A visit to the Tesla Diner in Hollywood

Diners, drive-ins and… Teslas?

Recently, I drove in to check out the retro-futuristic Tesla Diner in the heart of Hollywood – where the past meets the future.

“I’ve had a Tesla for a couple of years and this is like the mecca for Tesla owners,” said David Nicoletti, who was visiting for the first time.

A Tesla isn’t required for entry, but an EV will get you a spot in the parking lot at one of 80 Superchargers – the largest urban station in the U.S.

“It’s really cool to see this in person,” added Nicoletti.

Outside, there are two giant outdoor movie screens where audio syncs with your car’s speaker.

There’s food you can order direct from Tesla’s in-dash screen, and it’s delivered to your car (by a human, no roller skates).

“We tried pretty much everything on the menu – we had the chicken and waffles and the hotdogs and the french fries… it was good!,” said Lisa Nicoletti, David’s mom visiting from New Orleans.

Walk inside (you might have to wait in line), and you’re transported into a diner that feels like it might be in an amusement park. It’s modern, yet retro.

There are touchscreen tablets to order food and a lively mix of restaurant patrons, merch, and all things Tesla.

Walking upstairs is an experience in itself – it feels like you’re entering outer space. They call it the Skypad. It has a 360-degree wraparound view, tables and a bar that serves up more merchandise. On opening day, they had a robot handing out popcorn, but I’m not sure if that’s actually a recurring feature, although guests I spoke with were hoping it was.

“I remember going to the drive in with mom and dad. Now we can chill, have food delivered to us – It’s just so cool,” said Chris Dempsey, a visitor from Phoenix.