A bloke has shared how he “instantly left” a pub after being “told off” by the staff, and punters are backing his decision.
The man behind the @PubQueues Twitter account expressed his frustration with the persistent queuing culture in UK pubs. The traditional method of approaching the bar to order drinks is being replaced by single-file lines in some establishments, much to the annoyance of traditionalists who prefer a more bustling approach.
PubQueues, which campaigns to “end the recent phenomenon of queuing single file in pubs,” voiced their displeasure about an incident at Wetherspoons’ Imperial pub in Exeter. They tweeted: “Imperial, Exeter. Got told off for walking to the bar. Instantly left.”
Social media users commended the individual’s decision to walk out, with one commenting: “Quite right too.” Another declared: “Any pub expect me to queue, I will take my money elsewhere.”
A third person admitted they hadn’t yet faced a pub queue but would react similarly by leaving: “Luckily I have yet to encounter the dreaded pub queue, but I’d do exactly the same and walk out.” Some others related to the original post, sharing that skipping the queue had sparked anger from both other customers and pub staff.
Customers at a Glasgow Wetherspoon have expressed their outrage over an unorthodox queueing system with one irate pub-goer exclaiming: “I did the same in the Crystal Palace ‘spoons’ in Glasgow, walked past the queue – then, said queue comprising of once a year drinkers all kicked off.”
Confusion also arose over traditional pub etiquette as another bemused drinker pondered: “Wait, how else are you supposed to order? You go to the bar, that’s just what you do.”
However, not everyone was against this orderly approach; one local defended the system stating, “It’s been going on in there for about 20 years. It actually works quite well in that smaller bar, despite my dislike of the practice.”
Another patron reasoned that queueing might make sense in certain layouts: “Correct decision. If a pub had a narrow hatch then queueing might be appropriate.”
The new queuing method has left some purists stunned, fearing it could disrupt traditional pub culture, with one noting, “Wait, you can’t stand and drink at the bar?”
While debate swirls, some customers are circumventing the issue by utilising the Wetherspoons app, offering a simple solution: “Just use the app, let them come to you.”
Wetherspoons has been contacted for comment.