Pull off Santa Monica Boulevard in LA and you’ll spot it. A glowing saucer-shaped building lit up in blue and red, surrounded by Cybertrucks and Model Ys. This is the Tesla Diner and Drive-In, and it’s now open 24/7 to anyone hungry for a burger, or a 250 kW charge.
The scene feels like a cross between The Jetsons and Grease. There are 80 high-speed V4 Superchargers, two massive outdoor movie screens looping retro classics, and a two-story diner that smells like beef tallow fries and vanilla milkshakes. Even the food comes in Cybertruck-shaped boxes.
The Vibe: Retro-Futuristic and All In
Tesla didn’t hold back. The 9,300 square-foot layout blends chrome, diner booths, neon lights, and robot servers. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, plus a carhop service where staff roll up to your window.
The Tesla Diner app lets you order food from your car while charging, and even check what’s playing on the big screen. Everything – from the playlist to the popcorn – is crafted to feel like a high-tech throwback.
What You’ll See (and Eat)
Old sci-fi movies and Twilight Zone episodes play while you snack on:
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Tesla Burger with “Electric Sauce”
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Fried chicken and waffles
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Tuna melts and chili dogs
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Nitro matcha, kombucha, and handspun shakes
It’s fast food, but with ingredients like organic eggs, wagyu chili, and house-fermented pickles. Chef Eric Greenspan helped design the menu, and the early reviews are solid: weird, fun, surprisingly good.
Charging Meets Chilling
Tesla’s strategy is clear. Turn wait time into screen time, snack time, and hangout time. The diner doesn’t just serve food, it extends the Tesla lifestyle into the in-between moments.
And it’s open to all EV drivers. NACS-compatible chargers are fully in place, and the atmosphere welcomes anyone who’s curious or charging.
Elon Musk called it “one of the coolest spots in LA.” With lines out the lot on opening weekend, he might be right.