Before business school, I stopped by the McDonald's in O'hare airport many monday mornings. It was generally a "he that shouts loudest" gets his order taken and I often likened it to standing in a commodities trading pit. There were lines, but they were only for guidance. Interestingly, this came to mind while reading chapter 12 of Dixit & Skeath.
Specifically, the "norms" that society imposes. The norms at this McDonald's were definitely different than most. At most McDonald's, it's stand in line to be served. However, the O'Hare McDonald's was quite different. The norm for business travelers (and for the workers) were to step up to an open register or shout to an order taker when they appeared free. They'd happily take your order, give you a number and one would shuffle over to the side to wait.
However, those travelers unfamiliar with this process and norm often caused confusion and delay in the system. Those unaware would apply the norms of most McDonald's to this situation. Often, that would mean others "cutting" in line in front of them and/or general angst amongst the others in the line. Their perception of the norm was inaccurate and when the "cutting" did occur, they at times would take offense. While this reaction would be the "norm" in other locations, it was not for this McDonald's. Thus, in this one small location, the norm differed signficantly from the norm of society as a whole. I'm reminded of how different norms across different cultures can influence behavior, but it's interesting that such a particular situation can have such a different norm.
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