‘Gilmore Girls’: We Know the Brand of Coffee Luke’s Diner Used
Everyone in Stars Hollow raved about the coffee at Luke’s Diner. Lorelai Gilmore insisted there was no better coffee in town and criticized the java served at another local-ish diner. Most Gilmore Girls fans have always taken the assertion at face value. After all, there is no way to figure out if Luke’s coffee was any good, or is there? In one episode, the brand of coffee Luke used at the Stars Hollow eatery is easily identifiable. So, what kind of coffee was Luke serving, and is it really any good?
Luke’s Diner had the best coffee in Stars Hollow, according to Lorelai Gilmore
Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes had chemistry in the Gilmore Girls pilot, even when it seemed Lorelai was after nothing more than coffee at Luke’s Diner. Throughout seven seasons, their relationship morphed and changed. They went from pals to flirty friends, romantic partners, and, eventually, husband and wife.
While Luke and Lorelai’s relationship went through plenty of changes, one thing remained constant. Lorelai insisted Luke’s coffee was the best in town. Even when she had a brief affair with Weston’s more upscale offerings, she always returned to Luke’s for a regular cup of java. So, what exactly was Luke serving? We have the answers.
Luke Danes served Hills Bros. Coffee at his Diner
In 2015, Gawker set out to figure out if Luke’s coffee was anything to write home about. Plenty of research went into the investigation. The first step of the experiment was finding Luke’s preferred brand.
The publication noted that in the season 2 episode, “Sadie, Sadie,” Luke is seen holding a red coffee can when Lorelai tells him she is engaged to Max Medina. Gilmore Girls didn’t use a fake brand as a prop. Instead, Luke is seen holding a Hills Bros. Coffee coffee can. Based on the episode, it’s safe to say that all of the coffee served at the Stars Hollow establishment was Hills Bros. Coffee. The brand is not completely uncommon in stores, but it’s also used in diners and other casual dining establishments up and down the east coast.
The brand is actually beloved
While coffee connoisseurs have spent years debating the merits of different types of coffee, those with a penchant for high-end coffee seem to agree that diner coffee is inherently bad. According to the Chicago Tribune, most diners in Chicago serve weak coffee, using fewer grams of coffee per ounce of liquid than recommended. The problem is more nuanced than that, though. According to several experts who spoke to the Chicago Tribune, most diners are using less-than-ideal coffee beans to fill their pots.
Regardless of its brew methods or the merits of its sourcing, diner coffee has its fans. While it’s hard to ascertain where every diner sources its coffee, we know for a fact that Luke’s source has a long history in the business.
Hills Bros. Coffee has been in business for more than 100 years. Sure, there have been many changes in the years since its start, including who owns the company. At present date, Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA owns Hills Bros. Coffee. When Luke was serving up the coffee in his diner, the product belonged to Sara Lee. Regardless of who owns the company, fans are still flocking to buy it. The company’s original formula has thousands of five-star reviews on multiple shopping platforms. According to several of those reviews, the coffee is still being used in some smaller east coast diners.
Whether or not Luke would still be serving Hills Bros. Coffee is anyone’s guess, but it certainly seems likely. Not only did Luke hate change, but his above-average coffee brewing skills are what, inadvertently, led him to his wife. He probably wouldn’t seek out different beans, regardless. Luke didn’t even drink coffee.
