Elon Musk's Tesla diner has TikTokers sharing their expectations vs reality

Elon Musk's new Tesla diner in Los Angeles has quickly become a focal talking point, with customers queuing for up to five hours just to get inside. The sleek, futuristic venue opened around 4.20pm on Monday (28 July), drawing crowds eager to see what the hype was about.

The menu seemingly sticks to classic diner fare — burgers, hot dogs and fries — but with a twist: everything is served in Cybertruck-shaped boxes. Outside, a large screen plays films to keep waiting customers entertained. One viral TikTok showed Star Trek playing as the queue snaked around the building.

Some have described the scene as "peak California future core," capturing the blend of tech culture and casual dining. Tesla owners get to skip ahead with a shorter queue, a perk that surprised some visitors.

TikToker @marinaodinn initially thought the queue was manageable — until she realised it was only for Tesla drivers. She and her family then joined the much longer line wrapping around the building, ending up waiting for five hours despite being told it would take about two.

In an eight-minute review, Marinaodin and her family wasted no time sampling the entire menu. She gave the chicken burger a solid "ten out of ten," but wasn’t as impressed by the Tesla burger, calling it an "overcooked smash burger." Meanwhile, the tuna melt earned praise as a "sleeper hit."

She described the popcorn as "kind of stale," but her son still thoroughly enjoyed being served by Tesla robots.

Within 24 hours, TikTok was flooded with clips from early visitors — including food reviewer Natelo (@natelovlogs), who called the chicken and waffle sandwich "really dry" and said he was "expecting something better."

"It's a cool idea, but it's nothing great," he shared.

Natelo, who waited two hours in line, was a fan of the smash burger, calling it "pretty good." He also praised the overall aesthetic, describing it as "amazing."

"This place was all decked out. They've got robots serving you food, and it was designed as a retro diner," he added.

Natelo didn’t hold back on the hot dog, however, calling it "disgusting" — but said the fried pickles and bacon slices "flabbergasted" him and the bacon was the best he ever had.

Over on X/Twitter, another weighed in on the diner’s bacon offering with an ‘Instagram vs Reality’-style post.

In response to a tweet showing the menu’s 'Epic Bacon', he wrote: "Went today and here’s how it actually looks."

His photo — now viewed nearly 7 million times — shows a single rasher poking out of the top of the container.

At the time of writing, the 'Epic Bacon' is no longer listed on the online menu.

How much does food cost at Elon Musk's Tesla Diner?

Menu prices at Tesla’s new diner in Los Angeles fall between $4 and $15, positioning it as a mid‑range casual spot by local standards.

Sides and soft drinks start at $4, while mains like the Tesla Burger and hot dog run around $13.50 and $13, respectively. Items such as the Diner Club sandwich and biscuits with gravy are at the top end, near $15, with the grilled cheese priced at $9 and the tuna melt at $14.

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