The Tesla Diner opened its doors at 4:20 p.m. on July 21, and attendees almost immediately reported how miserable of an experience it was. From obscenely long lines to flying umbrellas that smacked guests on the forehead to sold-out items, the diner was an instant site of drama, and also the site of regular anti-Elon Musk protests. Now, as reported by Eater, the diner has dropped most of the initial items from the menu, and what was once touted as a 24-hour eatery now limits that privilege to Tesla and other EV owners charging their cars only between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. You all thought several other automakers would make a better diner than Tesla, and those predictions are looking more right each day.
As per Tesla’s website, the menu has dwindled down to just a burger, three sandwiches, a hot dog, fries, a cup of chili, a slice of pecan pie, and drinks. The initial advertising for “all day breakfast” has also gone away, so breakfast is only available in the morning now. Other casualties include the so-called “Epic Bacon,” the market salad, the veggie burger, the club sandwich, and the biscuits and gravy.
Back to basics
Tesla Diner celebrity chef Eric Greenspan told Eater that the menu was scaled down due to unprecedented demand, which is hilarious considering any demand is unprecedented for a brand new restaurant, whether it’s a single diner or 1,000. Greenspan also said that the menu would be ever-evolving, a good excuse for what will surely be more menu revisions in the future.
Elon expressed confidence in this combination EV charger and diner concept, even tweeting that Tesla would establish more diners in major cities around the world. It seems though, that the Hollywood Tesla Diner is experiencing the same under-deliverance as most of Musk’s claims, like how he said there would be a million fully autonomous Tesla robotaxis in a year back in 2019, or that Tesla would be selling over 250,000 Cybertrucks each year. As for the Tesla Diner, time will tell how well the establishment fares once the initial fanfare dies down. Plus, I used to live a few blocks from the diner, and I know there is an In-N-Out just up the street that offers cheaper burgers that don’t put more money into the pocket of the richest man in the world.
