Tesla Is Opening a Diner and Drive-In Theater To Entertain EV Owners While Charging

Electric vehicle batteries tend to take a while to charge, often leaving owners with little to do but wait. Elon Musk’s Tesla has come up with an idea to help EV owners pass the time while charging — a combined entertainment complex that includes a restaurant, drive-in theater, and supercharging station.

Purportedly opening up on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, EV owners will be able to watch a movie and get a bite to eat while their car batteries are charging. Musk began teasing the “futuristic diner” idea on his social media platform, X, in 2018. The next mention was in 2021 when the billionaire posted that there would be a restaurant and a theater playing movie clips.

Major new Supercharger station coming to Santa Monica soon! Hoping to have 50’s diner & 100 best movie clips playing too. Thanks Santa Monica city!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 2, 2021

During a March 2023 company event, Rebecca Tinucci, a former executive, mentioned the location during a presentation. According to her, the company had been looking at various options for charging an EV away from home in an effort to make it entertaining.

“At Tesla charging, we have understood since day one that a great charging experience is the linchpin to electric vehicle adoption,” Tinucci said, per Forbes.

The Tesla Diner

According to Teslarati, construction on the entertainment project began in the fall of 2023 at 7001 W. Santa Monica Blvd., which is part of the iconic Route 66. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has issued several building permits for the address.

Hiring for the diner was reportedly started in August 2024. Under a job posting titled “Diner Experience Specialist,” the company was looking for various people in the LA area to work alongside the Charging Operations team and provide “exceptional customer experience at the Tesla Diner.”

Tesla diner update

Dining in the front, and plug-in in the rear @TeslaCharging
Charging setup almost complete, three solar canopies providing shade for the back @Tesla Superchargers pic.twitter.com/nJRYb6USgG

— AL Set (@AlSet51241438) March 23, 2025

There is still no official date as to when the Tesla entertainment project will be open for EV owners. Reportedly, once it does commence operations, the diner and drive-in will be open 24 hours a day.

With Musk’s recent involvement with the Trump administration and the latest mass recall of nearly all Cybertrucks, there is a possibility the opening of Tesla’s charger-entertainment combination project could be delayed. It’s also hard to say if recent protests at dealerships will have any kind of effect.