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May 21, 2025
Why Are People Waiting in So Many Lines?
The ongoing trend of people lining up for croissants, pizza, matcha, and other viral foodie obsessions continues to baffle editors searching for an explanation behind the longevity of the phenomenon.
The cronut, a croissant-doughnut hybrid from Manhattan chef Dominique Ansel that went viral in 2013, is often cited among the first culinary obsessions to have gone viral.
“Facebook, then Instagram, and now TikTok have flattened our IRL [in real life] experience into what’s trending,” wrote Tim Marcin, a culture writer, in a column last fall for Mashable. “The internet’s promise of expanding our respective worlds came true, but then, faced with that vast expanse, we (the royal, cultural We) retreated into the comfort of things people have already said are good. The lines followed.”
“The fetish of waiting in long lines in anticipation, being the first to eat something that’s trending, and posting about it for all to see is a thing,” wrote Ernest Owens, the former editor at Eater Philadelphia, in a column last year. “If it’s not your cup of tea, avoid the trap — but understand that it’s not going away anytime soon because capitalism is still prominently on the menu.”
Saturday Night Live recently lampooned the trend of waiting in a “big, dumb line” for tacos, bagels, frozen yogurt, and other items going viral on TikTok.
The trend comes as Waitwhile’s 2023 survey found nearly 67% of consumers felt impatient, bored, annoyed, frustrated, or disrespected when they had to wait in a line. However, a 2011 paper from professors at Cornell University and the University of Alabama found that waiting in line can “increase, rather than decrease, both purchase intentions and actual experienced satisfaction.”
The more positive, viral-driven phenomenon of waiting in line is thought to be fueled by the social experience of hanging out with friends — and by younger consumers chasing a sense of status.
Astrid Kayembe, a culture writer for the Los Angeles Times, recently wrote, “In L.A., lines wield a transcendent power to reveal who we are, our desire to be seen and what we’re willing to do for them.”
A survey taken last December from The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital found that 60% of Gen Zers and 48% of millennials have stood in line for 30 minutes or more over the past year to eat a specific food or at a specific restaurant. That compares with 31% of Gen Xers and 14% of Boomers. However, among all respondents who did so, 92% said it was worth it and 74% said they’d do it again.
“There’s a performative element to this,” Dan Frommer, publisher of The New Consumer, told Axios. “You do it for the ‘gram, and also to be part of some sort of cultural moment.”
Discussion Questions
Where’s the appeal of waiting in line for an hour or more for pastries, pizza, tacos, or other fairly standard food offerings?
Is the phenomenon largely driven by social media, or are other factors in play?
Poll
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Alex Walderman
Director of Business Development , SOLUM
Arnjah Dillard
North America Retail Practice Lead, Stibo Systems
Mark Ryski
Founder, CEO & Author, HeadCount Corporation
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The question sounds like the start of a joke, and the only punchline I can think of is that they do it out of queue-riosity! The real answer is likely because it’s participatory and a shared experience centered around a desirable product. In the age of streaming and fragmented lifestyles we have far fewer shared and communal moments than we used to; this is a kind of replacement. There’s also the desire to share and post, the ‘clout’ of which is important to some.
Upvoted just for the pun. At the Minnesota State Fair, a new vendor came in with Amish raised glazed doughnuts – and yes they were amazing. We found them before the buzz started and only had to wait a few minutes. Last year, though, the lines were 45-60 minutes long – and as good as they are, this Gen Xer knows life is too short. If I want to hang out with friends and family, it’s somewhere I can be comfortable and out of the blazing sun.
This sounds like a “Why did the chicken cross the road?” joke. Lines happen. If I didn’t have to be somewhere tomorrow, I’d be in Orlando, standing in line for the grand opening of Epic Universe.
While there may be some underlying psychology to this, as a Boomer, I certainly don’t get it. FOMO? The scene? The vibe? To say you ‘did it’, I guess? I don’t believe that the appeal is in standing in line per se but rather being part of a scene. Creating lines is not a strategy, and while it may be a ‘thing’, it’s not the thing. Maybe Boomers just have less time to waste, because we have less time, period!
I think a lot of people go knowing there’s going to be a wait and honestly, they’re okay with it. Maybe they’ve heard it’s worth it, maybe they’ve been before, or maybe they’re just curious about the buzz. For me, I don’t mind the wait. It’s a chance to people-watch, strike up conversations, and soak in the energy. Sometimes, the line ends up being just as memorable as the food itself. It’s about the shared experience, the story, and feeling part of something everyone’s talking about.
I live in Miami. The last thing I want to do is stand in a line out in the steam bath. As the summer goes on. I think we’ll see the line phenomenon waning everywhere.
Ever been to Disney? lol
Yes, I had to go to conferences up there all the time. But I don’t do lines.
Dear Ernest Owens, can we please not blame capitalism for this (“capitalism is still prominently on the menu”) and focus on your other “cause” (“being the first to….and posting about it for all to see…”)?
In my opinion, this has very little to do with capitalism and much more to do with a desperate desire to be seen as suggested by Astrid Kayembe (though I believe Astrid was being kinder describing it as a transcendent power). If social media has proven anything is that we have a desperate need to be seen, to belong, to be part of something. There’s something beautifully dangerous about that but, sadly, that element of our humanity is marketing gold and it’s used to sell us everything from eternal youth to beanie babies to AI to tacos.
If only the Transcendentalists saw us now! Sorry, Emerson et al!
