History Theatre / Waitress

And baked in a beautiful pie

** A brief scene shows that Jenna's own mother was victim to this as well.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Ogie in the film comes off as a slightly manipulative creep that doesn't know how to take "no" for an answer, since Dawn just met him for five minutes. Here, he and Dawn actually have some things in common, and she does a DramaticDrop on learning he does American Revolution reenactments and has the same opinion about whipped cream on pie.
* AdaptationDistillation: Most of the subplots in the movie are pared down so they can be portrayed onscreen. Joe in this version owns the pie shop diner, which is why he frequents it. [[spoiler:After he dies, he leaves it to her in her will because she was his OnlyFriend, rather than leaving her money]].

* BespectacledCutie: Dawn is the only character to wear glasses.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Cal is shown to have this for Jenna and Dawn:
** He tries to protect Jenna during Dawn's wedding.
** It's shown he knows how to help Dawn during her anxiety attack. He watches Ogie closely during his grand gesture, and he also [[IllPretendIDidntHearThat acts disgusted when she talks about her sexcapades with Ogie.]]

* ComplimentBackfire: Dr. Pomatter compares Jenna to a waitress he once knew, and brings up that said waitress is now well into her middle age, [[ThatCameOutWrong which of course comes out wrong]]. He quickly clarifies that he meant that she was always very sweet to him and gave him dessert even when he couldn't afford it, and Jenna reminds him of her.

* DomesticAbuse: Earl berates Jenna, taking the tips she makes from work and makes her doubt her abilities, saying that she's "no Sara Lee". It reaches its peak when he goes to hit Jenna and only doesn't because she says she's pregnant.

* GrumpyOldMan: Joe plays up this with his overly specific food orders and complaining but deep down he's really a sweet guy who encourages Jenna to see her own potential, [[spoiler: even gifting her the diner when he passes.]]

* MoralityPet: Jenna is this for Joe and Cal.

* SexAtWork: Becky and Call have sex in the diner's kitchen. Of course they get walked in on.

* ShipperOnDeck: Cal ships Ogie and Dawn, and gives Ogie advice when the latter has anxiety attacks.
* ShrinkingViolet: Dawn discusses this in "When He Sees Me".

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Joe's song to Jenna, "Take it From an Old Man", is essentially this.
--> '''Joe:''' I believe that there’s something in you. Something good is tryin’ to break through.