or God forbid your flight to begin...

Normally I don't like to leave a negative review for Philly cheesesteak places, today will not be the case. We went to order the crab fries of both sweet potato & regular fries as a combo & instead they wanted to charge us both at full cost individually, stating that the combo was a thing that they only do for employees. At this point we canceled our fry order and went to Smashburgers instead. It is very important that you realize as a restaurant in the service industry, if a customer asks u to do something reasonable, such as an extra condiment, combining 2 simple (and at this point I will say overpriced) sides, u do it & not give ur customer attitude. Especially when there are many other options literally around the corner. The cheesesteak steak at this particular location also felt a bit chewy & undercooked (a real surprise because the other Chickie's & Pete's that we have gone to, including in the other terminal, were not like this). I dont know if the employees on this side are miserable but there is no reason to pass that on to your customers. My recommendation would be to clean house & hire a new staff at this location. Needless to say, I won't be eating at this one again, I would rather eat at...