Hymie’s Deli is the setting for a new pro-Trump ad. Not everyone’s pleased about it.

In an ad endorsing former President Donald Trump, three Jewish women sit in a deli booth with a plate of black and white cookies. They kvetch about the political climate for Jews in Pennsylvania and nationwide as they sip on their coffee, one uttering an “oy vey.” But some locals are criticizing not just what they’re saying — but where they’re saying it from.

Eagle-eyed viewers clocked the Republican Jewish Coalition’s new ad’s setting as Hymie’s, a beloved deli in Merion Station known by Main Liners for its Jewish comfort food, baked goods, and signature pickle bar. The calling cards are subtle: familiar wallpaper featuring enlarged old photographs in the background, a round logo on a mug, and a menu with the same logo in the background.

But to devoted fans of the nearly 70-year-old restaurant who are against Trump, it’s seen as a direct hit. Since the ad began airing late last week and was published to the coalition’s YouTube channel Saturday, Hymie’s owner Louis Barson said he’s faced a barrage of criticism from locals.

“It sounds like Donald Trump came into Hymie’s, sat down with me, and had a coffee with me, when that’s obviously not what happened,” said Barson, who confirmed the ad’s setting. “It’s troubling to me that people are that divisive. I understand what’s on the line, but I do find it a bit insane at this point.”

Barson, who is registered as an independent, said the ad was filmed at Hymie’s as a favor to his friend Matthew Brooks, the Republican Jewish Coalition’s CEO. Barson and Brooks attended Harriton Senior High School together in Rosemont.

“[Brooks] called me and told me he was working on an ad and asked if they could use the restaurant after hours,” Barson said. “I would do the same if Kamala Harris or someone from the DNC asked.”

The coalition confirmed it filmed the ad last week after the dining room closed. The result is a 30-second spot that says Trump will keep the Jewish community safe. The faces are blurred of everyone in the restaurant besides the three featured women. Barson said he reviewed and approved Hymie’s inclusion before it went live.

“I never voted Republican in my life, but I am voting Trump,” one woman says. “Amen,” say the others.

Brooks said the deli was a natural choice for the ad’s backdrop.

“One of the things that are central to delis is that they’re a place for people to come together and kibbitz over food and talk about their lives,” he told The Inquirer. “We couldn’t think of a better venue to convey the conversations happening in the community.”

Brooks said the reception among supporters has been strong.

“It’s a message that resonates with a wide set of Jewish voters,” he said. “Hopefully we tap into that with the intent of letting people in the Jewish community know that this is one of the most consequential elections of our lives and that it’s OK to vote for Donald Trump.”

Still, not all reception has been glowing.

On social media, particularly Facebook groups based in Lower Merion, hundreds of comments weigh in on Hymie’s serving as the ad’s backdrop. Many say the spot was inappropriate, with some calling to boycott the deli and others concerned about the ad’s messaging and its depiction of Jewish women. Many comments believe Hymie’s inclusion means the restaurant is directly endorsing Trump, which Barson says isn’t the case.

“It’s troubling to me that when I read those comments and read that people think, people think I’ve been paid or I’m a Trumper. I’ve been a registered independent for years. I was literally helping a friend out,” Barson said.

The spotlight on Hymie’s is the latest chapter of the ongoing philosophical debate regarding if and when restaurants — which are often viewed as community third spaces — should wade into politics. Over the weekend, Trump made a publicity appearance at a Bucks County McDonald’s.

“McDonald’s does not endorse candidates for elected office and that remains true in this race for the next President,” the fast food brand said in an internal memo sent to employees. “We are not red or blue — we are golden.”

Barson maintains that the deli — which he’s run for the last 35 years — is a place where everyone can break (rye) bread. When asked if he agreed with the ad’s sentiments, he said he remains an undecided voter and his mail ballot is still blank on his desk.

As for the backlash, Barson said he welcomes the discourse and is happy to speak with people who want to discuss their concerns with him directly, less so the keyboard warriors who he believes are blowing things out of proportion.

“Most people wouldn’t know it was Hymie’s if it wasn’t for the hubbub on social media that has morphed into ‘Lou supports Donald Trump,’” he said. “I don’t care, but it’s just not accurate. If people want to reach out to me, I’ll talk to them.”

Barson added that he’d already chatted with a handful of friends and customers in the last few days about the ad. “I’ve dealt with cars going through the window, water flooding, armed robberies, gas being cut off — this is just another day. I get that tensions are high, but we’re all citizens of the USA and we’re all one.”