Philadelphia Honors Hometown Sandwich To Celebrate America's Birthday
By Tim Jimenez, Nicole Brewer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – As we get closer to the Fourth of July, business is really picking up on Independence Mall. There's free admission to the Constitution Center all day long, various readings, patriotic arts and crafts projects, lessons about the flag.
And, as is tradition, it's Hoagie Day!
Eight assembly lines of Wawa employees were putting together 21,000 Italian hoagies Thursday morning. Among those part of the assembly lines, Food Network Chef Robert Irvine.
Most of the five tons of hoagie will be served to the public at noon on the Mall, but before that, Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens says a portion will go to those in need:
"First 5,000 will go out to Philabundance, a community partner of ours, and a great food pantry here in town, and we'll have about 1,000 go out to veterans organizations."
And the first 5,000 were made in hour number one.
Once the hoagies are made, they're taken to trucks outside of the Independence Mall Visitors Center. They're staying cool there.
To break down how much hoagie we're talking about: 2,000 pounds of tomatoes, 1,400 pounds of provolone, and 800 pounds each of ham and salami.
