JESS: That’s your car?
RORY: Yes, it is.
Why is Rory’s car outside the diner? They always walk to Luke’s, even at night. Perhaps Rory drove to the diner since she’s going to be tutoring Jess until late, and Lorelai doesn’t want her walking home alone at night – or with Jess as her escort. If so, it seems overly cautious, in light of how close they live to Luke’s, and how safe Stars Hollow seems to be. In retrospect, walking home with Jess would probably have been safer and less dramatic than what actually occurs.
It’s interesting that Jess recognises Rory’s car. Although we never see this onscreen, Rory is presumably in the habit of driving around Stars Hollow, often enough that Jess can identify the car as hers.
The Annotated Gilmore Girls 