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.
With the boycott already spreading across social media, Primanti Bros. found itself in even hotter water as three of its major sponsors quickly distanced themselves from the chain. And we’re not talking about small-time partnerships either—these are companies that had long tied their brands to the cultural cachet of the Primanti sandwich, hoping to ride the coattails of its regional fame. Now, those coattails have been unceremoniously snipped.
The first to go was none other than French Fry Fanatics, the supplier of the golden, crispy fries that are lovingly stuffed between the bread of every Primanti sandwich. A longtime partner, French Fry Fanatics issued a statement on social media that read, “As a brand committed to unity through the love of fries, we cannot endorse any establishment that alienates political figures, regardless of their affiliations. Effective immediately, we are ending our sponsorship with Primanti Bros.”
It seems that even the fries had enough of the political drama. As one witty social media user pointed out, “When your fries leave, you know you’ve hit rock bottom.”
Next up on the chopping block was Heinz, the ketchup kingpin and a Pittsburgh native, no less. Heinz, which had been the official ketchup of Primanti Bros. for years, released a carefully worded statement: “Heinz believes in bringing people together, not dividing them. While we have long been proud of our Pittsburgh roots, we must respectfully end our sponsorship with Primanti Bros. in light of recent events.”
For the city of Pittsburgh, this was the equivalent of a local sports team losing its star player. Losing Heinz as a sponsor was more than just a corporate setback—it was a slap in the face to the identity of the city itself. One can only imagine the heartbreak of patrons having to reach for some off-brand ketchup in the future.
Perhaps the most painful loss for Primanti Bros., however, was the decision by Iron City Beer to sever ties with the sandwich chain. The iconic Pittsburgh beer company had been a sponsor for decades, and nothing went better with a Primanti sandwich than a cold Iron City. But even loyalty has its limits, and in the wake of the J.D. Vance incident, Iron City Beer was the third and final sponsor to jump ship.
“We stand for Pittsburgh values—hard work, community, and inclusivity,” Iron City said in a statement. “Given the recent controversy surrounding Primanti Bros., we must regrettably part ways. We hope to continue serving our loyal customers through other local partnerships.”
The phrase “part ways” was particularly stinging for a relationship that had lasted so long. If beer can’t solve your problems, what can?
With three major sponsors gone and the boycott still raging, Primanti Bros. is now in full-blown damage control mode. In a desperate attempt to salvage its brand, the company has released multiple statements claiming that the incident with J.D. Vance was a misunderstanding. In their latest missive, they said, “We’ve always prided ourselves on welcoming patrons from all walks of life, and we regret any confusion that may have occurred during Senator Vance’s visit. We are working to ensure that our staff is prepared for all future campaign stops.”
However, these statements seem to be falling flat, with most people on social media accusing the company of trying to play both sides. “Too little, too late,” wrote one user. “You can’t refuse service to a major political figure and then pretend it was just a mix-up. Own it or lose customers. Looks like they chose the latter.”
And as for their attempt to frame the closure of locations and loss of sponsors as a “temporary setback,” no one’s buying it. “No fries, no ketchup, no beer? Sounds like a permanent problem to me,” one snarky tweet read.
With the loss of three major sponsors, Primanti Bros. faces an uncertain future. The once-thriving sandwich empire now finds itself in a precarious position, caught between a boycott that shows no signs of letting up and a tarnished reputation that could take years to rebuild.
Experts predict that the sandwich chain may soon be forced to make some tough decisions. Rumors are already swirling about potential layoffs, location closures, and a possible rebranding effort to distance the chain from the political fallout. Some insiders suggest that Primanti Bros. may even begin courting new, less controversial sponsors in an effort to stem the financial bleeding.
But for many loyal fans, the damage has already been done. “Primanti used to be about sandwiches, not politics,” said one long-time customer. “Now I can’t even enjoy a sandwich without thinking about the drama. Maybe it’s time to find a new lunch spot.”
At the end of the day, the J.D. Vance-Primanti Bros. fallout is yet another example of what happens when politics intersects with everyday life. Once upon a time, you could go into a restaurant, order a giant sandwich, and not worry about which political candidate the establishment was favoring. But those days, it seems, are long gone.
As Primanti Bros. grapples with the loss of its sponsors and customers alike, one thing is clear: the era of neutral sandwich-making is over. Whether you’re team Vance or team Harris, it looks like even your lunch order is now a political statement. And with that, we say goodbye to the humble, drama-free sandwich.
