– Good Manners Helps Them Go a Little Smoother

In today’s fast paced world, we often race around wanting to get things done as quickly as possible. And if we encounter a line that slows our progress, it’s easy to get impatient and frustrated either with the people ahead of us or with the serving staff.

At these times, it’s important to focus outside of yourself and maintain your composure and good manners.

Whenever you have to wait in line, take a deep breath and follow these guidelines for good line etiquette:

1. Allow people their personal space
While waiting in line, do not crowd the person in front of you. Allow them a foot or two of personal space. This also allows room for people to pass through the line if they need to cross to the other side. If you are waiting in a line at a store checkout, also allow the person space to complete their transaction before moving forward with your own purchases.

2. Pay attention and be respectful of people around you
As you wait in line, be aware of others around you. Try not to block the entire passageway so people who are not waiting in the line can get through. If you have personal belongings or items with you, be sure to keep them close to you and out of the way of other people.

3. Use your waiting time wisely
If you are waiting in a line to place an order, such as at a fast food restaurant or the movie theatre refreshment line, use the waiting time to determine what you will order and have your payment ready. This way, you are prepared when your turn comes and can make your transaction quickly and allow others to get through the line faster.

4. Be considerate of other people
If you are waiting in a line and another checkout opens beside you, it is polite to allow the customer next in line to move over first. Do not rush over from the back of the line to get ahead of the people who have been waiting longer. If you arrive at a checkout at the same time as another person, it is good manners to allow the person with the least amount of items to go first, particularly if they have one or two items and you have many.

5. Avoid the temptation to complain loudly
The service might be slow, the people ahead of you may be taking too long, and it may seem reasonable to vent your frustrations, but it rarely helps the situation and is disruptive and irritating to the people around you. If you have a legitimate concern or suggestion for improving the situation in the future, quietly mention it to the server when your turn arrives or write a letter to the management at a later time.