The Economics of Queues and Waiting
One Line or Many? Queue Design
A single line feeding multiple servers usually reduces average waiting and feels fairer than separate lines.
How a line is arranged changes the wait.
Separate lines
People pick a line, and a slow customer can hold up everyone behind.
Single line
Everyone waits in one line and moves to the next free server.
Benefit
This reduces variance and gives everyone the same expected wait.
Real examples
Banks and airports increasingly use one snaking queue.
A bank hall
A single queue with a token system replaced several counters with separate lines.
Assuming the fastest-looking line is always fastest
You may pick the slow one.
Key takeaways
- Single lines reduce variance.
- They feel fairer.
- They cut average waits.
- Many banks use them.
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