How to Deal with Line-Butters

The Tricks

There are three common tricks that line-butters use to cut the line:

1. The “I’m With Them” Trick: This basically involves waiting until a group of people buys tickets for something, then running up to the window after they’ve started walking away and saying you’re with them. Most people in line, and the ticket-taker, know this is probably untrue, but it has enough plausibility to make them go along with it. After all, no one wants to be the reason why some guy misses the train to go on a weekend trip with his family.

2. The Five-Minute Friend Trick: This is even more insidious and ballsy. The line-butter-to-be finds his mark (likely someone who appears too demure to call him or her out) and strikes up a conversation with the mark, either by asking a question or making a bit of small talk. After the question is answered and the conversation ends, the line-butter continues standing right behind you, having successfully given the impression to the people behind that they know you.

3. The “Save My Relationship!” Trick: This rarely used approach requires a partner. Two people who feasibly look as though they could be a couple go to the front of the line and start arguing loudly. The girl begins to cry, saying that they should’ve bought tickets earlier, and threatening to break up with the male half of the couple. The guy then turns to a sympathetic looking line-stander near the front and says, “Can you please help me out?” (Ok, so this only happened once in a movie, but who knows, you might run into it.)

How to Deal

Just because you’re a clueless foreigner doesn’t mean you have to take this guff! Here are the best responses to line-jumpers, depending on your mood and the egregiousness of his or her offense:

1. The Polite Prod:

2. The Annoyed Snap:

3. The Rude Outburst:

Or

The Exceptions

I’ll admit that our other editor, Beijing, (who is much nicer than any of the rest of us) said that she’ll make allowances for older folks or people who allow just one friend to jump in next to them.

“If it’s a group I’ll get angry, but if it’s just one person, then it’s ok because I’ve done the same,” she says. “But if the group is too big I’ll definitely say, ‘Go to the back!’”