Why Did Kevin Hart’s Restaurant Close?

Kevin Hart's fame is global – as a comedian, actor and entrepreneur. In 2022, he thought he would experiment and open a fast-food plant-based restaurant under the name of Hart House.

His aim was to serve delicious, healthy food without any meat or animal products. A lot of people were excited about the idea and the restaurant got a lot of publicity. But within only two years, Hart House had shuttered all its outposts.

In this article, we take a closer look at what Hart House was all about, why the sudden closing occurred, and what the shutdown of a plant-based food manufacturer like this means for those in the industry.

The Vision Behind Hart House

More than anything else, Kevin Hart considered himself more than a mere funnyman. And he hoped to make life better through better eating. Hart House was inspired by a shift in his own life: in 2020, he adopted a plant-based diet. He said he hoped to introduce delicious, affordable and sustainable food to people who would not typically try “vegan food.

On the menu were plant-based versions of burgers, chicken sandwiches, nuggets, fries, salads and milkshakes. Primates were cheap — many meals rang in at under $15. The restaurants were in Southern California, primarily Los Angeles and Hollywood.

Early Success and Public Reception

There was plenty of enthusiasm when Hart House opened in August 2022. People loved the concept of a celebrity such as Kevin Hart plugging plant-based eating. The opening had been buzzy, and fans had turned out to try the food. "Too greasy.” Reviews were divided; some loved the flavor; others said the food was just OK.

Yet the brand was in the news for an effort to make healthy food more accessible, particularly in neighborhoods that did not have a lot of vegan-friendly options. Kevin Hart was acclaimed for his novelty and ingenuity with his business idea.

Why Did Kevin Hart’s Restaurant Close?\

Now let’s answer the big question: why did Kevin Hart’s restaurant close?

There was no single reason. Instead, several challenges came together, making it hard for the business to keep going:

1. High Operating Costs

The high cost of operating restaurants in California. In 2024, the minimum wage for fast-food workers in the state was raised to $20 an hour. This forced Hart House to pay its employees more, despite already providing a high quality standard of pay and benefits.

When you consider wages, rent, utilities, food ingredients and marketing, running a restaurant is very costly — especially a new one that hasn’t made lots of money, and especially in a competitive field and expensive market such as London.

2. Tough Competition

The market for plant-based foods has exploded. A lot of the big names in fast food (Burger King, McDonald’s, KFC) now have their own vegan or vegetarian menu items.

Hart House was competing not just against local vegan places but also multinational brands that were more experienced and had deeper pockets.

3. Mixed Customer Reviews

The food didn’t win over some customers. Burgers were occasionally described as bland or as too greasy in online reviews.

Because taste is everything in the restaurant business, bad reviews can be a blow to a brand — especially a new one.

4. Not Enough Promotion

But after the first few months, Kevin Hart didn’t post about the restaurant as much as some may have hoped. With an absence of consistent advertising and no cover person in the magazine, some patrons just forgot Hart House — or, in some cases, never knew of its existence.

What This Means for the Plant-Based Food Industry

Hart House is hardly the only plant-based restaurant to suffer and ultimately fail recently. Other similar chains, such as Veggie Grill have also shut down many of their locations. Plant-based eating is definitely accepted and growing in popularity, but it is still a challenge in the marketplace.

To get a restaurant (vegan or otherwise) off the ground, you need more than a good idea. You need great food, you need a solid marketing plan, great customer service, and you need a solid financial backing. And having a celebrity associated with your business does not guarantee you a successful restaurant.

Conclusion

Kevin Hart’s Hart House had a successful launch and a meaningful mission—to make healthy, plant-based food accessible to more people. However, the restaurant encountered numerous hurdles—cost increases, fierce competition, inconsistent reviews, and limited marketing. All these factors ultimately contributed to the closure of the business.

Although Hart House did not last long, the concept it represented was significant. It illustrated that celebrities could leverage their status to influence a healthier menu. Perhaps Kevin Hart will also return to the food game someday—better equipped.