It all started innocently enough. J.D. Vance, the rising political star who had been crisscrossing the country on the campaign trail, made a pit stop at Primanti Bros.’ North Versailles location. What could have been a quick bite and a handshake with local supporters turned into a full-blown political scandal. Vance was met not with warm Pittsburgh hospitality, but with a manager who declared, “This isn’t a campaign stop, and J.D.’s not allowed in here.”
What followed was the kind of uproar usually reserved for a bad call in a Steelers game. Videos of the incident went viral, and within hours, social media was on fire with the hashtag #BoycottPrimanti. Trump supporters, conservatives, and even some confused sandwich enthusiasts who weren’t sure why they were mad but were nonetheless determined to express their outrage, began calling for a mass boycott of the chain.
