LUKE: So when Jess is upstairs, that means the stereo’s blaring and the place is a mess. I just needed a little privacy.
LORELAI: So you came downstairs … to sit on an uncomfortable chair in an empty diner that smells like onion rings.
Onion rings are an appetiser, snack, or side dish consisting of a “ring” of onion dipped in batter or breadcrumbs, and deep fried. A British recipe dates to 1802, while an American recipe from Middletown, New York can be found in 1910. Kirby’s Pig Stand Restaurant in Dallas, Texas claims to have invented the onion ring in the 1920s. Onion rings became popular fast food items in the 1960s when the A&W fast food restaurant chain added them to the menu.
The Annotated Gilmore Girls 