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Eyewitnesses confirmed that Vance, along with his Secret Service detail, was left outside while the large group of supporters who had gathered to meet him stood waiting. After being refused entry, Vance retreated to the parking lot where he engaged with supporters who had come to see him. Despite the snub, the senator’s team made sure to collect contact information from those inside the restaurant who couldn’t meet with him.
In a show of goodwill, Vance paid for the meals of all attendees inside the restaurant and left a generous tip for the staff, writing “no tax on tips if you vote for Trump” on his receipt.
The incident immediately drew comparisons to an earlier event at the same Primanti Brothers location. According to several reports, the restaurant had hosted a private event for Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, just a month before. Harris supporters were allowed to mingle with the vice president, with no mention of restrictions or refusals. This discrepancy has led many to accuse the restaurant of political bias, sparking calls for a boycott of Primanti Brothers and its parent company, Authentic Restaurant Brands.
Mark Dodson, a local resident, told Fox News that he had experienced the shutdown firsthand during Harris’ visit. “I wanted to watch some sports and enjoy an afternoon lunch,” Dodson recalled. “Around 3:30, the bartender, she goes, ‘It’s last call’ – what do you mean last call?” Dodson, along with other patrons, was asked to leave the establishment early to make room for the vice president’s campaign stop.
Outside the restaurant, protesters gathered, many of them Trump supporters, criticizing the Harris campaign for what they called a staged event using “actors” to pose as patrons.
In the wake of the Vance incident, calls for a boycott of Authentic Restaurant Brands have gained significant traction online. The company, which operates 43 Primanti Brothers locations across the U.S., as well as other popular chains like P.J. Whelihans, Pollotropical, and Mambo Seafood, has come under fire from angry Trump supporters who see the restaurant’s actions as a blatant act of political discrimination.
The social media uproar has forced Primanti Brothers to respond publicly. In a statement, the company attempted to downplay the situation, insisting that it was all a misunderstanding. “Primanti’s prides itself on being a staple of the Pittsburgh community and a proud American business that has hosted sitting presidents, politicians, and political candidates from across the spectrum for over 90 years,” the statement read.
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The company further claimed that the confusion was due to the unexpected nature of the visit. “Without any advance notice, today’s campaign stop caused some momentary confusion for our staff. However, Senator Vance and his team were welcomed into our restaurant shortly after and engaged with our guests inside and on the property,” the statement continued.
However, videos from the scene appear to contradict this claim, showing Vance and his security team remaining outside the establishment throughout the incident.
As more details of the event emerge, the backlash against Primanti Brothers and Authentic Restaurant Brands continues to grow. Trump supporters across the country have vowed to take their business elsewhere, calling for a boycott of the company’s various restaurant chains. What began as a routine campaign stop has now escalated into a nationwide political controversy, and it remains to be seen how the restaurant chain will navigate the fallout.
For now, the controversy surrounding the treatment of J.D. Vance at one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved eateries shows no sign of dying down, with political tensions continuing to fuel the debate.
