Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, was turned away from a Primanti Bros. restaurant in North Versailles on Saturday, following a town hall at the Monroeville Convention Center. Vance's campaign visit was interrupted by restaurant personnel, forcing him to meet voters in the parking lot due to the unforeseen occurrence.
Primanti Bros restaurant in Pittsburgh, PA wouldn’t let JD Vance in to greet his supporters.The supporters paid for their drinks, cancelled their orders, and left.pic.twitter.com/xM3kD7rGtv
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 28, 2024
According to reports, a staff member at the well-known Pittsburgh venue informed the media that cameras were not permitted inside because they did not want the occasion to become a political campaign stop. Vance and his group swiftly modified their preparations as a result.
After the restaurant made its judgment, Vance paid for the meals of patrons inside and left a tip, mentioning his suggestion that tips be taxed, a position that is supported by both of the front-runners for president. “It’s all right, don’t hold it against her,” Vance said, referring to the worker who had denied the group entry. Despite the setback, he stressed how important it is to support neighborhood businesses.
It was not immediately possible to reach Primanti Bros. or its corporate headquarters for comment on the situation. But the incident made some wonder about the way local businesses and campaigns engage throughout election season.
It's interesting to note that in August, the Moon Township Primanti Bros. restaurant had a campaign event for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, which drew criticism from online users. Several social media users conjectured that the dinner was staged, claiming that professional actors had been brought in to play the diners. These allegations were later refuted by Snopes, which, after working with a local reporter from TribLive who was there at the event, discovered no proof to back up the accusations.