The Tesla Diner recently opened in West Hollywood, California, displaying its retro-futuristic architecture for all to see. — Getty Images via AFP
Elon Musk’s latest venture into fast food is causing quite a stir among those who visit and live around the structure.
The Tesla Diner recently opened in West Hollywood, California, displaying its “retro-futuristic” architecture for all to see.
The eatery also offers 80 charging stations and two large movie screens.
But it has also caused 11-hour lines out the door, traffic jams, two protests and a lawsuit all in its first week.
According to TMZ, the lawsuit stemmed from an outdoor rooftop patio covering crashing onto a woman dining at the restaurant.
The woman declined to be transported to a hospital, but the family is filing a lawsuit against the diner.
And neighbours who live in the area are not happy, but Musk said on X that Tesla plans to open other locations in major cities worldwide, depending on the success of the initial restaurant.
Here’s what the neighbours, protesters and patrons are saying about the new structure in California.
What are neighbours saying about the Tesla Diner?
Neighbors have not been happy for the most part about the structure with some going as far as calling it “absolute hell” for obstructing their views.
Some residents looked forward to the project in the beginning, saying that the supercharging stations within the structure would bring good business, but they are finding it’s just the opposite.
“We were really excited for the supercharger station; we thought it would bring good business to the area, but it has caused insane gridlock from 1pm to 1am,” a Hollywood resident told ABC7.
“If you can send people to Mars, you should be able to figure out how to make this doable for residents,” another resident told the outlet.
But as soon as the project developed, residents realised how much of an eyesore it would be, specifically the movie screens.
“That is a huge ouchy for their eyes,” one resident told a KTLA reporter.
What are protesters saying about the Tesla Diner?
There have been several protests outside the diner after it opened in late July.
Joel Lava, one of the organisers of the protests, has tried to deploy “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations in front of the structure and believes the protests should continue throughout the summer.
However, Lava eventually believes the diner will fade into obscurity.
“Our main message is Tesla funds fascism. Elon Musk, via DOGE, has destroyed our government agencies and people’s jobs, and people are dying around the world because of him,” Lava told CNN.
Up to 75 protesters demonstrated outside the diner on a recent weekend, and organizers have been planning protests since the diner’s opening.
They came with inflatable Elon Musk’s performing a Nazi salute, and many drivers in the area supported the protesters.
“We got a lot of honks and fist-pumps in solidarity, and many of those were even from Tesla drivers themselves – especially the people driving the older models of Teslas,” one protester told The Guardian.
What are visitors and patrons of the Tesla Diner saying?
The Tesla Diner has not just attracted protesters – it has also attracted local fans of Elon Musk, tourists and children who have seen the structure on social media platforms, such as TikTok or YouTube.
“People are entitled to their opinions,” one Tesla Diner customer and Los Angeles resident told the LA Public Press. “People don’t know who Elon is, and how his autism takes over his emotions.”
Others who are fans of the architectural style also expressed their excitement for the new diner.
“I’m saying this as a huge retro-futurism fan. You’re making everything I’ve dreamed of come true, one by one. The future is going to be amazing. Thank you,” one X commenter said. – nj.com/Tribune News Service
