Pubs are not designed for long one-person width queues that extend into the drinking/dining area. They are not supermarkets where you stand with a basket of self-served goods. The bar is inherently an interface, a liminal zone, where customers weigh up their drink choices, which are handed over to them by the serving staff. The customs and practice of the "invisible queue" have evolved to manage the fundamental nature of the design of the pub and the most practical way to make it operate. The single file queue is not only an abomination in terms of breaking with tradition and introducing extra stress to what should be a relaxing experiencea but it's a ridiculously inefficient way to manage space. If pubs and bar staff are going to tolerate this practice then they need to put out airport security or post-office style snaking queuing systems with barriers. That's the logical extension of the current trend.
Customers can't be blamed in the main for this. No one wants to be seen as the person who pushes in, even if the people forming the queue are clueless and acting in a way that destroys the collective experience for everyone else. The bar staff should prevent a queue from forming - or at least put up a notice to say that queues don't work.
Maybe pubs will have to go the way of the old delicatessen counters at Sainsburys and people take a ticket with a number that’s yelled out. Actually some customers would probably want the McDonalds style ordering screens and do away with talking to the bar staff altogether. At least these “solutions” would avoid the pub being split in half by a bus queue.
Pubs are not designed for long one-person width queues that extend into the drinking/dining area. They are not supermarkets where you stand with a basket of self-served goods. The bar is inherently an interface, a liminal zone, where customers weigh up their drink choices, which are handed over to them by the serving staff. The customs and practice of the "invisible queue" have evolved to manage the fundamental nature of the design of the pub and the most practical way to make it operate. The single file queue is not only an abomination in terms of breaking with tradition and introducing extra stress to what should be a relaxing experiencea but it's a ridiculously inefficient way to manage space. If pubs and bar staff are going to tolerate this practice then they need to put out airport security or post-office style snaking queuing systems with barriers. That's the logical extension of the current trend.
Customers can't be blamed in the main for this. No one wants to be seen as the person who pushes in, even if the people forming the queue are clueless and acting in a way that destroys the collective experience for everyone else. The bar staff should prevent a queue from forming - or at least put up a notice to say that queues don't work.
As you can see there is a sign in my local about not queuing, two posters are visible as soon as you come in but people seem to ignore it.
Maybe pubs will have to go the way of the old delicatessen counters at Sainsburys and people take a ticket with a number that’s yelled out. Actually some customers would probably want the McDonalds style ordering screens and do away with talking to the bar staff altogether. At least these “solutions” would avoid the pub being split in half by a bus queue.
I hope not.
Old mate with the pups went to the far queue!