'It's ridiculous': publicans bemused by rise of single-file queues to get served

It’s not COVID, it’s the rise of technology-enabled orderliness and reward for planning ahead, like ordering food and drinks ahead for pickup, or booking the specific seats you want at the theater, and growing expectations that such orderliness is present.

Half the time I pick a spot at the bar the bar staff decides it's time to slowly empty the dishwasher and walk in circles.

Screw that, I'll just queue and wait to be called by staff that'll serve me.

If the bar is functional it doesn't really matter if people are queuing cause they are leaving it so fast.

My hypothesis is that it's due to phones. Waiting in a single row queue became much less painless so the younger ones prefer even to be on the phone and wait in line. Actually, the more chaotic types of "lines" make it more difficult to just be on the phone while waiting.

The traditional way of ordering a drink at a bar requires a small degree of engagement with your fellow patrons and bar staff. In my experience people under 30 just don't want to 'engage' with strangers: make eye contact, smile, make small talk. I've noticed this in the work place with younger colleagues and with hospitality staff in general. It's not surprising they would prefer to form a queue and take their turn before hurrying back to the safety of their group of friends.

> “Maybe there’s something I’ve missed, but we’ve tried everything.”

Even after reading the article, I'm not sure I understand why they care so much. You've got a queue of people wanting to give you money. Just take it and serve them drinks. Why do these pubs care how people queue up?

To me, it seems like a good step forward. I never liked the mode most bars/pubs operate in, where you need to push and muscle your way up to the bar, squeezed in sideways next to everyone else, trying to get the bartender's attention. A queue seems much more orderly and civilized.

Imagine if fast food restaurants worked the way bars worked: Instead of waiting in line, everyone just mashes themselves up to the counter waving cash around and shouting their burger orders to whoever's attention they can capture...

Perhaps we need a public information film as to how to queue.

They had one for playing in dumped fridges, swimming in deep water, or playing frisbee next to an HV transformer.

Maybe there’re a couple of other things that need a Public information film for contemporary times. Such as “don’t use a VPN”, or how to travel to the USA without ending up in manacles.

Stop putting card machines in a single place… till in the back was the key.

> electing to wait in a single file line, standing one behind the other, before being called forward to order as if going through border control.

This is such a ridiculous comparison that it torpedoes any credibility this article might have had.

You know where else you get this kind of queuing behavior? At a supermarket checkout.