Spontaneous Order, Lunchtime Edition

At a recent conference the organizers set up the food tables in a hallway. The layout was the familiar one: a long set of tables with access from both sides. The hallway was wide enough that two people could pass one another in opposite directions on each side, though not without attention to the act.

Initially people approached the table from both sides and engaged in the common behavior: scan what’s available, then pick, and wander off to find a place to eat. With narrow passage on each side this was awkward.

In very short order everyone fell into a single line that circled around the table. Most people walked the length of one side scanning, and then picked coming down the other side. The line moved very quickly.

This spontaneous order emerged naturally in response to the constraints. I asked the organizers if they did this intentionally, and they did not. But they were delighted, and one of them took video of the same order when it emerged on the second day.

This configuration worked far better than the typical setup with lines on both sides of the table, and people in line trying to scan the options at the same time as they pick. I hope more conferences try it.