Six months after opening, Elon Musk’s Tesla Diner in Los Angeles has gone from being a must-visit hotspot to a much quieter destination. At first, the diner saw massive crowds, with customers waiting up to five hours to get a table. However, reports now suggest that the buzz has significantly died down.
The diner offers classic American diner staples — think burgers, hot dogs, and fries — but with a twist: all the food is served in boxes shaped like Tesla’s Cybertruck. To keep customers entertained during their wait, a large screen outside the diner plays movies, with one viral TikTok showing Star Trek being screened as the line snaked around the building.
The concept has been described as “peak California future core,” blending tech culture with casual dining. Tesla owners also get a special perk: they can skip ahead in line, much to the surprise of other diners.
TikTok user @marinaodinn posted a video detailing her visit. She initially thought the queue looked manageable, but soon realized that the shorter line was only for Tesla drivers. After joining the much longer queue, she and her family ended up waiting for five hours, despite being told it would take about two.
In her eight-minute review, @marinaodinn and her family tried nearly everything on the menu. She rated the chicken burger a solid “10/10,” though she wasn’t as impressed by the Tesla Burger, calling it an “overcooked smash burger.” On the other hand, the tuna melt was described as a “sleeper hit.” She was less enthusiastic about the popcorn, which she found “kind of stale,” but her son enjoyed the novelty of being served by Tesla robots.
TikTok and Twitter Reactions
Within 24 hours of Marina’s review, TikTok was flooded with opinions from other early visitors. Food reviewer Natelo (@natelovlogs) posted his thoughts, saying that the chicken and waffle sandwich was “really dry” and not up to expectations. However, he was a fan of the smash burger, calling it “pretty good.” He also praised the diner’s aesthetic, noting that it looked “amazing,” with retro diner decor and robots serving food.
When it came to the hot dog, Natelo was not impressed, calling it “disgusting,” though he did rave about the fried pickles and bacon, which he said “flabbergasted” him. In fact, he called the bacon the best he’d ever had.
On Twitter (now X), another diner posted an “Instagram vs Reality”-style comparison of the diner’s bacon. After sharing a photo of what was advertised as the ‘Epic Bacon,’ he tweeted, “Went today and here’s how it actually looks.” His post went viral, with the photo racking up nearly 7 million views. The bacon, which was supposed to be a standout item, turned out to be a single rasher peeking out of a container. Interestingly, the ‘Epic Bacon’ is no longer listed on the online menu.
Tesla Diner’s Declining Popularity
By November 2025, the diner’s chef, Eric Greenspan, left to focus on opening his own long-anticipated Jewish deli, Mish. By January 2026, the diner’s initial hype seemed to have faded. The car park was reported to be “half-full,” and the once-packed restaurant was mostly empty, signaling that the novelty had worn off.
Menu and Pricing at Tesla Diner
The food prices at Tesla’s diner fall in the mid-range for Los Angeles, with most items costing between $4 and $15. Side items like fries and soft drinks start at $4, while main dishes like the Tesla Burger and hot dog are priced around $13–$13.50. More premium options, such as the Diner Club sandwich and biscuits with gravy, cost closer to $15. Other popular items include the grilled cheese ($9) and the tuna melt ($14).
