What's Up With Double Waiting?

Shake Shack's buzzer = double waiting

By James Mulcahy

We think there's one thing that every food-obsessed New Yorker can agree on - waiting in line stinks (and be sure to avoid those long lines in the summer unless you want heat stroke with your grub). But, it's just part of the game, right? True - but what's annoyed us about the food scene lately is a situation where you have to wait in a long line, only to find out that you have to wait again.

Example: when you finally get to the front of that epic queue at Shake Shack, only to be handed that buzzer and shuttled off to wait another 25 minutes. This is also a common problem at walk around summer tastings or festivals, when you have to wait in line to buy tickets for the food, and then wait in line again to actually get the food. No reservations restaurants are also a culprit, as we've recently gotten the call that our table is ready, only to show up at the restaurant and be shepherded to the bar where we're told to wait for a drink.

It all reminds us of the Seinfeld episode where George goes to the doctor and, after waiting in the waiting room, is ushered to the other little room to wait. At least in this case there is food at the other end of the double wait.