Elon Musk Devotees Camp Out For Hours To Get A Glimpse Of New Tesla Diner

6 hours ago

LOS ANGELES — Tesla enthusiasts began lining up extracurricular Elon Musk’s long-awaited Tesla Diner & Drive-In successful Hollywood early Monday, eager to get their first glimpse of what’s inside.

But pinch small clarity astir erstwhile nan gates would open, immoderate of Musk’s astir ardent fans waited hours earlier they were yet allowed successful astatine 4:20 p.m., a classical reference Musk often makes to marijuana.

Built successful nan bustling Hollywood location wherever a Shakey’s Pizza utilized to be, nan retro-futuristic diner, which besides doubles arsenic a drive-in movie theater, is filled pinch Tesla exertion — including its humanoid robot, Optimus — and merch, specified arsenic Cybertruck-themed nutrient containers.

The menu, created by cook Eric Greenspan, featured diner staples, specified arsenic fried chickenhearted & waffles, grilled food and tuna melts, arsenic good arsenic immoderate themed items, specified arsenic nan "Tesla Burger" pinch "Electric Sauce." Prices scope from $4 for a broadside of fries to $15 for biscuits & reddish gravy.

As they entered nan facility, guests were greeted by servers connected roller skates, who rolled up pinch crystal pick samples. The drive-in projector played nan 1960s animated sitcom "The Jetsons," which depicted life successful nan 21st period and featured flying cars and a housekeeper robot. Guests could bid items from a stalls astatine nan counter.

tesla diner California optimus tesla robot popcorn machine

“I saw videos of [Optimus] online and it was much of a linear movement, but it’s benignant of jittery,” said 1 attendee, who besides sewage nan robot to effort to make bosom shapes pinch its hand. Optimus was scooping and handing retired popcorn connected nan second-floor tile deck.

The nationalist opening is nan culmination of Musk’s yearslong ambition to unfastened a Tesla edifice successful Los Angeles, wherever nan automotive and cleanable power institution has a ample presence. The crowd offered an denotation of Musk’s continued fame among die-hard Tesla fans, moreover arsenic his tech mogul persona has taken a deed from his foray into politics.

Musk, whose estimated nett worthy surpassed $400 cardinal successful 2024, was a adjacent state of President Donald Trump earlier the 2 had a nationalist falling-out. His Department of Government Efficiency’s seemingly indiscriminate authorities spending cuts besides caused Tesla banal to plummet arsenic he mislaid nationalist support.

Still, dozens of group gathered extracurricular passim nan day, waiting patiently to beryllium among nan early patrons.

“I for illustration nan retro diner. It’s benignant of for illustration a Ruby’s Diner. ... Putting each this together is conscionable very unique,” said Vera Hammar, who drove 80 miles from Beaumont pinch her husband, Morgan, and their daughter, Mackenzie Torres, successful dream of seeing what nan Tesla Diner has to offer.

The family, who each place arsenic Tesla superfans, ain a full of 4 Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck. (It utilized to beryllium 5 earlier they precocious sold one.)

As group stood waiting connected nan sidewalk for hours, galore began to mingle and make friends pinch different Tesla fans.

Some successful statement were overheard asking 1 different what benignant of Teslas they have. Others interacted pinch group whose societal media presences they recognized. The creator down nan relationship for Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, who has 1.2 cardinal followers connected X, flew successful early Monday and had to support pushing his return formation back. His friend came successful a Cybertruck that was dressed up pinch images of “Doge,” a well-known net meme that inspired nan sanction of Musk’s DOGE.

“It’s been nosy waiting, conscionable benignant of talking to people,” Vera Hammar said. “It’s a very, very friends crowd. Like, [my husband] has seen a batch of group he follows connected X.”

A soft motorboat complete nan play stirred immoderate fanfare online, arsenic invitees showcased nan diner’s elephantine movie theatre screens and spacecraft-themed bath and Optimus’ serving popcorn astatine nan counter. Videos of nan cafe dispersed crossed X, YouTube and Reddit.