Kevin Hart's Vegan Restaurant Suddenly Closes After 2 Years
Hart House customers will no longer be eating their "Hart Out." Hart House, a vegan chain owned by comedian Kevin Hart with four locations in the Los Angeles area, closed its doors on Tuesday. It announced the closure to the public the next day in an Instagram post.
The vegan fast food chain began operations in August 2022. It sought to spearhead a shift in the fast food industry by offering affordable plant-based food with a commitment to minimizing its impact on the environment. "Hart House is committed to the future of food and our overall well-being," the chain's website reads. "We're on a mission that's simple: to make the food you know and love — better for you, your wallet, and the planet." In 2020, Hart announced his conversion to a plant-based diet. Hart House served typical fast food items — such as burgers, chicken sandwiches, and chicken nuggets — made solely from plant-based ingredients.
"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 chain's CEO, Andy Hooper, wrote in a statement to Eater.
A chain reaction
Hart House isn't alone in its struggles. This closure makes the company just one of many fast food chains shuttering restaurants. Los Angeles alone has experienced several region-specific shutdowns. Last month, Shake Shack also closed several of its LA locations, citing underperformance as one of the reasons that necessitated the closing.
These closures can be attributed to a number of financial factors. Lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic — such as a high demand for staff — and heightened supply costs have made it more challenging to make a profit running a fast food outlet.
This may be the end of the current iteration of Hart House, but it's not necessarily the final word in the brand's story; the Instagram announcement says "goodbye for now as we start a new chapter," suggesting the restaurant may come back in some form in the future.