As the boycott gained traction, Primanti Bros.’ financial situation began to unravel faster than a poorly wrapped sandwich. The chain, which had long been a fixture of Pittsburgh’s culinary scene, suddenly found itself in the crosshairs of a politically charged boycott that showed no signs of slowing down.
By the end of the day, Primanti Bros. had reportedly lost close to $20 million in revenue, a staggering sum that no amount of extra fries could fix. The chain, which operates 43 locations nationwide, was hit hardest in its Pennsylvania locations, where loyal Trump supporters made up a significant portion of their customer base. One manager of a downtown Pittsburgh location described the scene as “eerily quiet,” noting that they hadn’t seen foot traffic this low since the great coleslaw shortage of 1985.