Perhaps “capitalism” in the sense of owners being too stingy and not hiring enough people at the right wages? Gosh, I grew up with the folk knowledge of if you provided a quality product & experience and turned your tables quickly, you’d make more money in the same amount of business hours. To the Amish doughnut stand example I had above, yes they needed to hire a person with a mobile card reader to take orders down the line, another person to prep the dough, and another person to distribute the doughnuts. They could easily move 3x the volume per day & prevent someone else from trying to horn in on their business this year!
I would agree except that these lines are “illogical” (from a product perspective). I don’t think it’s the product so much as “all the other stuff.” Was the Stanley Tumbler that much better than everything else? In other words, if it’s more than the product then a store selling the exact same thing but not offering “the other stuff” would have NO LINE (or a line of people like me, contrarian types). LOL!
Most legacy retailers try reasonably hard to reduce wait times for their customers.
Is there some kind of inverted psychology in play when the digital generation queues up for pizza, barbeque, or even coffee drinks?
By that I mean, is “in-line” some kind of antidote to “on-line”?
Sorry, but I feel like being insta’d waiting for a slice is a poor substitute for authentic experiences.
I attribute queuing to FOMO, the insatiable desire for social posting, and being part of a community of even for a short amount of time.
31% willingness sounds about right for me and my middle aged fellow Gen Xers. And not surprised Gen Z is holding the mantle at 60%. High willingness to stand in lines correlates easily to youth in urban areas as spare time with more available, and new food experiences everywhere, on nearly every street.
The appeal often comes from a unique shared social moment and the anticipation of trying trending items, creating a modern communal feel. While social media significantly amplifies this phenomenon, it’s also deeply driven by a human desire for shared experiences and the excitement of participating in popular trends.
Really? Now, standing in line is a shared social experience? Is everyday life so bad?
You’re right, it’s not traditional. I feel these queues offer a unique public shared moment, connecting people with trends and each other.
The appeal often lies in the anticipation and perceived value of the experience, as people tend to associate longer lines with higher quality or exclusivity.
Additionally, the social proof of a long line can reinforce the idea that the food is worth the wait. Lastly, the shared experience of waiting can create a sense of community and excitement among those in line.
While social media certainly makes popular spots more visible and appealing, other factors, such as word-of-mouth recommendations and local food reviews, play a significant role as well.
Cultural trends and seasonal events can influence people’s desire to visit certain restaurants. Additionally, the reputation of the chef or the uniqueness of the menu may attract crowds without the assistance of social media.
This is an example of the online status trending over the real-life position. People are doing this to tell others about their experience of a eating at a trending restaurant, enjoying a unique food, etc. As a society focused on food, eating, and sharing our online experience, we are willing participants to showing off our line mentality so that our followers can be jealous! If I am with lots of people standing in line, then it must be a cool place, or have cool food, etc.
At a time when our world is especially chaotic and stressful, the simple act of standing in line to focus on obtaining a special treat in a shared experience is fun. Pure and simple. And it’s not new in the world of ice cream destinations.
As a kid, I came home from summer camp and asked my parents for the sneakers the cool kids wore.
In college, I noticed the girls in their khaki boots, black leggings, and Eskimo jackets. Those were the “cool” girls.
Early in my career, I worked at a marketing agency where I learned about and created cultural capital. We built brand experiences that people sought after. Whether that was a private concert experience or new restaurant we wanted to create buzz around. We created desire.
Today’s lineups for a cronut, a buzz-worthy slice of pizza, or otherwise is the same thing. These companies created desire through hype and by defining what’s cool.
Cool sells. Always has.
The first thing that came to mind was the Yogi Berra quote. “Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore because it’s too crowded.” The entire idea is soooooo foreign to me. (I am a Boomer.)
In the city, I occasionally see lines outside the Dollar-a-Slice Pizza stores, but they move very fast. That is about cheap, not about good food.
A few of my colleagues suggested this is a social experience.
Has our ability to socialize dropped to such a low level?
For some, lining up for trendy food signals exclusivity and social connection. Social media may fuel the hype, but it can also tap into a basic desire to belong. That’s part of why brick-and-mortar experiences still hold value – people continue to seek real moments that online simply can’t offer.
This trend reflects how culture is shifting from ownership to experience. People want to be seen, but more than that, they want to feel part of something collective. This trend reflects how herd mentality shapes behavior; people often follow what’s popular to feel included or visible, even without a strong personal opinion.
This kind of behavior isn’t limited to one industry anymore. Whether it’s food, fashion, or tech, people want to be part of the moment. Social media plays a role, but it’s the deeper need to feel connected and seen that really keeps this trend going.
Scarcity, novelty and fun inspire consumers to endure long lines. Limited-time offers and ephemeral experiences create a sense of urgency to seize new food opportunities. Unique, trendy products motivate consumers to be bold early adopters and early reviewers. Lining up with friends and sharing the anticipation is part of the fun. Sharing the experience online spices up customers’ social media feeds with exciting, exclusive content.
Sometimes, it’s cool to stand in line. It can be part of the social experience. Many years ago, a friend invited me to enjoy a late-night snack at Pinks, a hot dog stand in the Los Angeles area. The line was an hour long, but that was part of the experience. The social aspect of standing with friends in line made for a fun and memorable occasion. And for some, standing in long lines for something that is the envy of others (for example, concert tickets… and hot dogs) is a badge of honor.
I file this under, “What’s old is new again.”
We used gladly get up early and wait in any kind of weather to buy concert tickets. We were with others of similar interest. We enjoyed the wait. Our reward was great seats to a great show. And we made a few friends along the way.
With the high cost of a ticket for a concert, following a similar wait, socialize, reward and make friends model for food doesn’t seem that unusual.