'Gilmore Girls' Fans Across the Country Lined Up to Visit Luke's Diner

Ahead of the Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix, and in honor of the 16th anniversary of the show’s original air date, cafes all around the country transformed into Luke’s Diner Wednesday morning. They saw swarms of fans who waited outside before the cafes even opened to get a free cup of coffee bearing a Luke’s-branded sleeve.

Netflix sponsored the nationwide transformation and provided 250 free cups of coffee at each location.

New York City hosted a handful of Luke’s pop-ups, and Eater found some flannel and baseball cap-clad fans who had waited up to an hour for a cup of coffee. Though the Luke’s Diner transformation was minimal, the cups sported quotes from the forthcoming Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and shops had cutouts of Luke with his new diner rules, including "no man buns."

Fans in Detroit fully embraced the pop-up. Some camped out for the event at Avalon International Breads, and employees joined in on the action, wearing flannel shirts under their Luke’s-branded aprons. The bakery had Gilmore-themed specials, including a Danish and coffee combo. Here’s a look at the scene from Detroit Wednesday morning:

Photo by Michelle and Chris Gerard

Fans in Atlanta also turned out in droves to the four Luke’s Diners around the city. The 250 free cups of coffee tapped out by 9 a.m. at JavaVino, and even after the cafe ran out of Luke’s-branded cup sleeves, people hung around to catch a glimpse of the themed paraphernalia inside.

Long lines formed for the pop-ups in Dallas at five different cafes. Fans posed with the Luke’s signage and embraced the nostalgia.

In Boston, Cafenation sported the iconic yellow coffee cup sign for the diner, and before the cafe opened at 7 a.m., the line stretched around the corner of the next block and beyond. Here’s a glimpse of the scene this morning:

Dana Hatic/Eater Boston

At four locations in Austin, cafes had trouble keeping their Luke's signage up due to the humidity (that's so Austin). But, at least some appropriate tunes, such as The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian," came through the speakers to properly set the mood.

At Three Fifty Bakery and Coffee Bar in Washington D.C., Gilmore fans were not only greeted by Luke's-branded sleeves and free coffee, but more merchandise and posters from the show as well.

And, perhaps the biggest news of the day came out of Los Angeles. Actor Scott Patterson — Luke Danes himself! — showed up to enjoy a cup of joe. He wore the character's signature plaid, but, in a stunning development, Patterson's baseball cap was not worn backwards.

• People Are Absolutely Freaking Out Over the Luke's Diner Pop-Ups [E]

• All Gilmore Girls Coverage [E]