FOOD NEWS
How The Rise Of The 6-Foot Hero Sandwich Created A Decades-Long Family Feud
BY LISA CURRAN MATTE
The Dell'Orto brothers, one-time owners of neighboring restaurants in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, didn't speak for over 30 years over a 6-foot Hero-Boy sandwich.
Created by their mother and uncle in 1955, the sandwich weighed 22 pounds and sold for $28.50 (about $285 in 2023), it was successful beyond the family's wildest dreams.
This brother-sister duo was Nina Manganaro Dell'Orto and Louis Manganaro, who were able to expand their business — Manganaro's Grosseria — and open a dedicated sandwich shop.
When Louis retired in 1962, Nina divided up the business among her four sons. Two of them — Salvatore and Jimmy — eventually bought out the other brothers.
Both brothers claimed ownership of the sandwich. In 1969, Jimmy took it upon himself to trademark its name and Sal challenged the move, kickstarting a decades-long legal battle.
After a drawn-out court battle, Jimmy won the legal dispute. According to The New York Times, the ruling resulted in Salvatore being charged $422,240 in damages.