UK pub owners are warning that a post-pandemic habit of single-file queuing is damaging both social atmosphere and profitability. This trend, which often sees customers forming long lines instead of using the full length of the bar, is reportedly creating significant operational hurdles for independent venues.
How single-file lines stall service at Hackney Church Brew Co
Hamish Glenn, the 41-year-old owner of Hackney Church Brew Co in East London, is fighting a losing battle against a new type of bar etiquette. Instead of customers spreading out along the length of the bar,they are forming long, orderly lines that resemble a post office more than a social venue. According to the report, this behavior forces multiple staff members to serve a single line, rather than allowing them to serve several customers simultaneously across the bar.
Operational inefficiency is particularly damaging during peak times for venues like Hackney Church Brew Co. Glenn notes that even when he has four staff members behind the bar ready to work, a single queue prevents them from operating at full capacity. This bottleneck doesn't just frustrate staff; it drives customers away, with some choosing to walk out rather than wait in a slow-moving line. This creates an awkward atmosphere that snakes through venues—as seen at The Fore Deck Bar at Tattershall Castle in Whitehall—and sometimes even spills out onto the street, disrupting the flow of the neighborhood.
The economic squeeze of rising rents and £3.50 pints
The inefficiency of queuing comes at a time when UK publicans are facing extreme financial pressure. The report highlights that small, independent businesses are struggling with the rising costs of ingredients linked to the conflict in Ukraine, alongside the stress of seeing their rents double. These compounding pressures leave little room for operational errors or slow service.
For businesses like Hackney Church Brew Co, speed of service is a vital survival mechanism. On busy Thursdays, when the brewery sells £3.50 pints, the venue can become packed. In these high-volume windows, the inability to serve customers quickly due to single-file lines directly impacts the bottom line, turning a potentially profitable rush into a logistical nightmare. When service slows, the financial consequences for small businesses are immediate.
A post-Covid social hangover among younger drinkers
There appears to be a significant shift in how people interact within the "Great British boozer," a change many attribute to the social distancing era . Glenn suggests that the habit of signle-file queuing is a "hangover from Covid" that has fundamentally altered the social fabric of the pub .
This trend seems to be driven largely by younger patrons who may be less familiar with traditional pub etiquette. Rather than engaging in the spontaneous conversations that once defined the British pub experience, many customers now remain in their "own world," often staring at their phones while waiting. Glenn notes that this "misplaced British attitude" toward queuing makes people hesitant to break a line once it has formed, as they feel compelled to join any queue they see.
Will Hamish Glenn's "no-queue" policy actually work?
Despite attempts to change behavior through signs, posters, and stands, the single-file habit remains stubbornly entrenched. Glenn has even considered the radical step of charging extra for those who insist on queuing, as the current system is "not doing anyone any favours."
Several questions remain regarding the future of bar service in the UK.. It is unclear if the trend is a permanent cultural shift or a temporary social scar from the pandemic. Furthermore, while the Wall Street Journal previously labeled this phenomenon a "mortal threat" to pub culture ,it remains to be seen if individual owners can successfully implement bans or if the "post office" style of service will become the new industry standard. Will the introduction of a "queue tax" or more aggressive signage finally break the habit, or is the social landscape of the British pub permmanently altered?
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