I was recently passing through Los Angeles on a hospitality research tour of California, which conveniently coincided with the new opening of the first Tesla Diner.

 

Given I was in the ‘hood and all, I decided to pop along and see if it was a merely a PR stunt or a professional food and beverage operation, as I had, like you, read many headlines about it in the months prior and was super curious to look under the bonnet (no pun intended) and walk the guest experience.

 

My first impression was formed almost a mile from the diner, where every single artery route was choc-a-block – and I mean a complete standstill – with Teslas and Cyber trucks lined up patiently queuing to get to the diner almost like some sort of cult pilgrimage. It was like a scene from a Netflix movie, surreal, and when I say lined up, I mean hundreds of vehicles.

 

Situated in Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, along the historic Route 66, the Tesla Diner is a two-storey, flying saucer–inspired building with chrome steel finishes and art-deco modernism. It’s a retro-style diner, a supercharger station (80 V4 stalls supporting Tesla and NACS-compatible EVs) and a drive-in theatre all in one – open 24/7. Think neon lights, circular seating, roller-skating carhops, humanoid robots (Optimus) serving popcorn and food served in Cybertruck-shaped packaging. Three enormous LED mega-screens (45-66 feet) playing retro classics like The Jetsons, Star Trek, and The Twilight Zone, viewable from tables or inside your Tesla via Bluetooth.

 

The Tesla Diner has a rooftop “sky pad”, offering panoramic views and a movie-watching lounge. There’s also Tesla merchandise, from hoodies to figurines. On the menu front, it was, as you would expect, fast-food staples reimagined – Tesla Burger with “electric sauce”, grilled cheese, tuna melts, waffles, chicken and waffles, shakes, sodas and so on. Tech-savvy ordering offered a very seamless experience: order via the Tesla app, the touchscreen inside your car or via in-diner kiosks. 

 

The opening drew huge crowds, with fans camped out for hours. And with Musk himself officially welcoming guests later into the afternoon, it was a destination of entertainment and utility – charging and dining in one place. Many I spoke to described it as sort of “island of good food, vibes and entertainment”. It’s an interesting blend of design and novelty, and consumers loved the immersive scenery – futuristic décor, robot servers and Cybertruck-themed touches. 

 

As with every new concept/opening/launch, there were glitches, long waits and chaos. Lines stretched for hours, with operational issues like app glitches and prioritisation of Tesla owners exacerbating the frustration. Waiting times up to three to four hours were common throughout the first week for non-Tesla owners, and approximately one to two hours for Tesla owners. Roll on two weeks, and the menu has been pared back drastically due to demand. Breakfast is no longer served all day and only five sandwiches remain, along with limited sides, pies and drinks.

 

So teething problems, yes, but unsurprising given the size of menu and insane demand day and night from a near unwavering fanatical following of Tesla advocates who will seemingly forgive, be patient and wait it out as they just want to be there and soak up the shared community. Musk has ambitions to roll out his diner across the US, and maybe globally. Whether it has appeal outside of the US remains to be seen. However, you can’t deny the brand pull, and love him or loathe him, everything he does is box office material.

 

Global hospitality holds an unending supply of surprises and inspiration, and if you are curious like I am, one of the most rewarding ways to inspire your team or reinvigorate your vision and strategy is to immerse yourself in a city or region that holds so much new and immersive content.

 

Your team returns full of zest and energy, bursting with references and ideas on how what they have seen, and experienced can be applied to their business to enhance guest experience or improve the team dynamics. Sometimes its technology, sometimes design or food and beverage. Sometimes, it’s the simplest form of team and guest interaction that is the most powerful.

 

Our next adventure will take us to Bangkok for the Propel Study Tour, from 13-17 November 2025, and bookings close for final places on 26 September. The city boasts some of the highest rooftop bars and restaurants in the world and is a hospitality bucket list in Asia. The price, with flights, is £3,500 per person, or alternatively, £2,700 without flights for attendees who wish to explore the region further. Also included are three nights’ accommodation, three hosted dinners, a welcome drinks reception and all tours.

Two particularly memorable meals I’ve enjoyed in London in the past few years came from the same chef – Victor Garvey – in two different restaurants that highlighted his diverse skills. First was a relaxed counter-top lunch at Catalan restaurant Rambla, where impressive tapas were served to a packed, appreciative room.

 

He then shifted gears and transposed Rambla into Sola, which swiftly earned a Michelin star and continues to specialise in creative Californian cooking. On the back of such a pedigree, I was very much looking forward to visiting Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand, within the glorious St Pancras London Hotel, for his take on more of a French/British style.

 

Although the early reviews were excellent and I was licking my lips while saving the pennies to book a meal, it suddenly closed after only five months. And then within days, I received an email from Garvey. As a previous customer, I was asked if I would like to stick some money into his next restaurant via the crowdfunding route. This new place will run alongside Sola. 

 

I’m less inclined to follow Garvey to this new venue, Materia Prima, because as he states in the promotional materials: “The philosophy is simple: every ingredient must be the best available – no matter where it’s from, and no matter what it is.” Victor, no, don’t do it. Such a policy goes so fully against the grain of progressive restaurants’ thinking and their sourcing of ingredients more sustainably – with minimal air miles – that Garvey’s decision seems a tad perverse.

 

He goes on to state that he’ll be sourcing the likes of spiny lobster from Brittany, Uni from the Faroe Islands (does anybody know what this is or is it a spelling mistake?) and wagyu from Japan. “No rules, no trends – just the finest seafood, vegetables and meat the world has can offer, cooked with care and served at their peak,” he suggests. 

 

Meanwhile, in the other increasingly big camp, we have Tommy Banks removing the likes of hand-dived Scottish scallops and line-caught Cornish turbot from his menu at the Black Swan in Oldstead, North Yorkshire, because he wants a menu that more closely reflects the immediate surroundings of the restaurant. 

