Line-sitting business grows as social media fuels demand for restaurant wait services
9 reported
According to a report by Eater, the practice of being paid to wait in line for others, known as line sitting, line waiting, or line standing, has seen increased public interest, driven largely by social media platforms like TikTok. Professional line waiter Robert Samuel, who runs the New York City-based business Same Ole Line Dudes, stated that social media has made the job more visible and attracted more people to the field. Samuel’s business, which he started nearly 15 years ago after noticing demand for the iPhone, now employs about 35 line waiters on average. The service charges $25 per hour with a two-hour minimum, plus additional fees for rush jobs, holidays, inclement weather, or overnight waits. On the freelance platform TaskRabbit, the national rate for line sitters ranges from $28 to $90 per hour, with over 4,900 line-sitting taskers listed in New York City alone. The article notes that some restaurants have resisted line sitters, though it does not name specific establishments. Samuel said that while delivery platforms have reduced some demand, business continues to pick up due to new viral food trends.
What’s reported
Line sitting involves being paid to wait in line for someone else’s Broadway tickets, sample sale access, or restaurant tables.
Robert Samuel established Same Ole Line Dudes after noticing line-spawning demand for the iPhone.
The business currently has about 35 line waiters on average that take requests throughout New York City.
Same Ole Line Dudes charges $25 per hour with a two-hour minimum, plus rush fees of $15 to $25, holiday rates, and inclement weather fees.
On TaskRabbit, the national rate for line sitters is between $28 and $90 per hour.
New York City has over 4,900 line-sitting taskers on TaskRabbit; other major cities have a couple hundred each.
Top restaurant requests for Same Ole Line Dudes include Via Carota, Lucali, and Emilio’s Ballato.
A Lucali staff member told Eater they experience a steady mixture of Same Ole Line Dudes and line sitters from Craigslist or TaskRabbit.
Samuel said an unnamed in-demand steakhouse in the West Village has been giving his business pushback.
Key figures
Robert Samuel: full-time, professional NYC line waiter and founder of Same Ole Line Dudes.
Korem A.: Los Angeles-based line sitter on TaskRabbit who has completed over 84 line waiting tasks.
Ahmed H.: TaskRabbit line sitter in San Francisco who has completed one line-waiting task.
Sources: eater.com
