A McDonald's in California Makes Bank From a Tesla Supercharger Bay
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 3 min read
A McDonald's in Firebaugh,
California
is taking advantage of a Tesla Supercharger
station next to the restaurant by offering direct food delivery to Tesla owners as they charge their electric cars
. In fact, it’s a practice that’s becoming more commonplace with businesses. In addition to restaurants, many charging stations are also located next to other amenities, according to
Forbes
.
The Firebaugh electric car charging station
If you do not drive a Tesla, you probably have never heard of Firebaugh, the small remote highway town along California's Rt 5. Around the charging station, there are a few options to eat, including a Subway and a Little Caesars.
The Supercharger in Firebaugh is relatively new. Additionally, the location has 56 stalls, and is one of the biggest in the world. A banner at the McDonald’s reads:
"Recharge with McDonald's while you recharge your Tesla."
"Food delivered directly to your charge bay."
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
How McDonald's is making bank from the Tesla Supercharger bay
Some restaurant and shop operators near new Supercharger stations have identified a niche in the captive audience they have for a short duration. For that reason, these entrepreneurs are smartly leveraging the opportunity, and the Tesla Supercharger in Firebaugh offers a good example.
It is also worth mentioning that most charging stations, including those that do not cater to Tesla clients like Electrify America and EVgo, are at major hotels, shopping centers, and supermarkets.
Firebaugh is different, since it’s a small-town pit stop along remote stretches of an interstate with relatively few local businesses. A pit stop offers travelers an opportunity to rest and grab a snack. In that case, the logic is the same as gas stations.
According to Forbes, the only difference is that electric vehicle charging stations offer even more opportunities for entrepreneurs. That’s because when charging an electric vehicle, one has more time to burn since such vehicles take longer to charge to 80 or 90%.
Tesla plans to offer more amenities
Tesla plans to include more amenities at its charging stations. In 2018, CEO Elon Musk mentioned that Tesla had plans to open an "old-school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles." A few months later, Tesla applied for building permits for "a restaurant and Supercharger station" somewhere in Santa Monica.
Although the project remained dormant for almost three years, new building applications were eventually submitted in early 2021. Also, there is a 24-hour Tesla customer lounge that provides coffee and snacks at Tesla's Supercharger station in Kettleman City, California.
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