Tesla has opened its first Diner in Los Angeles With robots serving popcorn

On July 21st, the Tesla Diner opened in Los Angeles, an inauguration that gathered mixed reactions from Californian citizens. Amid the criticism (some even showed up outside on opening day with signs reading «workers should have power, not billionaires») and the support of all Tesla owners who can now charge their cars at one of the 80 stations located in the Diner’s parking lot, the new venture by entrepreneur Elon Musk seems like something out of an episode of Futurama. Built over two floors, the fast food restaurant has a retro-futuristic architecture entirely clad in steel, with red LED strips wrapping around the structure and two massive screens playing movies for customers waiting for the Supercharger to do its job. Just days after the grand opening, Musk already stated on X (his own social media platform) that if the Diner is successful, it will become an international chain, «An island of good food, good vibes & entertainment, all while Supercharging». Open 24/7, the Diner is a dream come true for fans of the company: while charging their cars, customers can enjoy a sandwich served in a paper container shaped like a Tesla Cybertruck, or have popcorn served by one of the Optimus robots on the restaurant’s terrace.

According to the Los Angeles Times, co-operator Bill Chait stated that on the first day alone, at least a thousand customers tried the Tesla Diner menu, which includes tuna toast, smashburgers, fries, wagyu hot dogs, hash browns, club sandwiches, and apple pie with ice cream. There are also Tesla-branded offerings like the Charged Soda, the Epic Bacon, and the Electric Sauce for burgers. The cooking equipment is, of course, fully electric, and the car company has designed its own grill for the smashburgers. The Los Angeles-based publication reported that on opening day, the Diner looked more like a Tesla owners' meetup than a fast food place, given the number and variety of cars in the parking lot. The project has been in the works since 2018, and was created by Musk along with car designer Franz von Holzhausen and restaurateurs Bill Chait and Eric Greenspan. The latter two were given full control over managing the venue, according to Chait, who also said he pitched the idea to Tesla years ago.

Among the innovations that the Tesla Diner is bringing to the American fast food industry—besides the giant screens entertaining customers while they eat (and blocking the view for residents living behind said screens) and the electric vehicle chargers—there’s also a slight change in the payment model, which has nothing to do with cryptocurrency: no tipping is required for any purchase, as is customary in the United States, because the company handles it, distributing 20% of revenue to all staff. Additionally, it’s possible to place an order 24 hours in advance, and a feature that Chait calls the «geo-fence» has been developed, which notifies the chefs when a customer’s Tesla is about 20 minutes away. Inside the diner, you can also purchase company merch like t-shirts and model cars, or observe the Optimus robots up close on the futuristic staircase that leads to the terrace. The Diner also boasts a selection of sustainable ingredients, with quality materials sourced just a few kilometers away, and according to posts on X, the restroom features a Japanese toilet. In short, everything you need to pretend you're living in the future, while the world isn’t doing so great.