Why is Kevin Hart suddenly closing all of his vegan chain restaurants?
Hart House, Kevin Hart's vegan restaurant chain, has abruptly closed all locations after launching in 2022.
Kevin Hart’s vegan restaurant chain, Hart House, has closed all four of its locations, according to Eater Los Angeles.
Hart House, which launched in 2022 with an ambitious plant-based venture that sought to offer healthier, affordable food options to customers across Los Angeles, officially shut down its doors on September 10, 2024.
Hart House was known for its fully plant-based menu, serving burgers, chicken sandwiches, and other comfort foods made without any animal products while offering food free from preservatives, artificial colors, hormones, antibiotics, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and cholesterol. Hart House’s aimed to “create a good experience that combines the joy of coming together over food, with the power of purpose,” per they company's website.
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Why Hart House is dropping it's shutter
Andy Hooper, the CEO of Hart House, said in a statement to Eater Los Angeles: “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.”
The vegan fast-food chain had opened locations around Los Angeles, including Westchester, Monrovia, University Park, and the flagship store at the busy corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.
Notably, California's new $20 minimum wage law has led to a surge in fast food joint closures, with 10,000 jobs lost in just five months. To cope, major chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and In-N-Out Burger have hiked prices to offset higher labor costs. Meanwhile, the California Fast Food Workers Union has issued new demands to the state's Fast Food Council
Just days before the closure, Hart House announced the end of its operations on social media. The company posted an image on Instagram featuring stacked burgers with a message that read “Thank You” on top.
“Thank you. 💚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 caption read.
Back in 2022, at the time of the restaurant’s launch, Kevin Hart shared his excitement, saying, “As someone who has been preaching 'Health is Wealth,' building Hart House felt like the natural evolution of my flexitarian lifestyle and my business ecosystem,'”
“I'm beyond proud of this industry-changing restaurant and the amazing team behind it working tirelessly to create delicious, sustainable food that delivers 'Can't-Believe-It' flavor in every bite.”