By the time the third sponsor, Heinz, followed suit, it became clear that Primanti Bros. wasn’t just losing customers—it was losing everything that made it a Pittsburgh institution.

As news of Primanti Bros.’ massive financial losses spread, reactions were mixed. On one side, Trump supporters celebrated the boycott as a victory for their cause. “We hit them where it hurts—right in their sandwich profits!” declared one supporter on X, formerly known as Twitter. “If they won’t respect our values, they won’t get our money. Plain and simple.”

Others were less celebratory but equally determined. “It’s about time companies learn they can’t treat half the country like garbage and expect us to keep giving them our business,” said another user. “This boycott is working. Primanti Bros. messed with the wrong crowd.”

Meanwhile, some more neutral observers expressed surprise that a sandwich shop could become the epicenter of such a political firestorm. “I never thought I’d see the day where I have to pick sides over a sandwich,” mused one Pittsburgh local. “But I guess this is where we are now. It’s 2024, after all.”

In a desperate attempt to salvage their crumbling empire, Primanti Bros. issued several statements aimed at quelling the controversy. “Primanti’s has always been a place where everyone is welcome, no matter their political affiliation,” the company said in one statement. “We deeply regret the misunderstanding that occurred with Senator Vance’s visit, and we are working to ensure that something like this never happens again.”