Social Media Is Already Not Happy With LA's New Tesla Diner

For better or for worse, Tesla is constantly innovating, but its latest product is a bit different than what some might expect from the electric car manufacturer. In a move that wasn't on many people's bingo cards for 2025, the company launched a one-of-a-kind, futuristic yet retro Tesla Diner in Los Angeles on July 21. Musk, who has previously announced plans for a diner-style charging station in Southern California as far back as 2018, opened doors to the public at a meme-worthy 4:20 p.m., and plans to keep the diner in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The menu doesn't feature as many different options as some diners, but there is one offering in particular that has caused an uproar on social media, and certainly not in the way Tesla executives would hope. While some menu items are reasonably priced, the "Epic Bacon," which constitutes a mere four slices, has drawn ire from all corners of the internet for its price tag: a whopping $12.

It wasn't long before people began taking the Tesla Diner to task on the subreddit r/EnoughMuskSpam. One poster had no sympathy for customers who want to give the maple-glazed pork a try, writing, "Anyone who is willing to spend $12 on 'epic bacon' deserves to be ripped off." Another pointed out the absurdity of charging $3 for a slice of bacon by posting, "Cake pops! $10/lick." And those were some of the tamer comments on the thread.

In addition to its overpriced bacon, the Tesla Diner hosts 80 Tesla charging stations and a 66-foot movie screen to entertain patrons enjoying a meal. Tesla engineers also designed a unique smashburger press for the kitchen and the entire building runs on electricity rather than gas. The diner also joins a few other chains that make french fries with beef tallow.

Tesla owners can pre-order food from their touchscreen displays, but none of this has impressed potential customers who can't get over the upcharge for "Epic Bacon." A thread on X, where the original poster claimed to have tried the controversial menu item, allowed folks to spout their opinions about the ludicrous price of the pork product. One wrote, "It should be gold-leafed for that price," and another chimed in with, "Not very epic Elon." Someone asked the original poster, "Did it at least taste good?" and was answered with a succinct "No."

Some people thought the picture advertising the Epic Bacon was misleading compared to what the actual bacon looks like; one posted, "It's like Temu Bacon." However, it's here that the Epic Bacon actually found some defenders. One person wrote, "Wow, imagine that. Fast food doesn't match the pictures, shocking!" and similar comments followed suit. Tesla plans to open more Tesla Diners if the LA location succeeds, but that might not be the case if customers aren't stopping by due to outrageous pricing.