By Luke Dane's initial appearance, one wouldn't necessarily think he was too well-off. He worked hard at the local diner and didn't care too much about going out and being social. He was a hermit and didn't seem to think too materialistically.
But underneath this appearance is a man who is secretly wealthy. Living in a small town in Connecticut is not cheap, and Luke has proven his wealth throughout Gilmore Girls in various ways. From helping Lorelai to stepping up and being a hands-on father, Luke isn't the poor hermit he sometimes acts like: he's rich.
Showed Off: He Bought The Twickham House
When Joshua Twickham passed away, his home (nicknamed the Twickham House) was up for grabs. Taylor Doose turned the house into the Stars Hollow History Museum but Luke knew it would be a sitting money pit if it remained that way. He ended up buying the home because he saw it as the future home of him and Lorelai. If they had kids, there would be plenty of space and fond memories for everyone.
Knowing how long the Twickham house has been in Stars Hollow and how much work was done to turn it into a museum in Connecticut, this was definitely a million-dollar+ house.
Secretly Wealthy: He Lent Lorelai $30,000
When Lorelai and Sookie were renovating The Dragonfly Inn, they ran out of money. They had people working around the clock to get the house done on time but they weren't being paid. Lorelai was at a loss and didn't want to go to her parents, so she went to her dear friend Luke.
At this time in their relationship, Luke and Lorelai were just friends. She cried to him while asking for $30,000 and Luke happily gave it to her! He was now an investor in The Dragonfly Inn.
Showed Off: He Bought The Building Next To Luke's
Luke didn't just own his dinner and the building it was in, he also owned the building next to Luke's. This means that, at one time, he owned three buildings in Stars Hollow! He was very much into the real estate game whether people acknowledged it or not.
The building next to Luke's had apartments throughout the top floors and retail space on the street-floor, which he rented out to Taylor Doose. This meant he was collecting people's rent every single week. Once all his bills were covered, everything else went to his pocket.
Secretly Wealthy: He Bought A Boat On A Whim
When April moved to New Mexico with her mom, Luke planned a vacation of a lifetime for him and April when she came to visit him for the summer months. He wanted her time in Stars Hollow to be memorable so that she would continue visiting him.
Instead of hanging around Luke's Diner in the summer, Luke planned an extensive summer getaway on a boat. He planned all the stops and places they'd eat (thanks to Lorelai's recommendations), and he even bought a new boat! Lorelai was astounded that he bought a new boat on a whim because it used to take him weeks to decide on a shirt to wear. Regardless, having the money for a boat (on top of owning real estate) without saving means Luke wasn't struggling financially.
Showed Off: His Ability To Close Shop Whenever He Wanted
Luke's Diner was one the busiest eateries in Stars Hollow. His coffee was the best in town and everyone knew each other. Luke was up at work at 5am and was often open late. Anyone who works in the food industry knows how much work goes into running a restaurant, but Luke had it good.
Although he worked hard every day of the week, he also had the luxury to leave early, close early, or not open at all if he didn't want to (like on the anniversary of his father's death). Not too many business owners have that kind of flexibility with their hours but Luke is clearly financially comfortable.
Secretly Wealthy: He Paid For Lorelai's Remodel
When Luke and Lorelai became serious. it was obvious that she wasn't comfortable moving out of her house. She loved her home and it was the place where Rory grew up. She was attached to it.
To have the best of both worlds, Luke did renovations on the home for the two of them to start fresh. He re-did the master bedroom, bathrooms, and living room. It was the modern makeover the home needed. However, fans can't help but assume that Luke paid for the renovations. They were his idea and he's the one who paid $2,000 to the workers to expedite their workday. Having extra funds to fix up a house that he didn't even own was commendable.
Showed Off: His Spur Of The Moment Renovations
Luke's Diner remains untouched for a majority of the series but there were a few instances where it desperately needed some help. Luke had the funds to close shop for a few days while he and Lorelai repainted and reorganized. He also closed his doors when Kirk drove his car into the side of his business.
Sure, Luke wasn't happy about closing his doors for those couple of days but he never seemed to hurt financially or worry about shutting down.
Secretly Wealthy: He Supported April's Education & Euro Trip
In the reboot, A Year in the Life, fans got their first glimpse of April as an adult. She was now a college student at MIT and finding herself.
One night at dinner, April talked about going on a European adventure with her friends. Lorelai later asked Luke who was paying for the trip and Luke admitted that he would help her. Lorelai tried telling him that she could help him financially if he needed it because he was also paying for her graduate school but he denied the help. He had it figured out.
Showed Off: Lorelai's Picnic Basket
In "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," the town is having a fun event where people bid on picnic baskets and then eat the food with the owner of the basket. Lorelai was beside herself when she found out Miss Patty invited different single men to bid on a basket to go on a date with her.
Instead of waiting it out Lorelai ran to Luke and forced him to buy the basket. He ended up outbidding the others by spending $52.50. And even though Lorelai forced him to outbid everyone, Luke had the cash to spend in front of everyone.
Secretly Wealthy: The Money From The Gilmores
When Richard passed away in the reboot, he left Luke a considerable amount of money so that he could franchise his diner. Richard didn't see the sense in only owning one restaurant, and he wanted Luke to be successful (for the sake of his daughter and granddaughter).
Luke didn't feel comfortable taking the money for a franchise so it sat there until he and Lorelai knew what to do with it. Regardless if Lorelai ended up using the money for The Dragonfly Inn or not, Luke had backup financials a la the Gilmores if he ever did want to expand.