Here’s a playful guide to the Keystone State, written from across the Delaware. New Jerseyans and Pennsylvanians share shore trips, toll booths, and a talent for complaining about potholes—but that’s where the harmony often ends.
From hoagie etiquette to odd liquor laws, Pennsylvanians have quirks that make Jersey folks squint and say, “Wait, what?” Consider this your field manual for decoding the mysteries west of the river.
25. The Sacred Sheetz vs. Wawa Feud
New Jerseyans love Wawa, but Pennsylvanians treat the Sheetz-versus-Wawa debate like a blood oath. In the western half of the state, Sheetz is a lifestyle choice, not a convenience store. People plan road trips around MTO menus and loyalty points. Jersey folks just wanted a coffee and a sizzli, not a culture war.
24. Ordering Cheesesteaks With a Password
To Pennsylvanians, “wiz wit” is plain English. New Jerseyans freeze up at the grill like it’s a pop quiz with a line behind them. The ritual—bread first, cheese second, onions last—feels oddly ceremonial. Jersey keeps wondering why lunch comes with performance pressure.
23. Soft Pretzels for Breakfast
Pennsylvanians treat a warm, soft pretzel like a legitimate morning meal. There are office meetings where pretzels replace bagels without apology. Mustard packets are as common as coffee stirrers. In Jersey, this registers as delicious—but still a little chaotic.
22. The State Store Scavenger Hunt
Buying wine and liquor in Pennsylvania feels like an escape room. You need a “Fine Wine & Good Spirits” store for one thing, and maybe a separate place for beer. Hours can be random, and Sundays used to be a gamble. New Jerseyans clutch their grocery-cart chardonnay in disbelief.
21. BYOB Because Licenses Are Weird
Pennsylvanians treat BYOB like a culinary genre. Great restaurants cheerfully tell you to bring your own bottle, like it’s normal. It is normal—because liquor licenses are scarce and pricey. Jersey people keep thinking they forgot something essential on the counter.
20. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Personality Test
The Turnpike is part toll road, part endurance trial. Expect surprise construction, mile-long tunnels, and “Toll by Plate” letters that arrive like plot twists. Locals navigate it with grim serenity and a hoagie. New Jerseyans need a nap and a calculator afterward.
19. Parking Chairs and “Savesies”
In winter, some neighborhoods reserve shoveled-out spots with folding chairs like medieval land claims. Everyone understands the code, and tempers flare if it’s broken. It’s neighborhood law without paperwork. Jersey folks keep asking, “Is this… legally binding?”
18. The Mummers Parade on New Year’s Day
Feathers, banjos, sequins, and strutting down Broad Street—Pennsylvanians barely blink. It’s tradition; it’s art; it’s also an all-day commitment. New Jerseyans can’t decide whether to applaud, join, or quietly back away. Then they hear there are brigades that practice all year.
17. “Jawn” Means… Everything
In Philly-speak, one word handles nouns, concepts, and sometimes emotions. It’s a linguistic Swiss Army knife. New Jerseyans spend the first hour pretending they get it. By the second hour, they’re saying it too and scaring themselves.
16. Hoagies, Not Subs
Pennsylvanians don’t order “subs.” They order hoagies and will correct you with love and authority. The bread is a point of pride and a litmus test for neighborhood allegiance. Jersey shrugs—then takes notes, because the sandwich really does slap.
15. Pierogies Like It’s a Food Group
From church basements to stadium stands, pierogies are everywhere. People debate fillings like sports trades. Butter-and-onion superiority is asserted with confidence. New Jerseyans wonder how potatoes got this powerful.
14. Primanti-Style French Fries on Everything
In Pittsburgh, fries hop onto sandwiches and salads like it’s their birthright. Coleslaw climbs aboard, too. The combo looks reckless until the third bite, when it becomes destiny. Jersey folks resist, then convert, then evangelize.
13. The Eagles–Steelers Split Personality
Pennsylvania is one state with two football souls. East bleeds green; west waves the Terrible Towel. The middle tries to stay diplomatic and ends up exhausted. New Jerseyans envy the clarity—then remember their “New York” teams play in Jersey.
12. “Yinz” and the Pittsburgh Accent
New Jerseyans can handle “y’all,” but “yinz” short-circuits them. The vowels in “downtown” stretch like taffy. “Nebby” means nosy, which is useful at family gatherings. By day three, Jersey is translating for their own group chat.
11. The Penn State White Out
A whole stadium dresses in coordinated white like a snowstorm with season tickets. The sight is equal parts eerie and electric. Tailgates start at breakfast and somehow still count as breakfast. Jersey schools throw good parties, but this is a religion.
10. Deer Season as a Calendar Event
In some districts, the first day of deer season is functionally a holiday. Schools adjust, and so do family schedules. Blaze orange becomes the color of the week. Jersey blinks, nods, and adds “venison” to the vocabulary list.
9. Amish Buggies on the Shoulder
Sharing the road with horse-drawn buggies requires patience and reflexes. Locals give wide berths and friendly waves. Tourists whip out cameras like it’s a parade. New Jerseyans white-knuckle the wheel and then feel oddly peaceful.
8. Scrapple Without Irony
Pennsylvanians eat scrapple because it’s breakfast, not a dare. Crisp edges, maple syrup, and a don’t-ask-questions attitude. Diner menus treat it like bacon’s ambitious cousin. Jersey tries a bite, stares at the plate, and orders another.
7. Water Ice, Not Italian Ice
Ask for Italian ice and reveal you’re not from around here. “Water ice” rolls off tongues with hometown pride. Flavors like lemon and cherry taste like summer sidewalks. New Jerseyans comply and admit it hits different.
6. Pronouncing Schuylkill and Friends
It’s “SKOO-kill,” not whatever you just attempted. Then there’s North Versailles (“ver-SALES”) and Wilkes-Barre (local versions vary). The map reads like a spelling bee with attitude. Jersey gives up and follows the river signs.
5. County Fairs That Actually Matter
Blue ribbons, tractor pulls, and livestock auctions draw real crowds. Butter sculptures become headline attractions. Funnel cake is an appetizer, not a dessert. Jersey fairs are fun; Pennsylvania fairs are a lifestyle.
4. Rowhome Stoops as Living Rooms
Entire blocks turn stoops into social clubs. Conversations ricochet from sports to weather to who needs a plate of cookies. You learn everyone’s business by osmosis. New Jerseyans feel nosy by accident and welcomed on purpose.
3. The Farm Show in January
While Jersey hunkers down, Pennsylvanians flock to Harrisburg for milkshakes and machinery. Kids meet baby cows; adults meet their step count. The butter sculpture gets more photos than most weddings. Jersey adds “agricultural spectacle” to winter plans.
2. The Weather Mood Swing Acceptance
Pennsylvanians carry snow brushes, rain jackets, and sunscreen in one trunk. The forecast is a suggestion, not a promise. Everyone has an ice-scraper philosophy and a driveway salt brand. Jersey keeps asking the sky to pick a lane.
1. Fierce Hometown Loyalty Across a Big, Weird State
Pennsylvania feels like several states stitched into one long story. From steel towns to college valleys to rowhouse blocks, pride runs deep. People defend their diners, dialects, and high school mascots with gusto. New Jerseyans may not always get it—but they can’t help respecting it.
