Is it cutting in line when...

[ekerr19]

you go around someone in the Lido to grab the one item you need?

I saw this on the Celebrity board when I was looking for info on my parents Mercury cruise - thought it was interesting!

Do you think it is considered rude behavior in the Lido line when a person (or two) is holding up the line trying to decide on say, which kind of juice or appetizer they want - you just need one thing on the other side of them - there is empty space in front of them, and you just go around and get what you need?

I have to say - I've never done it, but I HAVE been tempted! Some people seem to take forever to make up their minds on their Lido selections - DH & I are pretty decisive.

There have been times when it seems our food will get cold waiting for others, but we always do. What do you do?

[Orcrone]

ekerr,

you post some interesting questions. Don't know if I want to go first. Anyhow, I would not 'nudge in' to get my one thing, I would wait on line. But if there was space open in front of people trying to make a decision I would do that for some things; those that are prepackaged like a box of cereal or carton of juice, where I could snatch and run. However, I wouldn't do it for something that needed to be taken from a serving dish, such as eggs or bacon. Don't know why this makes a difference, just the way I am.

Of course if they took too long I would just hip-check them into the railing and suggest they eat in the DR.:D

[ekerr19]

ekerr,

you post some interesting questions.

I have too much time to ponder the miniscule & trivial... :)

Of course if they took too long I would just hip-check them into the railing and suggest they eat in the DR.:D

Ah, a man after my DH's heart! :D

[taszmom]

If someone is undecided and surveying the food items and there is a big open space in front, I do jump in. Makes the whole line move faster.

[Bill S]

If there is a space ahead of the person who is waiting to be served or to make a selection, I would move ahead, but only to obtain an item that did not require a server or assistance, such as a milk carton, apple, banana, muffin, etc. As long as it did not inconvenience anyone else in line, I would hope that such act is ok.

[taszmom]

Another buffet etiquette question...if you are standing in line waiting to be served/get food and someone comes up to you and asks if they can have a peek at the food where you are standing...does that bother you?

[ekerr19]

The lady on the Celebrity board said she got all kinds of rude comments and nasty looks when she cut in line...

Would you say something to someone if they cut in front of you? We have had that happen to us - once I did say something and the guy was pretty PO'd... :( He was getting only hot food and thought he could just jump in right before the hot food was served - I thought it was pretty nervy.

[Jett456]

No. When I am on vacation I am a nicer person. I really try not to let things like that bother me. Now the other day in the supermarket.................

[Roboat]

Yeah, this is somewhat subjective. In general, I'd pretty much do what Orcrone does. I like the hip check!

Kinda like a salad bar. I bypass folks who appear to be decorating their plates with four perfectly matched cherry tomatoes positioned among a tasteful array of identical pieces of shredded cheese. Actually, I don't go around them - I step over them after delivering several sharp head-raps with the pepper mill. But that's just me.

Like Orcrone, I wouldn't nudge into line ahead of someone. If I am waiting for a dish to be plated, I would expect others to go around me. I guess if I thought I would delay anyone, I wouldn't cut in. If all I needed was a pat of butter...WHAT am I saying?!! If all I needed was a handful of butter, I'd ask if it was OK to reach in a grab it. (And I'd wait for permission.)

I THINK folks don't mind as long as you're truly not holding them up.

[peaches from georgia]

I think it is perfectly fine and actually helping the smooth flow of the Lido line if you do go around someone who is not moving along. If they are waiting for food to be served them and it is not ready- such as made-to-order eggs- it is not only proper but essential that people do go around them and not have the whole line back up. Now if they are just having their plate filled and it is obvious they will be moving along in a second, of course I wouldn't go around them.

Face it- we all know the difference and when we should go around someone and when we would be rude to do so. :)

[ekerr19]

Another buffet etiquette question...if you are standing in line waiting to be served/get food and someone comes up to you and asks if they can have a peek at the food where you are standing...does that bother you?

I don't mind them having a peep to see what's good... or even reaching in for a yogurt or some butter - milk for the kids, etc.

[Spot]

If I'm not literally butting into line but merely stepping into what is an obvious hole, yes I would probably do it in a pinch.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I think I'm safe here;) And I'm whispering just in case. EKerr, I have to say I have done this ... if someone is standing and waiting for their food and there's a large space beyond them and I just want a quick danish, muffin or something, I just run around them, get it and go on my way. No one has ever appeared appalled at my rudeness:D .

The thing is, they still get to move on through because I'm long gone. I would never sneak around them and then hold them up. Of course, one could always just politely ask, "do you mind if just scoot around you to get a danish?" and handle it that way.

Heather

[RevNeal]

I'm reminded of the lady who marched right up, plopped her tray down on the rails in front of me, and said "I'm here." I was just getting my plate of eggs and bacon and there were, maybe, four tray-lengths between me and the man ahead of me. No one was behind me.

Once I had the plate, and while she was placing her order with the chef, I proceeded to go around her and on toward the next items in the line. It was then that she decided to shout "HEY, big fella, don't you cut in line in front of me!"

I'm sorry to say, but the language I used cannot be repeated in polite company ... oh ... wait a second ... yes ... Mom just reminded me that I called that woman a particularly juicy name in Ancient Akkadian ;) :D

[ekerr19]

Here are a few highlights from the Celebrity board: (oh, by the way, our very own Vicar - right in the thick of the thread :D )

1. You weren't moving - I thought you were an ice sculpture!

2. I am in the passing lane!!!!

3. I may be cutting in the lunch line, but you are cutting into my lunch time!

4. Are you ordering or just waiting to see what the rest of us are having for breakfast?

[jhannah]

Greg, you devil! ;)
I always go around. In fact, the Vista ships are built with stations so you can do this very thing ... head for what you want without having to wait on everyone else. If someone is dawdling and I just need to grab something up ahead, I make a beeline for it. This, IMO, is not cutting in line when there is open space and you're not just barging your way between two other people.

