"It's Ridiculous": The Rise of Single-File Queues at Pubs Has Pub Owners Baffled
For pub-goers who value a relaxed atmosphere and aren't keen on feeling like they're queuing up at a bank, Paul Loebenberg's frustrations are all too relatable. "I'm not sure what else we can do to be honest," he says of the long lines forming outside his north-west London bar, Wolfpack. "Maybe there's something I've missed, but we've tried everything."
The phenomenon has left many pub owners bewildered, with some attributing it to the pandemic, which sparked a mass shift in consumer behavior. Jess Riley, manager at Wylam Brewery in Newcastle, notes that the rise of single-file queues began around 2020 and has since become an ingrained norm.
"It's ridiculous," she says, exasperated by customers who refuse to spread out across available space, causing lines to snake through the pub. Despite having multiple bars to serve from, Wylam still struggles with this issue.
Professor John Drury of the University of Sussex believes that people's attitudes towards public activities have changed since the pandemic, often negatively. He argues that queueing at pubs adds an element of fairness not found when "crushing around the bar."
"It's a new norm," he explains, and as such, it's likely to persist due to social pressure. People don't want to be seen as deviants or troublemakers, so they conform to what their peers perceive as the right thing to do.
Drury notes that data suggests queuing time rarely decreases, yet people still prefer waiting just as long as the person in front of them. This paradox highlights how ingrained norms can become, even if they don't make logical sense.
As the queueing epidemic continues to plague pubs across Britain, pub owners are left scratching their heads, wondering why customers have adopted this peculiar behavior. Whether it's a lingering effect of the pandemic or simply a quirk of modern society, one thing is certain – it's a phenomenon that has left many pub-goers feeling like they're stuck in a strange new world where queuing at bars is the norm.
For pub-goers who value a relaxed atmosphere and aren't keen on feeling like they're queuing up at a bank, Paul Loebenberg's frustrations are all too relatable. "I'm not sure what else we can do to be honest," he says of the long lines forming outside his north-west London bar, Wolfpack. "Maybe there's something I've missed, but we've tried everything."
The phenomenon has left many pub owners bewildered, with some attributing it to the pandemic, which sparked a mass shift in consumer behavior. Jess Riley, manager at Wylam Brewery in Newcastle, notes that the rise of single-file queues began around 2020 and has since become an ingrained norm.
"It's ridiculous," she says, exasperated by customers who refuse to spread out across available space, causing lines to snake through the pub. Despite having multiple bars to serve from, Wylam still struggles with this issue.
Professor John Drury of the University of Sussex believes that people's attitudes towards public activities have changed since the pandemic, often negatively. He argues that queueing at pubs adds an element of fairness not found when "crushing around the bar."
"It's a new norm," he explains, and as such, it's likely to persist due to social pressure. People don't want to be seen as deviants or troublemakers, so they conform to what their peers perceive as the right thing to do.
Drury notes that data suggests queuing time rarely decreases, yet people still prefer waiting just as long as the person in front of them. This paradox highlights how ingrained norms can become, even if they don't make logical sense.
As the queueing epidemic continues to plague pubs across Britain, pub owners are left scratching their heads, wondering why customers have adopted this peculiar behavior. Whether it's a lingering effect of the pandemic or simply a quirk of modern society, one thing is certain – it's a phenomenon that has left many pub-goers feeling like they're stuck in a strange new world where queuing at bars is the norm.
... just kidding, I don't think so 
. Like, what's up with people wanting to be in line with everyone else? It's all about social pressure and not wanting to stand out, right? But on the other hand, it is kinda weird that we're all conforming to this new norm without even thinking about it... 
. I mean, if I'm being honest, most of the time I just want to chill with my mates and have a pint without waiting in line for ages, you know? But at the same time, can't people just spread out a bit and enjoy their drink without making everyone else wait? It's all about finding that balance, right? 
. Maybe I'm just old-school and out of touch with modern pub etiquette... 
.
! And, yeah, maybe they do make the lines longer, but I guess that's just part of the experience now? Like, who needs to chill and grab a pint without waiting, right? It's all about being considerate of others and not wanting to be that person who breaks the rules 
. And, let's be real, if you don't like it, just go somewhere else, you know?
it's all about creating a relaxed vibe and now we're stuck waiting like bank customers 
meanwhile i just wanna grab a pint with my friends without feeling like im in some kinda competition 
idk what the future holds but lets hope this weird quirk of modern society fades away soon 
. i mean, think about it - we've all been stuck in long lines for covid tests and whatnot, so maybe our brains just associate queuing as a normal part of pub-going now 
it's like, we're all adults here, can't we just spread out a bit and enjoy our drinks without making the rest of us wait? 
I've been to Wolfpack and Wylam Brewery, it's like people have lost all sense of personal space 
I think the pandemic did change consumer behavior but that's no excuse for this ridiculous queueing norm 
. Have we all just lost touch with what it means to be human?!
People are literally standing nose to nose with each other and still managing to be like 5 minutes apart from that person in front of them... what's the point of even having a pub if it's just gonna feel like a bank? 
I guess the prof says that people are conforming to some sort of social norm now, but I'm just like "can't we all just chill?" 
. And don't even get me started on the data - if queuing time doesn't decrease but you still wait for the person in front of you... what's the point? It's all just a bit of baffling nonsense 
It feels like this pandemic thingy changed people's behavior in some way, but I don’t get why queuing would be a good thing? 
. It's weird how queueing up became a thing, especially since it kinda defeats the purpose of being in a pub where you're supposed to hang loose with friends and have a good time 
. But honestly, if you want to wait for your turn, just chill by yourself outside for a bit until it's your time 
. Maybe some sort of social cues or reminders on the door? Just saying 
. And what's up with the 'fairness' thing Drury mentioned? Like, it's a pub, not a math problem 
AND WHAT'S WITH THIS "FAIRNESS" NONSENSE? NEWSFLASH: THERE'S NO FAIRNESS IN BEING STUCK BEHIND SOMEONE SLOWING DOWN YOUR PINT!!! 