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Today 200 coffee shops around the country were transformed into Luke's Diner, a central meeting spot in the show Gilmore Girls, which makes its return this November thanks to a 4-episode season from Netflix. It was a marketing ploy, yes, but it's hard for any Stars Hollow fan to pass up a trip to a real life Luke's, even if that guy was a jerk.
Lines started around sunrise, with hundreds waiting at a few L.A. locations to get their free coffee, and also to be scolded by a cardboard Luke Danes, who took his "no cell phones" rule from the show to another level, declaring: "No texting while ordering; No man buns; No taking pictures of food; No headphones (if I can hear your music through your headphones, why are you wearing headphones?)" (Leave women wearing headphones alone, Luke.) Missing from the sign was "No breastfeeding," which he also wanted to ban from his diner. To quote the man himself, "In the old days a woman would never consider doing that in public, she would find a barn or a cave. I just can't stand here and let the lactating continue."
But anyway, this isn't about how Luke is the worst, it's about a promotional gimmick for the show in which he exists. Scott Patterson, the actor who plays him, turned up at some L.A. Luke's, including Comoncy in Beverly Hills—click through to see more photos from that location. Sadly, beyond some signage and coffee cups with Luke's logo, the shops that took part in this didn't do much else transform into the quaint diner from Stars Hollow.
Now, surely there is some home in Pasadena that can pass for Emily and Richard Gilmore's mansion where someone can host a pop-up Friday night dinner event.
