We Ate at Joe’s. And We Have Lots of Pictures to Prove It.

A good crowd showed up Saturday to celebrate a Philly institution's new, better name.

Ever since Chink’s Steaks was renamed Joe’s Steaks—and business fell as a result—lovers of the old, racist-sounding name have posed a very pointed question in the comments here, at Philly.com, and on angry Facebook pages everywhere. It goes something like this:

All those PC people who wanted Joe to change his name? Why aren’t they eating at Joe’s?

Good question. Our answer, for now: On Saturday, we really did eat at Joe’s. For a few hours, at least, Joe didn’t have to stare at a store emptied by his decision to do the right thing. We filled the place to overflowing.

But of course, businesses aren’t usually saved by one good day. Joe’s Steaks will only survive in the long run if he can recoup much of the business lost when bitter “Chink’s” adherents stopped buying his steaks. Here’s hoping Joe’s Steaks survives and thrives—because, Lord, it would be a sin to let such great cheesesteaks disappear from the planet.