What kind of ‘waiter in liner’ are you?  Here in the US, we call it ‘waiting in line,’ in other countries, it’s called ‘cueing.’  A trip through McDonald’s drive-thru got me thinking about this, although I’ve wondered about it in the grocery store or other shopping situations.  It’s often interesting to sit and watch how honest people are when they go through a line.  What does it reveal about a person’s character?

I’m always very careful to watch to see who is progressing ahead of me in the next lane of cars, so I don’t get in line ahead of their order.  What if they give me the wrong food order?  But, invariably, there is the one customer who insists on zooming into the line before it really is their turn.  Is it worth getting angry about?  Not really, we’ll all get fed in due time.  But what does it say about that person who does this?  Not very good, I would think.  Were they taught manners, or not, as a child?

Then there’s the person who doesn’t want to take the time to drive around the building to even get in line or cue up.  Instead, as they drive by the talk machine, they swerve right on in before the next car in line can get up to it.  Now what does one think about a person who does this?  My perception might be that they are selfish, impatient and inconsiderate.  And how do they treat people they encounter throughout their day?  A very thought provoking question.

The lesson was taught early here – wait your turn… I remember waiting in the lunch line in elementary school.  We were taught that you do not cut in line or there were consequences, the main one being you’ll go hungry for a few minutes more while you are escorted to the back of the line.  Wait your turn and you’ll be fed.  I suppose it all goes back to how you were taught about taking turns and respecting other’s presence in your line as a child.

If you weren’t taught that as a child, you may be in for a surprise when you are older.