Queues and the leisure experience: The consequences of waiting for leisure

Abstract

Waiting in queue seems an inevitable part of many leisure experiences. Larson (1987) suggests waiting, and especially waiting in queue, is often viewed as a negative experience. The purpose of this experiment was to explore participants’ reactions to waiting in line for a leisure event, and was concerned primarily with discovering how the unpleasant aspects of a queue might be reduced. Participants were placed in a hypothetical queue prior to a leisure event (a concert). Various scenarios focused selected staff interventions designed to minimize the drudgery of the queue. These interventions were concerned with (a) explanations for the delay, (b) engagement/entertainment while in queue, and (c) the provision of compensation (free pizza). Study participants disliked the queuing experience offered in this simulation. Though mood levels were uniformly positive prior to arriving at the event, they declined once the hypothetical queue experience began. Participants who received compensation, expressed greater satisfaction with both the wait and the actions of staff during the wait, however, all the participants seemed dissatisfied with both the wait and the service provider.