Why It’s Called a Po’ Boy

How a “Poor Boy” Became a New Orleans Poboy

In New Orleans, names matter — and how you say them matters even more. Few foods prove that better than the po’ boy, a sandwich whose name tells a story just as rich as what’s piled inside the bread.

From “Poor Boy” to Po’ Boy

The name “poor boy” was born in 1929 during the New Orleans streetcar strike, when restaurant owners Benny and Clovis Martin fed striking workers for free. When another hungry striker walked in, the call went out:“Here comes another poor boy.”

Over time, that phrase didn’t just stick — it shifted, the way language naturally does in the South.

In New Orleans especially, words soften, shorten, and slide together. We drop syllables, bend vowels, and turn everyday phrases into something musical. “Poor boy” became “po’ boy”, written the way it’s spoken — casual, familiar, and full of local flavor. Eventually, it tightened even further into “poboy”, one word, no fuss, no explanation needed.

If you grew up here, you didn’t learn the word poboy — you just knew it.

A Name That Matches the City

That evolution mirrors New Orleans itself. This is a city where:

• Neighborhoods have nicknames

• Music genres are shortened and remixed

• Food names sound better when said fast and loud

“Poboy” isn’t slang for the sake of it — it’s oral tradition. Passed down by cooks, dock workers, musicians, bartenders, and locals ordering lunch at the counter. The name belongs to everyone.

What Does “Dressed” Mean?

If you’ve ever ordered a poboy in New Orleans, chances are you’ve heard the question:“You want it dressed?”

Here, “dressed” doesn’t mean fancy. It means fully loaded, the traditional way:

• Lettuce

• Tomato

• Pickles

• Mayonnaise

That’s it. No debate. No explanation. Ordering a poboy “dressed” tells the kitchen you want it the New Orleans way. Anything else is customization — but dressed is the default, the classic, the expected.

And yes, you can order it undressed if you want just the bread and filling. We won’t judge. Much.

More Than a Name

Calling it a poboy instead of a poor boy isn’t just about pronunciation — it’s about ownership. The name evolved because the sandwich became ours. Not a novelty. Not a trend. But a daily staple that crossed class lines and generations.

It fed striking workers. It fed families. It fed late-night crowds and parade-goers and musicians after gigs. And its name changed right along with the people who loved it.

The Poboy at Two Sisters on Bourbon

At Two Sisters on Bourbon, we say it the way locals always have — poboy. Shortened, seasoned, and rooted in tradition. Whether you order it dressed or make it your own, you’re tasting a piece of New Orleans history that still speaks in its original accent.

Because here, even our sandwiches have a way of talking back.