
We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia — but we'd go back.
- by INSIDER
- Jul 23, 2025
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Two Business Insider reporters visited Hollywood's new Tesla Diner within 24 hours of its grand opening.
Sergio Ortiz Jr. Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Prices range from $9 to $15 for entrées, which come in Cybertruck-themed packaging, and sides run from $4 to $12. Kids' meals are $13 a piece, and drinks start at $4. No alcohol is served on-site.
A Tesla Burger and wagyu chili cheese fries at the Tesla Diner
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert
Though some on social media were quick to critique the price point, prices are comparable to other nearby restaurants, including the classic Astro Burger joint down the street, established in 1972, which offers similarly priced grub and retro vibes.
For dinner, one BI reporter and their date tried the Tesla Burger, Fried Chicken & Waffles, Tallow-fried fries with wagyu chili and cheese, Hash Brown Bites, Epic Bacon, and two milkshake flavors. At breakfast, another BI reporter had breakfast tacos, a cinnamon roll, and an iced latte.
The Chicken and Waffles meal comes in both traditional and spicy variations — and with optional bacon, egg, or cheese sauce.
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert
Everything sampled was worth a second bite — there were decidedly no disappointments on the menu items tried. However, the food was somewhat inconsistent, as one might expect from a grand opening, when the kitchen is still working out the kinks.
Half of the Tesla Burger had a classic smash burger texture, while the other was so thick it was medium rare in the center. The bacon had some burned bits and some chewy ones, and the tallow fries varied in texture. The breakfast taco was tasty, but it was overpowered by too much cheese.
Breakfast at the Tesla diner.
Ben Bergman/BI
Several customers during the dinner service complained that their meals took upward of 45 minutes to be served.
Eater reported that Musk himself demanded every item on the menu be "epic" or be removed from its list of offerings. The "epic" bacon — with maple glaze and black pepper — was perhaps the least exciting bite of the meal, in one reporter's view.
All told, however, the menu was solid diner fare: nothing revolutionary, but it hit the spot.
Still working out the kinks
The Tesla Diner was bustling within hours of its opening, with trash already strewn on the floor and foot scuffs highly visible on the light-colored flooring.
Greenspan could be heard shouting through the restaurant during dinner service, calling out orders to be re-fired or rushed as the kitchen dealt with wave after wave of guests flowing through its doors — typical for a grand opening.
Lines formed at the Tesla diner in Hollywood on its second day.
Ben Bergman/BI
For a place emphasizing technology and robots, there was also a lot of human help. Scores of helpful and friendly staffers guided drivers to their spots and helped handle all the traffic. As one reporter was eating their meal, a worker came over to ask: "How are you enjoying everything?"
Upstairs on the Skypad, an Optimus robot was serving popcorn to guests.
Staff gave conflicting information on whether the bot was controlled by a human operator. One said the bot was "legit" serving up the treats on its own, while another — who was serving as security for the bot when BI stopped by — said its human operator was no more than 30 feet away. The demonstration was meant to "mimic" what the real operations would look like when the bots were fully operational, the second staff member said. Tesla representatives did not immediately respond to questions about Optimus' autonomy.
A robot serving popcorn at the Tesla Diner in Hollywood, CA.
Ben Bergman/BI
The diner is open 24/7, and for Tesla owners, it's useful to have somewhere nice to go and grab a bite or just work on your laptop during the 45 minutes or more it can take to charge your vehicle.
During the opening, idle fees — which Tesla charges when a vehicle remains plugged into a Supercharger after reaching its limit and the station is at least half full — were waived.
Tesla drivers are supposed to be able to order food directly from the screen in their cars, though that feature was not available as of Tuesday. One worker said it would be ready on Wednesday after a "software update."
Fans and curious passersby outweighed critics by a large margin. At least one anti-Musk protester was spotted outside during the dinner service, with a sign that read "Workers should have power, not the billionaires!"
A demonstrator showed up to protest at the Tesla Diner on its opening day.
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert
While it remains to be seen how long the novelty of the Tesla Diner will linger at this location, Musk has said this is just the first of many souped-up Supercharger stations to come.
On Monday, shortly before the Los Angeles location opened its doors to the public, Musk confirmed in a post on X that he's planning to build a second drive-in near SpaceX's Starbase spaceport in Texas.
"If our retro-futuristic diner turns out well, which I think it will, @Tesla will establish these in major cities around the world, as well as at Supercharger sites on long distance routes," Musk said in a separate post. "An island of good food, good vibes & entertainment, all while Supercharging!"
Whether the diner guests are primarily Tesla drivers or inquisitive onlookers, the Tesla Diner makes it clear that Musk is expanding his EV brand — and the food was pretty good.
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