Did Kevin Hart shut down his restaurants in LA?

Kevin Hart’s vegan restaurant chain, Hart House, closed all four of its locations. This decision came two years after the chain opened its doors in 2022. The chain aimed to provide affordable, plant-based comfort foods for health-conscious consumers.

The closure of these establishments sparked speculation online about the underlying reasons. On September 10, 2024, Hart House announced the cessation of its operations across all outlets, including its flagship store at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

CEO Andy Hooper, in a statement to Eater Los Angeles on September 11, expressed gratitude towards the community, staff, and partners for their support.

“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,” Andy Hooper shared.

He stopped short of providing explicit reasons for the shutdown. In the caption of an Instagram post on September 11, Hart House wrote,

"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 post has mentioned starting a new chapter, but so far, nothing has been disclosed about the same.

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Was Kevin Hart's restaurant chain getting cannibalism speculations from Redditors?

Redditors speculating reasons (Image via Reddit)

Amid the sudden closure of Kevin Hart's vegan restaurant chain, Hart House, a rumor circulated on a September 25 Reddit post suggesting a link between the restaurants and cannibalism. The speculation seemed to be fueled by fictional television dramas in which characters engage in macabre dining practices.

The comments were in a subreddit dedicated to the show Atlanta. The third season's final episode, Tarrare, depicted wealthy individuals engaging in such acts. The episode originally aired on May 19, 2022. Another comment on the thread brought up a similar scene from another show.

However, this claim is completely speculative, as Hart House is known to have served plant-based, vegan meals. Hart House aimed to create a fast-food revolution with affordable, healthy options but reportedly faced significant hurdles. Kevin Hart and CEO Andy Hooper have not explicitly mentioned the reason for the outlets' cessation.

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The journey of Hart House

Kevin Hart (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for IMDb)

Hart House, Kevin Hart's vegan fast-food chain, launched its first location near Los Angeles International Airport in August 2022. It was a move by Hart, who had transitioned to a mostly plant-based diet two years prior. With ambitions to expand to 100 locations within five years, Hart envisioned a chain that combined his commitment to a healthier lifestyle with his entrepreneurial spirit.

The initial offerings included plant-based "chick'n" sandwiches and "burg'rs," targeting a growing market of health-conscious consumers looking for affordable yet nutritious alternatives to traditional fast food.

Hart stated at the launch, "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."

The chain opened three more locations around Los Angeles, including a flagship drive-through at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. However, the economic landscape reportedly posed major challenges, leading to the eventual closure.

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Kevin Hart recently starred in Lift, released on January 12, 2024, on Netflix.