Deep dive into local queue culture

The long queue for food is not a new sight in Malaysia. — Filepic

Food crazes often spark long waiting lines but one can always opt to wait for craze to fade

WHEN it comes to food, there are some people who are willing to wait in long queues even if it is under the scorching morning sun.

At least, that is what I learnt in the past couple of weeks at Jalan PUJ 3/2 in Taman Puncak Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, when people waited patiently for nasi lemak at a hawker stall.

The humble “Akka Kadai Nasi Lemak” stall that has been around for over a decade became an overnight sensation after a video uploaded by a customer went viral on social media.

Malaysians are known for their love of good food, but what surprised me was the tenacity of some who queued for hours only for the common nasi lemak, food that is easily available during breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper.

I cannot fathom how some people are willing to queue up, even up to 11 hours.

Looking back at some of the times Malaysians have formed long queues, food definitely makes it into the list.

Remember the long queues for bubble tea a few years ago when it was first introduced at a trendy bakery in Petaling Jaya when it first opened in 2020?

The maximum time I will wait in a queue for food is about 30 minutes.

More often than not, I always walk away if there is a long queue, like I did at the Ramadan bazaar in Precinct 3, Putrajaya, in March.

I was there in the first week of Ramadan and the queue at the popular Nasi Briyani Lamb Shank stall was over 100m at 4pm.

A long queue often means good food. That long queue did entice me to wait it out but as much as I wanted to try the food, I gave decided to give it a pass.

There were so many other food choices around without a queue. It was the sensible thing to do because I did not want to waste my time. I know that not everyone will agree with me.

I went to the bazaar again sometime close to the end of Ramadan, and the queue was much shorter, with only about 20 people ahead.

So, I managed to get the briyani in about five minutes.

If one does not mind the waiting time, by all means wait, but if the food runs out, do not get disheartened because that is the risk.

Like in any long queue, there are bound to be cases of queue cutters and disgruntled customers causing a commotion. We cannot expect much from a group of hungry people, can we?

I am not going to open that can of worms but instead, look at what drives the people who choose to wait in line for the nasi lemak.

Perhaps, they just wanted to join the trend and taste the nasi lemak that had become the talk of the town.

Maybe they wanted to share the limelight and thought creating content on the trending nasi lemak would garner many views and boost their social media clicks.

Or they genuinely wanted to try the nasi lemak. It was the holiday season after all and many had much time on their hands.

I read many comments about the matter on social media.

Many who waited said they had no regrets as the food was good, but they would not do it again.

However, food crazes often fizzle out with time. Once people have had a taste of it, the demand will slowly drop.

When it comes to food, impatient customers should choose to wait a while for the craze to fade.

Apart from food, Malaysians also queue up for other matters.

Parents are willing to queue up overnight to ensure their children can be registered at their preferred school.

With limited number of spots in every school, I can understand the desperation to be among the first in line.

I can also understand the effort made by those who want to get their hands on limited-edition items like electronics and postage stamps, among others.

Most will be collectors and these are items sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

Having said that, everyone is entitled to their own choices and as long as it is done respectfully without harming others, there should not be a problem.

Just learn queueing etiquette and know your boundaries.