- by foxnews
- 04 Oct 2026
The quirky Mojave Desert spot, which is covered with dollar bills, flags, license plates and jerseys from around the world, became internationally famous after inspiring the 1987 German film "Bagdad Cafe."
Visitors can visit the cafe for photos and souvenirs, like T-shirts - which have become one of the its main sources of income - but it no longer serves food as the owners work to raise money and restore the kitchen and septic system.
It also sells replica boomerangs designed by Alan Scott Craig, who appeared in the film, according to the cafe's website.
Many American visitors stop because of the highway's history, while European tourists, particularly from France, often make the trip because of the 1987 film, a worker told Fox News Digital. The cafe has accumulated about 40 guest books filled with messages from visitors over the decades, he said.
But the pandemic hasn't been the cafe's only struggle.
A separate GoFundMe is now seeking donations to reopen the cafe's kitchen and upgrade its septic system.
The next goal is reopening the kitchen before preserving the historic stop for future travelers, according to the cafe's website.
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