I went to the movies this weekend and got in one of the 3 lines at the concession stand for my popcorn and large cherry icee like always. The guy who got his ticket after me was in the line next to mine and suddenly his line just starts going faster and faster. He has ordered, recieved and sat in the theatre by the time I got to the front of my line and I found myself getting irritated. It’s not his fault that he got served first but I had been standing there 3 minutes before he got there and 10 minutes after he left. There are very few things more annoying than standing in line for way to long. So it’s not suprising that changes are made to make us not want to KILL everyone. A professor at MIT studied why we hate standing in lines and found the 3 things we hate the most. Check them out after the jump!
How Hard Is This?
#1.) We get bored when we wait. It’s why doctor’s offices have magazines and TVs, and why amusement parks put TVs in the line.
#2.) We hate when we expect a short wait and get a longer one. This is why at Disney World they tell you “30 minutes from this spot” in a line. It’s really only about 20 minutes . . . the line won’t bother you as much if you feel ahead of schedule.
#3.) We really, REALLY hate when someone shows up after us but gets taken care of first. It sets off everyone’s sense of INJUSTICE to the point where fights can break out. That’s why more places like Best Buy, Wendy’s, and Citibank are going with one main line that funnels people to the first available server or teller . . . rather than making people pick a line that might end up going slower.
Nickepedia 