In the movie “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” Sam Rockwell returns from the future to a Norms diner to save the world. | Photo courtesy of Norms
“There is a correct configuration of people in this diner that perfectly combats the future and saves humanity.”
That’s what actor Sam Rockwell tells the hapless guests at a (recreated) Norms diner in the movie “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” in theaters now.
The premise of the movie (which was actually written in a Norms diner) is based around the idea that diners attract people from all walks of life. They are places where birthdays are celebrated, soccer teams are fueled, retirees meet for coffee. Apparently, they are also where movies are written.
And maybe they are places where people could be heroes in the battle against the obliteration of mankind by hostile artificial intelligence.
That may be an overreach, but Mark Politzer, CEO of Norms, feels it fits with the restaurant chain’s marketing.
Politzer said the movie captures a brand message that the 24-unit diner chain is now leaning into: Norms is where life happens.
That tagline was specifically noted when representatives of the film’s writer Matthew Robinson and director Gore Verbinski met with Norms officials about three years ago to ask permission to use the restaurant chain’s branding.
The filmmakers were asked, “Why Norms?” said Politzer, who joined the chain a year ago.
“And they’re like, you know, when you walk into any Norms, or the Norms on La Cienega, you look around, there are all these people from all walks of life, and you don’t know what their day looked like leading up to that, but they’re all characters in their own way in the universe,” said Politzer. “We’re making a movie that we need to find five heroes that can save the world that came from all different walks of life. We couldn’t think of a better platform than Norms.”
The film appears to be set in the iconic Norms location on La Cienega in Los Angeles’ West Hollywood neighborhood, which is widely known for its Googie architecture.
The iconic Norms on La Cienega is known for its Googie architecture. | Photo: Shutterstock.
Some brief outdoor scenes were shot at the real Norms, but the interior scenes were recreated on a studio set overseas. “It was Hollywood magic,” said Politzer.
In 2024, there were fears that the Googie location in West Hollywood would close.
The historic building was acquired in 2021 by Raising Cane’s, which had submitted a plan to convert the longtime Norms location when its lease expired this year. That proposal, however, was met with public outcry and Raising Cane’s put those plans on hold.
Now, with the lease under negotiation, Politzer said he feels positive about conversations with the Raising Cane’s team.
“They want to keep Norms there and they want to work with us,” he said. “We’re hoping to finalize something this year.”
Meanwhile, Politzer has spent the past year working on a turnaround for the diner chain, which last year saw about a 3% decline in sales. For most restaurants, 2025 was a tough year, but that was particularly true in Los Angeles, which was ravaged by wildfires and then floods. All but one Norms location is in the greater Los Angeles area.
In his first few months at the helm, Politzer, who worked previously in operations at the high-end Mina Group, spent time working in restaurants on the weekends, doing a listening tour and getting a sense of the culture and areas of opportunity.
Politzer developed a strategy to evolve operations in a way that he felt would move the needle. His goal was to fan the flames from the brand’s more than 75-year legacy, and to build Norms for a stronger future, he said.
First, there was a focus on operations: training, onboarding, cleanliness.
Politzer said he has created a routine of speaking with every new employee (at least by Teams) to ask how it’s going and whether they are getting support and the training they need. That’s about 400 people a year.
“When our management team knows I care so much about onboarding and training, they’re going to put more effort in,” he said.
Then Norms did some work on the menu, rolling out an expansion with about 25 new items last October.
Some were reworked hits from the past, he said, but Norms also brought in new burgers, salads and sandwiches, as well as some Latin dishes like an Inside Out Enchilada omelet, and a whole section on French toast.
Norms hand-cuts steaks in restaurants. | Photo courtesy of Norms.
Norms is also where steaks happen, Politzer said.
Steaks there are hand-cut in each restaurant and the company owns its supply chain, so a variety of cuts are available.
“Protein, protein, protein is the fad. There’s not a better place on the planet to get your protein needs,” he said.
The challenge has been conveying the right message on value. At Norms, the average check is about $20, and the brand falls between family dining concepts like Denny’s and “elevated” diners, like the recently opened Max & Helen’s in Los Angeles owned by Phil Rosenthal and restaurateur Nancy Silverton.
Politzer said the chain has worked hard to keep menu pricing down. A Bigger Better Breakfast at Norms, for example, is $15.99 and includes two strips of bacon, sausage, ham, two eggs, the choice of hash browns, home fries or fruit, and toast or hotcakes (most people choose hotcakes).
At Denny’s, by comparison, an Original Grand Slam with similar options in the Los Angeles area is priced at $15.79. (At Max & Helen’s, the similar “Larchmont Slam” is $27.)
“For many people, times are tough, and not everyone is on the same income bracket,” said Politzer. “We’re making a conscious effort not to raise prices.”
As a result, with the new menu, Norms has increased its traffic, but not sales—at least not yet. The chain is still making tweaks to the new menu.
But Politzer is more optimistic about the Los Angeles economy in 2026, with the wildfire recovery mostly in the rearview mirror.
Last year, Norms opened its first location outside California in Las Vegas. That unit started strong, but then was waylaid by construction on the road where it’s located. Politzer has hopes of opening more in the Vegas market, but they want to give the first unit there time to prove out the market.
Now, with “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” featuring Norms so prominently, the chain is embracing its longtime role in TV shows and films.
Norms has appeared in Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” and the TNT series “Men of a Certain Age,” for example. It’s in the films “Woman in Gold” and “American Horror Story.”
TV Producer Matthew Weiner has said he got the idea for the show “Mad Men” while at a Norms, writing notes for the beginning of the series in the coffeeshop.
And, on social media, Norms is working to better tell the story about the emotional connections happening every day in its restaurants, even the heroes who don’t necessarily save the world from evil AI.
“It used to be messaging about deals or Fish Friday,” said Politzer. “Now we’re trying to do more storytelling about Life Happens.”