The Louisiana sandwich associated with unemployed workers during New Orleans’s 1929 streetcar strike is the po’boy.
The sandwich’s origin is commonly connected with brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin, former streetcar conductors who operated a restaurant in New Orleans. During the strike, they served free sandwiches to striking workers, whom they reportedly called “poor boys.” The name later became “po’boy.”
Traditional po’boys use New Orleans French bread, prized for its crisp crust and airy interior. Fillings vary greatly, including fried shrimp, oysters, catfish, roast beef, and sausage. Lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise or other sauces may also be added.
The sandwich is not the same as a muffuletta. The muffuletta uses a round sesame loaf, olive salad, cold cuts, and cheese, while the po’boy is identified especially with New Orleans-style French bread and a wide range of fillings.