The story
Fried oyster sandwiches on French loaves, called oyster loaves, were already sold in New Orleans in the late 1800s. The po' boy name is usually credited to Benny and Clovis Martin, former streetcar conductors who opened a restaurant in 1921. During a bitter streetcar strike in 1929 they promised free meals to their old colleagues, and they later said they greeted each striker with 'here comes another poor boy'. One local historian doubts this, noting the brothers earlier said they named it for the dockworkers and farmers near their French Market stand. Either way, it became the city's signature sandwich.
Rival claims
City undisputed. A local historian doubts the 1929 streetcar-strike story; the Martin brothers earlier said they made it for dockworkers near the French Market.
Also known as po boy, po-boy, poor boy sandwich, oyster loaf.
On the Meridish menu
Po' boy was the street food course on menu No. 11 on October 11, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Fried shrimp or oysters in crackly French bread. Two ex-streetcar conductors here fed striking workers for free in 1929, calling each one 'another poor boy'.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