 

And over at Osip in Somerset, chef Merlin Labron-Johnson has been telling stories about how from May to December, his restaurant is self-sufficient on vegetables, and some of the over-production has recently been donated to a local food bank. Such a story is not unusual, as more chefs are looking to have greater links to local production, and there is a growing number of cases where they are fully hands-on in the growing and breeding of their ingredients.

 

I don’t think such activity is exclusively the domain of the high-end operators though, because since 2022, Honest Burgers has been directly working with regenerative farmers. The company supports a handful of farmers who are paid a premium in order that their farms are commercially viable, while maintaining strict regenerative agricultural practices. The benefits of this approach include better soil health, biodiversity in plants and increasing wildlife species.

 

The foodservice sector is also fully onboard with such thinking, as evidenced by Restaurant Associates initiating a rule of no airfreight, which has led to it working with vertical farm firm Harvest London for the sourcing of ingredients such as basil. Chris Davies, co-founder and chief executive of Harvest London, says: “Is it cheaper and more sustainable to ship from Kenya or grow in London with LED lighting? Either way, our product is infinitely better.”

 

Greene King is following the same path, as it works with suppliers to find sustainable alternatives for the likes of basil and mint that it can source domestically or via road transport rather than air-freight from abroad. The company has stated that it is monitoring its daily operations, working with its suppliers and offering customers sustainable choices as it aims to become net zero.

 

We all know that sustainability is increasingly integral to many businesses, and their customers are appreciative of such actions and are choosing to dine in venues that have a holistic view of the environment and business practices including greater localised sourcing. 

 

But maybe at the top-end, there are sufficient numbers of diners who feel they are above it all. They simply couldn’t care less and want the very best on their plate regardless of the financial and environmental consequences. They are willing to pay top-dollar for ingredients to be flown around the world. Carbon footprints and local sourcing be damned. I shan’t be investing. I’m out.

It’s been a good year for wasps, apparently. Earlier than usual this summer, entomologists have been coming out of hibernation and leaping to the defence of the hated creatures. “They do a lot of good, you know,” they say, like they’re talking about the flying corps of the Salvation Army or something.

 

This will do little to comfort pubs and restaurants with gardens. Some precautions can be taken, but a wasp’s craving for a beer and burger is a powerful force. Nevertheless, with the fourth heatwave of the summer under way, there’s no doubt that outdoor areas have become an increasingly important asset to many businesses.

 

Traditionally, most beer gardens were not much more than distress destinations in hot weather. Rickety bench tables perched at precarious angles and randomly collapsing umbrellas meant customers had to endure laddered tights and spilt pints to grab what they could of the fleeting British summer.

 

The smoking ban, two decades ago now, forced operators to reassess their trading space. Pubs that were apparently “landlocked” suddenly discovered a yard that could become what was known as, with feeble enthusiasm for its potential, a “smoking solution”.

 

In time, though, investment was channelled into making outdoor spaces more attractive spaces to spend time in. Then pandemic regulations, of course, gave businesses an even bigger incentive to focus on the alfresco. And through all this period, customers themselves were, more than ever, wanting to eat and drink outside.

 

I don’t include myself in this. I’ve never seen the appeal. It’s either too hot or too cold. The slightest zephyr can blow the pepper aimed at your plate into your face. And don’t get me started on flying insects. Whoever invented indoors got it right. Why go back?

 

But, as usual, I’m not most people. Indeed, according to the latest research by OpenTable, 60% of Brits now prefer dining outdoors when the weather permits – and beer gardens are the most popular type of venue.

 

That must be driven partly by the increasing comfort of outdoor areas, and by the sheer range of options you have now. Asked by a national daily newspaper recently to come up with my top 20 beer gardens, I surprised myself so much with the diversity of destinations that I almost converted myself to the idea.

 

Some boast spectacular views, others are tucked away in secluded woodlands or set on the banks of a river. And while rural pubs have these natural assets, in towns and cities, operators have shown tremendous ingenuity in creating outdoor spaces that make you feel a thousand miles away from urban hustle and bustle.

 

And once you’re there, you can choose anything from fine dining to street food, or simply sink a thirst-quenching pint served from a fully equipped outside bar while you watch the game on screen.

 

What these lists can’t reveal, though, is the operational challenges thrown up by outdoor service: the logistics of getting food and drink out there and how to manage the safety and security of the customers, including the children and dogs, who might be sitting some distance from the bar.

 

On top of the initial cost of investing in a space that’s going to have to meet the higher standards people expect, complete with lighting and possibly heating to make sure you’re getting maximum use out of it, you’ve got to pay for more staff to work the extended trading area.

 

That hospitality operators have been willing to address all this again shows the potential scale of the outdoor opportunity – and it’s one that seems certain to grow.

 

Twenty-odd years ago, during the debates around the 2003 Licensing Bill, mainstream media scoffed at the government’s promise that relaxing the laws would encourage a continental drinking culture. It didn’t happen overnight, of course, but it seems to me that a gradual evolution has taken place, and dining and socialising outdoors has been a big part of the change.

 

Now, that seems to have been recognised by another Labour government in its response to the Licensing Taskforce report, which, among other things, puts reform of outdoor licensing near the top of the agenda.

 

And already, the mayor of London’s Summer Streets Fund is transforming parts of the capital into car-free areas where continental-style alfresco drinking and dining can thrive, reviving social life and boosting hospitality businesses. The fact that one of these areas is Francis Road in Leyton, round the corner from where I was brought up, tells you something.

 

So, if you’re looking for a glimpse of the sun in the current gloomy outlook for the trade, there it is, shining on the beer garden. And I’m sure the wasps are going to love it, too.