Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, experienced an unexpected hiccup during a visit to the Primanti Bros. in North Versailles on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Vance was initially turned away by a restaurant employee due to concerns about cameras and the impression of a campaign event. Instead of dining inside, Vance interacted with supporters in the parking lot, where he paid for customers’ meals and left a generous tip, humorously referencing a policy favoring no taxes on tips.
JD Vance is all class and kindness even after being refused entry to Primanti Bros in PA where his supporters had been waiting to see him.
The true judge of a man is how he handles adverse situations.pic.twitter.com/5TWNvi9xlT
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 28, 2024
Despite the brief confusion, Primanti’s CEO Adam Golomb clarified that Vance and his team were later welcomed into the restaurant, attributing the earlier incident to a lack of advance notice. Vance himself downplayed the event, encouraging continued support for the local business and emphasizing that there were no hard feelings.
This situation follows a similar event in August when the Primanti Bros. in Moon Township hosted a stop for the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz campaign. That event sparked online rumors, later debunked by Snopes, suggesting that actors were brought in to portray diners.
Despite the initial awkwardness, both Vance and Primanti Bros. appear to have moved forward amicably.