[merryecho]

I try to err on the side of politeness when deciding whether or not the person in front of me has actually expired, serving fork in hand, and may be overtaken. But something should be said about the equally rude behavior of line dawdlers- you know, the ones who can take 5 minutes selecting a strip of bacon. And yes, I do get annoyed when someone wants to peer over my shoulder at the food. It reminds me of people who read over my shoulder, which at one time our parents taught us was poor manners.

[RevNeal]

And yes, I do get annoyed when someone wants to peer over my shoulder at the food. It reminds me of people who read over my shoulder, which at one time our parents taught us was poor manners.

Ooops, I'm guilty of doing that. I don't get close to those in line, but I DO like to see what's available before I join the line. And, YES, I know they post what's on the buffet near the head of the line ... but that's not the same as seeing it. :)

[RuthC]

It would seem the question to ask oneself is: if I go around and grab...will I be interfering with another person?
If I enter an empty space, get what I need, and leave, and anyone I passed would still have their relative place in line then there shouldn't be a problem. It's not like we're playing leap-frog!

Speaking of---frogs legs sounds good for a change.

[HeatherInFlorida]

4. Are you ordering or just waiting to see what the rest of us are having for breakfast?
LOL...........this one is THE best!!:D

[RevNeal]

Speaking of---frogs legs sounds good for a change.

They taste like chicken! Yum Yum! My dog, Dorcas, LOVES frogs ... legs and all!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Well Since I live in the "Land of Buffets" and frequent them sometimes 2 times per week (this past weekend was 3 times:o ) I think it is a must to pass people if there is a gap in front of them and they look to be a while. I would never just push my way in if there was no gap (many do here in Vegas) It is not like we are in a race or we are waiting in line at the DMV.

[larry_s_taco]

I think if for some reason that I'm holding up a line of people in back of me I would expect them to bypass me if there were space on the other side. I in fact usually tell them to go ahead. By the same means if I see someone is held up for whatever reason with a space on the other side of them I bypass them. I think it is only courteous to the rest of the people behind me.
Larry

[sail7seas]

I don't mind them having a peep to see what's good... or even reaching in for a yogurt or some butter - milk for the kids, etc.

I HATE that....when someone reaches across my tray of food to take something from the buffet line. I cannot stand for someone to lean over a plate of food I am going to be eating. It seems so unsanitary to me and I would discard that plate of food and start all over again.....Yuk, it makes me sick thinking about it. All I can imagine is them dropping sweat onto my food; a hair; and if they happened to cough-------well, fill in the blank on that one. :(

[jhannah]

All I can imagine is them dropping sweat onto my food; a hair-------How would you know if it were theirs or the sous chef's??? :eek:

[sail7seas]

What I don't see, I can't worry about. When I see someone lean over my plate......it turns my stomach.

[dakrewser]

Anyone tries to get between me and my food, their going to find out one of the many uses of a fork, a word I also use in it's imperative form when discussing the offender, reminiscent of the language of my anglo-saxon forebears...

:rolleyes: -dave

[Tinknock50]

When I traveled with my elderly mother, I used to invite people to go around us because I generally had to fill 2 plates. (I even did this on stairs when I thought we were holding people up.)

I also follow the rule of "sufficient space" to go around people.

[Sailure]

A couple of times this has happened where someone in front of me was holding up the line waiting for something and all I needed was a roll or something and I just asked if they'd mind if I just grabbed a roll and got out of the way. Never got a nasty look or got any idea from the person that I was rude. I DID ask and I was granted permission and I thanked the person.

[RaffinOrganGrinders]

Just click your 'ruby slippers together' and repeat after me.

. . I never did mind the little things:rolleyes:. .

Or was that the "point of no return" ?

Anyway, just go around with a smile on your face and a sense of determination knowing they will eventually make up their minds on the food line of life.:p

[ekerr19]

What I don't see, I can't worry about. When I see someone lean over my plate......it turns my stomach.
Sail-

I should have clarified - if/when they ask to grab something, DH & I move back a foot or two - or even step out of the line, if need be - by NO means will I allow someone to reach over MY tray... I can spell NORWALK.... :D I can also spell HAIR in my food (yuk!!!) :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

There have been a couple of times when one of us has forgotten the butter, margarine, or milk, we approach the area and then politely ask the person there to hand us a couple of butters or whatever. And we thank them afterwards.

Never do we hand over their tray of food to get something that we have forgotten.

[trubey]

One thing that living outside the US has taught me is patience.

Our end of the island is essentially one large volcano, and the rivulets that the lava formed make for a VERY curvy road: 17 curves between me and the cafe, 33 to the little grocery store. The road is narrow and there are often -- usually, in fact -- horse carts, tractors, wagons full of silage or grass or corn, donkey carts, bicycles, and pedestrians in the road, just before a blind curve which is just before the NEXT blind curve, around which is maybe coming a bus.

Hey, it's only a sandwich! Hang in there!

Lane http://smileys.******************/cat/4/4_6_109v.gif (http://www.******************/?partner=ZSzeb001)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Forgot the other part - if there is a big gap between the person in front of us in the Lido line and the person in front of them - then we ask the person in front of us if they minded that we go around them.