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Chef Eric Greenspan Leaves Tesla Diner as Restaurant Prepares Major Transformation

MarketDash Editorial Team
19 days ago
The chef behind Tesla's Hollywood diner is moving on to open his own Jewish deli, while the charging station restaurant prepares to shift from its hybrid walk-up model to full-service dining in January.

Tesla Inc. (TSLA)'s Hollywood diner experiment is hitting its first major reset. Eric Greenspan, the Los Angeles chef who helped launch the retro-futuristic charging station restaurant just months ago, is out—and the whole operation is getting a makeover.

Greenspan Departs for Personal Project

Greenspan confirmed to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that he's no longer involved with the Tesla Diner project. His departure has been in the works for over a month, he said, and the reason is personal: he's moving on to open Mish, his long-planned Jewish deli.

"I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli," Greenspan wrote in a text message shared with the paper.

From Drive-In to Dine-In

Meanwhile, employees at the Hollywood location say management recently told them the restaurant is converting to a traditional sit-down, full-service model by January. That's a significant departure from the hybrid walk-up and drive-in concept that launched alongside the site's 80-stall Supercharger station on Santa Monica Boulevard.

The diner opened in July at the Hollywood-West Hollywood border and immediately became a scene—equal parts destination and lightning rod. Tesla fans lined up for burgers and Instagram moments, while protesters showed up over CEO Elon Musk's politics and the diner's giant outdoor screens that some found intrusive.

Menu Evolution and Sales Volume

Greenspan originally designed a classic American diner menu featuring burgers, shakes, fried chicken and waffles, tuna melts, and other nostalgic favorites. But surging demand quickly forced a rethink. Within weeks, Tesla simplified the offerings down to a handful of sandwiches, sides, pies, and shakes to keep up with volume and maintain consistency.

The streamlined approach seems to have worked from a throughput perspective. Tesla disclosed that the diner sold roughly 50,000 burgers during the third quarter alone—a testament to the kitchen's capacity even with the pared-down menu.

Expansion Plans Despite Mixed Reception

Despite polarizing reviews and the operational growing pains, Tesla is already eyeing additional locations. The company is exploring potential diner sites in Austin and Palo Alto, suggesting the Hollywood experiment is being treated as a proof of concept rather than a one-off.

Stock Performance

Tesla shares closed down 1.88% at $401.25 on Tuesday and slipped another 0.72% in after-hours trading. The stock was up 5.79% year-to-date and 18.45% over the past year.

Back to News

Chef Eric Greenspan Leaves Tesla Diner as Restaurant Prepares Major Transformation

MarketDash Editorial Team
19 days ago
The chef behind Tesla's Hollywood diner is moving on to open his own Jewish deli, while the charging station restaurant prepares to shift from its hybrid walk-up model to full-service dining in January.

Tesla Inc. (TSLA)'s Hollywood diner experiment is hitting its first major reset. Eric Greenspan, the Los Angeles chef who helped launch the retro-futuristic charging station restaurant just months ago, is out—and the whole operation is getting a makeover.

Greenspan Departs for Personal Project

Greenspan confirmed to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that he's no longer involved with the Tesla Diner project. His departure has been in the works for over a month, he said, and the reason is personal: he's moving on to open Mish, his long-planned Jewish deli.

"I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli," Greenspan wrote in a text message shared with the paper.

From Drive-In to Dine-In

Meanwhile, employees at the Hollywood location say management recently told them the restaurant is converting to a traditional sit-down, full-service model by January. That's a significant departure from the hybrid walk-up and drive-in concept that launched alongside the site's 80-stall Supercharger station on Santa Monica Boulevard.

The diner opened in July at the Hollywood-West Hollywood border and immediately became a scene—equal parts destination and lightning rod. Tesla fans lined up for burgers and Instagram moments, while protesters showed up over CEO Elon Musk's politics and the diner's giant outdoor screens that some found intrusive.

Menu Evolution and Sales Volume

Greenspan originally designed a classic American diner menu featuring burgers, shakes, fried chicken and waffles, tuna melts, and other nostalgic favorites. But surging demand quickly forced a rethink. Within weeks, Tesla simplified the offerings down to a handful of sandwiches, sides, pies, and shakes to keep up with volume and maintain consistency.

The streamlined approach seems to have worked from a throughput perspective. Tesla disclosed that the diner sold roughly 50,000 burgers during the third quarter alone—a testament to the kitchen's capacity even with the pared-down menu.

Expansion Plans Despite Mixed Reception

Despite polarizing reviews and the operational growing pains, Tesla is already eyeing additional locations. The company is exploring potential diner sites in Austin and Palo Alto, suggesting the Hollywood experiment is being treated as a proof of concept rather than a one-off.

Stock Performance

Tesla shares closed down 1.88% at $401.25 on Tuesday and slipped another 0.72% in after-hours trading. The stock was up 5.79% year-to-date and 18.45% over the past year.