(Cupventi.com) – Patrons of the iconic Pittsburgh eatery, Primanti Bros., were left frustrated on Sunday after they were unexpectedly asked to leave the premises to make way for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who were visiting the restaurant as part of a weekend campaign stop.
Many customers, including Mark Dodson of Collier, were caught off guard when they were told to vacate the restaurant at 4 p.m. Dodson, who had been enjoying a quiet afternoon watching the Pittsburgh Pirates game on TV, recounted his experience, saying he was surprised when the bartender called “last call” around 3:30 p.m. “I wanted to watch some sports and enjoy an afternoon lunch,” Dodson said, expressing his frustration over the sudden announcement. Primanti Bros. is famed for its Pittsburgh-style sandwiches piled high with meats and fries, a local favorite.
Dodson, who has experience in the restaurant industry, noted that the situation seemed abrupt and confusing. “They shut down the TVs… so you couldn’t watch the game,” he said. “I said, this is BS – this is a public restaurant. It was kind of mind-boggling to me.” Dodson was among the last patrons to leave, and as he reached his car, he noticed that his was the only vehicle left in the lot. Meanwhile, protesters, many dressed in pro-Trump attire, had started to gather across the street.
Shortly after, a Harris-Walz campaign bus and several white vans arrived at the scene, as captured in a video shared by Sam DeMarco III, chairman of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County. Protesters were heard shouting slogans such as “They kicked us out of Primanti Brothers” and “You are terrible people” as the campaign entourage arrived. Some protesters even accused the campaign of employing “actors,” pointing to a video by ABC News that showed a dining room full of people enjoying their meals during Harris’ visit.
Amy Smith, a resident of Moon, also recounted her experience of being asked to leave Primanti Bros. She mentioned that she arrived around 2:50 p.m. and that Harris did not make her appearance until approximately 6 p.m. Smith had anticipated Harris’ stop and had correctly guessed that the Vice President would visit a nearby Sheetz gas station, a popular pit stop for candidates heading to Pittsburgh International Airport. Smith observed two blue Harris-Walz buses and a white bus with no decals arriving at the scene. Representative Chris Deluzio, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who represents the area, was also reportedly seen accompanying Harris at the event.
The Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment before the press deadline. However, the visit drew the participation of other local figures, including Senator Bob Casey Jr. and retired Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis. Video footage from an ABC News affiliate showed Harris and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff greeting patrons inside Primanti Bros.
Fox News Digital reached out to Primanti Bros.’ main office in Pittsburgh for comment but received no response from the designated representative.
In addition to the Primanti Bros. visit, Harris’ stop at a Sheetz gas station during her tour of western Pennsylvania attracted criticism due to the Biden administration’s ongoing lawsuit against the Altoona-based gas-and-convenience chain. The lawsuit, filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), accuses Sheetz of discriminatory hiring practices, particularly concerning its use of criminal background checks.
Republican lobbyist David Urban highlighted the irony of Harris visiting Sheetz by sharing an image on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “Apparently, Kamala Harris forgot that the Biden Harris Administration is suing Sheetz for requiring criminal background checks of their employees when she visited for some snacks yesterday.”
Following the Primanti Bros. incident, Sam DeMarco urged people to give the restaurant some slack, suggesting that the campaign may have simply rented the venue for a private event. DeMarco, a fan of Primanti Bros.’ sandwiches, quipped that he would raise concerns if former President Trump or Senator JD Vance are not treated similarly by the restaurant in the future.