National Gyro Day

The gyro, a type of sandwich wrapped or folded in pita bread, is celebrated today with National Gyro Day. Lamb is typically used, but the meat can be beef, chicken, pork, or something else, and gyros can even be vegan. The meat spins while slowly being roasted—usually by an electric broiler—on a vertical spit. A deboned leg of lamb is often used. The meat is sliced vertically, being shaved off in thin, crisp slices. It is wrapped in the pita bread and topped with fresh tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce, a sauce made with Greek yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic.

Gyros became a common dish in Greece following the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece. Being inspired by the Turkish doner kebab, the immigrants used Greek meat and ingredients. In Greece, the name of the food was translated to gyros, from the Greek word γύρος, which means turn, round, or circle. Restaurants that sold gyros proliferated in Athens, Greece, and beyond throughout the twentieth century. In America, there were a lot of Greek immigrants in the twentieth century, with many of them setting up gyro stands, and gyros became a fast food staple in Chicago and New York City. The first gyro in America is believed to have been served at Parkview Restaurant in Chicago by Greek immigrant George Apostolou.

Eric Negron of King of Kings Gyros (now King of Kings Gyros and Cheesesteak Factory) created National Gyro Day in 2012, during their first year of business, getting the idea for it after having received a free donut on National Donut Day. Over the years, King of Kings has organized a number of events and offered specials for National Gyro Day. They've organized giveaways and offered buy-one-get-one-half-off gyros, had live music and a dunk tank, and hosted online contests. Since the day's inception, other gyro restaurants have begun celebrating it. For example, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café has celebrated by hosting a Battle of the Gyro! contest.

How to Observe National Gyro Day

Celebrate by having some gyros! The best place to have them is at King of Kings Gyros and Cheesesteak Factory, the restaurant that started the day. Check to see if they or other restaurants are offering any specials on gyros or hosting any events in honor of the day. You also could make some gyros to enjoy at home. Make sure to share online how you are celebrating along with a picture of your gyros and the hashtag #NationalGyroDay.

Exclusive Content

Enjoying Checkiday? It takes a lot of support from fans like you to run a free website. For exclusive content and other perks, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Thank you!

Sponsor

This event does not currently have a sponsor. If you'd like to increase visibility for this event while gaining exposure for yourself or your brand, you can learn more here.

Something Wrong or Missing?

We would love to hear from you! Please contact us using this form.

Observation Notifications

Would you like to be notified before the next observation? Add this event directly to your calendar with this link. You may also sign up here to be told when other notifications are available!