Elon Musk's Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, once a hotspot with long queues and celebrity chef Eric Greenspan, now resembles a ghost town less than six months after its July opening. The retro-futuristic eatery, located at a Tesla Supercharger station, has seen a sharp decline in customers, with the parking lot half full on a recent Friday afternoon and only a handful of diners inside.
The novelty of dining at a restaurant owned by the world's richest person appears to have worn off. Initial crowds of fans and curious visitors have dwindled, replaced by anti-Musk protests, noise complaints from neighbours, and complaints about sold-out or poorly prepared menu items. Chef Eric Greenspan, who helped launch the Mr Beast Burger chain, left the diner last month to focus on a new Jewish deli called Mish, without publicly explaining his departure.
Critics panned the food as forgettable, describing the concept as a corporate branding exercise. The menu featured fast-food staples like the $13.50 'Tesla Giga Burger' and $8 milkshakes, alongside internet-coded items like $12 maple-glazed 'Epic Bacon' strips. Tesla merchandise, including a $175 levitating Cybertruck figurine, was also on offer.
Musk had touted the diner as 'one of the coolest spots in LA' and hinted at expansion to Palo Alto and Austin, but no formal plans have been announced. Social media buzz has faded, with fewer influencers posting about the venue. Tesla and Greenspan did not respond to requests for comment.
