Kevin Hart’s Vegan Restaurant Journey Ends After Brief Two-Year Run

It was a short stint for a Philly icon’s restaurant.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kevin Hart’s vegan restaurant, Hart House, has been closed after just two years.

“To our team, guests, and community, who helped make the change we all craved. A Hartfelt goodbye for now as we start a new chapter,” the restaurant put in a statement last week.

The Philly icon had four of these restaurants in Los Angeles County, which included Westchester, Monrovia, University Park and Hollywood.

In these restaurants were plant-based burgers, “chicken” sandwiches and nuggets, salads, tater tots and milkshakes, among other good food.

“The response to the product has been incredible and we thank our committed team, our customers, and our community partners for helping make the change we all craved, and for their unwavering support of Hart House,” CEO Any Hooper shared in a statement.

Before expecting prolonged support for his restaurant, Hart expressed in 2022, ahead of the opening, his desire to offer a plant-based option with Hart House, noting a lack of vegan choices in the fast-food industry. The comedian and mogul mentioned that he started a plant-based diet in 2020.

“If I can give people a place to have the option that’s placed smack dab in the middle of where your McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Burger King (are), people may see a hart House and say, ‘I’m going to go plant-based today,’” Hart said at the time.

According to The Food Institute, Hart House went up against an increase in California’s minimum wage from $15.50 to $20 and an oversaturated market.

“Consumers may have viewed Hart House as more of a novelty than a serious player in the fast food industry,” Bassem Mostafa, lead market analyst and owner of Globemonitor Market Research Agency, said.

“While Kevin Hart’s star power brought visibility, it didn’t necessarily translate into sustained foot traffic or customer retention, both of which are critical for survival in the competitive restaurant space.”

Hart’s restaurant isn’t the only vegan food place to close. A slew of places has gone under, including Veggie Grill chain, Salk & Speed in Minneapolis, Wild Thing in Oregon and VegeNation in Las Vegas.