This sandwich shop just got caught in a pickle.
Pennsylvania favorite Primanti Brothers is scrambling to avoid blowback after turning away vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance when he tried to make a campaign stop Saturday.
The Ohio senator was initially stopped at the doors of the shop Saturday afternoon while attempting to make a campaign stop – as staff said they were not given advanced notice.
A manager of the store initially turned the campaign away – despite dozens of people waiting inside for a chance to meet the candidate.
After being turned away at the door, Vance addressed disappointed and outraged supporters in a video posted by an attendee to ‘X’.
“[The manager] just freaked out a little bit because there were a lot of people and she didn’t want to make her restaurant part of a campaign stop,” Vance said in the parking lot outside the 90-year-old business.
“We went in there, we paid for everybody’s food, we gave them a nice tip, and of course when I gave them a nice tip I said ‘no taxes on tip’,” Vance added.
The junior senator from Ohio also made clear that Primanti Brothers is still on his good side and attempted to shield the small business from any ire.
“It’s alright, don’t hold it against her, she just got a little nervous. But it’s a great local business, keep on supporting it, and most importantly, on November 5th go vote. Let’s go win this thing.”
Later, Primanti Brothers would allow Vance and his supporters to meet inside the restaurant and issued a statement in an attempt to avoid a conservative boycott.
“Our doors are open to all patrons who wish to dine with us,” the statement reads.
“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.”
This statement came after videos of angry Vance supporters made their way around the internet.
Videos posted on ‘X’ show dozens of supporters flooding out of the Primanti after they are told Vance and his team would not be allowed to enter the premises.
Vance’s welcome was a far cry from the Primanti Brothers reception to Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz when the pair stopped by the business back in August.
Their visit caused its own controversy.
Patrons of Primanti Brothers claimed that they were forced to leave the premises before Harris and Walz would enter.
Diners claimed that they were booted from their barstools so that the Harris-Walz campaign could bring in chosen people for a ‘staged’ photo-op full of supporters.
Primanti Brothers did not respond to the Post’s request for comment.
