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8 things to know about the first-ever Tesla Diner

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The Tesla Diner in Hollywood.
Tesla

Tesla has just opened its first-ever diner, in Hollywood, California, as part of a themed Supercharger station. As it welcomed its first visitors on Monday night, the automaker released a video offering a look inside the Tesla Diner. 

What’s the theme?  The Tesla Diner combines 1950s American drive-in diner aesthetics with a super-modern Tesla-inspired interior, creating a blend of nostalgia and innovation. At least, that’s the aim.

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Where is it? The Tesla Diner is located at 7001 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, about a 20-minute stroll from Hollywood’s legendary Walk of Fame.

I live nowhere near! Will Tesla open a diner near me? Perhaps. Musk revealed on Monday that if the Tesla Diner proves popular, it could build more of them at Supercharger locations in major cities around the world as well as along popular long-distance routes.

I don’t have a Tesla. Can I still go to the Tesla Diner? Of course. The diner offers 80 Tesla V4 Superchargers, enabling Tesla vehicle owners, or indeed any EV owner with a compatible connector, to recharge their vehicles while enjoying food and entertainment. And anyone in the vicinity can drop by the diner — EV or no EV.

Is there an Elon Burger on the menu? Certainly not. Well, not yet, anyway. There is, however, a Tesla Burger ($13.50) along with diner favorites such as hot dogs ($13), egg sandwiches ($12), hash brown bites ($8), and grilled cheese ($9), and a range of drinks, too. In another Tesla-inspired twist, the food is served in containers based on the Cybertruck design:

What are those two massive screens in the parking lot? The Tesla Diner features two 45-foot LED screens for a drive-in movie experience, with audio and video synced directly to Tesla car’s touchscreen so that you can enjoy the entertainment seamlessly. You can also watch presentations from the Skypad, the diner’s rooftop terrace. Expect to see short films, and probably some ads, too. For Tesla EVs. 

Is the Tesla Bot serving customers? Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus has indeed been seen serving (popcorn), showing off Tesla’s integration of robotics and automation within the venue. However, it’s not yet clear if it’s going to be a regular part of the serving team. But the robot also on display (switched off!), so look out for it. Otherwise it’s all human staff, some of them on roller-skates. 

Hang on, why has Tesla even opened a diner? It was the idea of its CEO, Elon Musk, who said back in 2019 that he wanted to “put an old-school drive-in, roller skates and rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in LA.” Essentially, it’s an effort to make the charging experience more fun — instead of just a routine stop. 

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
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