In the latest twist of the Primanti Bros. saga, the beloved Pittsburgh sandwich chain has lost not just customers, but three major sponsors after its highly publicized refusal to let Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance enter one of their restaurants. What began as an incident involving a politician and a famous sandwich has spiraled into a full-blown corporate meltdown, with sponsors running for the exits faster than customers clearing out after Kamala Harris’s private event.
It all started on what should have been a quiet campaign stop. J.D. Vance, riding the wave of Trump’s endorsement, arrived at Primanti Bros.’ North Versailles location to meet with supporters, eat some iconic sandwiches, and pose for a few photos. But when Vance tried to enter the restaurant, a manager reportedly told him, “This is not a campaign stop, and J.D.’s not allowed in.”
What happened next can only be described as a political and culinary catastrophe. Vance, blocked at the door, was forced to meet his supporters in the parking lot—an unceremonious setting for what was supposed to be a friendly local event. Though he handled it with grace, even tipping the staff and paying for everyone’s meals, social media went into overdrive. Videos surfaced, tweets were posted, and the #BoycottPrimanti hashtag was born.
The incident ignited outrage among Trump supporters, many of whom had already been irritated by the revelation that the same location had hosted Kamala Harris just a few weeks earlier. Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, had waltzed into the restaurant for a private event, reportedly clearing out paying customers for what some claimed were “staged patrons.” And that’s all it took for the bread to crumble.
