JD Vance banned by Primanti Bros. chain, uses opportunity to defend American businesses

On Saturday afternoon, a group of fans were hoping to meet vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance at a Primanti Bros. location, but managers barred the Republican from entering in an episode that quickly went viral.

Far from being offended, the Ohio senator picked up the tab for his supporters, who he met outside the venue. "It's a great local business, let's keep supporting it," he said after settling the bill of those who had come to greet him and took the opportunity to promote one of the economic promises of his campaign: "Of course when I gave a nice tip I said, ‘No taxes on tip.’"

Surprise, outrage, and calls for boycott

"This Primanti Bros. has banned J.D. Vance." So explains, phone in hand, Sean Logue, Washington County GOP chairman, during the unusual Saturday at a North Versailles, Pa., venue that immediately became one of the most viral topics at this stage of the 2024 presidential election.

In that first video of the five uploaded by Logue, a crowd of people, close to 100 according to some reports, can be seen waiting inside the venue. Outside is a black SUV, surrounded by Secret Service agents. "JD Vance, if he steps foot inside the Primanti Bros., then they will call the police," says the Pittsburgh-based attorney, as he explains that the vice presidential candidate was waiting inside the vehicle. "We are now banned from Primanti Bros."

Understanding that the Ohio senator would not be allowed inside, supporters canceled their food orders. They then stepped out onto the sidewalk, where they eventually encountered Vance.

"They allowed Kamala Harris to go in there, take pictures, so why wouldn’t Primati Bros. let us take pictures here?" one of the Republican supporters asks, indignantly, in a Logue video. Harris  previously held an event at Primanti Bros. weeks ago helped stoke controversy online, especially since allegations circulated then that the Democratic team kicked out a group of diners to prepare for the vice president's arrival and that the event had been attended by paid actors.

There were even calls for a boycott. The Italian American Civil Rights League accused the restaurant of dishonoring the hospitality characteristic of the Italian-American community. "[It] is just the latest in a series of exclusionary efforts by corporate conglomerates to bully or threaten friends and staffers of President Trump merely for their political beliefs," it issued in a statement in which it recalled that Red Hen recently denied service to Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "Sono una vergogna; they are a disgrace!" its president said before offering to show Vance "true Italian American hospitality."

JD Vance downplays controversy

The Pittsburgh-based chain issued a statement assuring that its doors "are open to all patrons who wish to dine with us," and that in the last 90 years it had hosted politicians from both parties.

It also described the incident as "a momentary confusion from our staff." And he claimed that the visit had been "without any advance notice," an idea that Logue dismissed in his videos by asserting that the venue had opened early on purpose and saying several times that it had been planned.

The Republican vice presidential candidate sought not to further inflame tempers toward the chain and said it was a misunderstanding by the manager, who became nervous due to the number of people. "It's alright, don't hold it against her, she [the manager] just got a little nervous," Vance told supporters gathered outside the establishment.