Tesla Steers Toward Drive-In Restaurants

PALO ALTO, Calif.—Tesla appears to be getting ready to launch a new venture into the restaurant business, Electrek reports. The electric car brand has filed for trademark registration for “restaurant services, pop-up restaurant services, self-service restaurant services, take-out restaurant services,” under three separate trademarks for Tesla, T logo and stylization of Tesla.

The move comes as the automaker is looking for ways to increase amenities around charging stations. Tesla has had its eye on restaurants for a few years, with CEO Elon Musk announcing in 2018 his intention to open an “old-school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.”

Tesla applied for building permits and a supercharger station at a Santa Monica location a few months later, but that project hasn’t gotten off the ground until now, when building applications submitted included a larger supercharger station—but no restaurant.

In April 2021, Musk floated the idea of a Tesla “50s diner” at that location, and Tesla recently submitted the trademark applications under restaurant services. That move appears to signal the company would be branching out into Tesla eateries in the near future.

Format Electric Vehicles