A growing number of Trump supporters are calling for a boycott of Authentic Restaurant Brands, the parent company of Pittsburgh culinary staple Primanti Brothers, after a Primanti Brothers manager refused to allow Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance inside the building.
The incident took place on Saturday, September 28, when Vance travelled to the chain’s North Versailles, Pennsylvania location to meet with a large group of supporters. Vance intended to make a quick appearance at the restaurant, meet with patrons and tip the staff, though he was barred from entry, according to several eyewitnesses and videos from the scene.
An employee reportedly told the campaign that this was “not a campaign stop” and that “JD’s not allowed in.” In addition, the restaurant manager threatened to call the police if Vance entered the establishment, an eyewitness told Fox News.
Sean Logue, an attorney from the Pittsburgh area who witnessed the interaction, uploaded several videos from inside the store to social media. “J.D. Vance’s SUV pulls up, Secret Service comes into the restaurant, Secret Service guards the area between the SUV and the entrance to the restaurant. J.D. Vance, he gets out, and then the manager runs out and yells at him and says, you can’t come in here,” he said.
He then reported that the manager called company headquarters and was told that Vance was not allowed in the building.
The Republican senator then headed to the parking lot to meet with the large group of supporters gathered there, and sent staffers into the restaurant to get contact information for supporters who were not able to meet. He also paid for everyone’s food, tipped the restaurant staff and wrote “no tax on tips if you vote for Trump” on his receipt.
While Vance was barred from entry, the exact same location reportedly cleared out paying customers and replaced them with Harris supporters for a “private event” nearly a month earlier. The “private event” turned out to be a visit from Vice President Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, who proceeded to mingle with “patrons” and pose for photos.
“I wanted to watch some sports and enjoy an afternoon lunch,” Moon Township resident Mark Dodson told Fox News. “Around 3:30, the bartender, she goes, ‘It’s last call’ – what do you mean last call?”
