The restaurant, which has been a Pittsburgh staple for more than 90 years, recently launched a promotional campaign celebrating inclusivity and diversity, featuring employees from various backgrounds. The campaign’s messaging emphasized that Primanti Bros. was a welcoming place for “all people, no matter where they come from.” While the campaign was met with praise from many customers, it raised red flags for Voight.

“I’m all for treating people with respect, but when you start pushing political agendas through sandwiches, that’s where I draw the line,” Voight continued. “A sandwich should be a sandwich. It shouldn’t come with a side of virtue-signaling. This woke nonsense has no place in the food business.”

Voight wasn’t alone in his stand against the perceived “wokeness” of Primanti Bros. J.D. Vance, Republican senator and vice-presidential candidate, also weighed in on the controversy. Vance had his own beef with the sandwich shop after an incident in which he was reportedly barred from entering a Primanti Bros. location in North Versailles, Pennsylvania, during a campaign stop.

According to Vance, the restaurant manager refused to allow him entry, citing that the event “wasn’t a campaign stop” and that “J.D.’s not allowed in.” The manager even threatened to call the police if Vance entered the establishment, setting off a firestorm of conservative backlash against the chain.

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