first come, first served

1. Those who are first to arrive will be the first to be waited on.

Idioms and Phrases

Those who precede others will have their needs attended to earliest, as in So many people showed up that we may not have enough food to go around, so let it be “first come, first served.” The idea is very old, but the first recorded use of this precise phrase was in 1545. Also see early bird catches the worm.

Example Sentences

A game will cost you $25 and is first come, first served.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"More than three quarters of football ticket scams last season started on social media, with what seem like genuine 'first come, first served' offers all too often designed to rip off desperate fans."

Read more on BBC

The £650m of grant money will be awarded on a first come first served basis.

Read more on BBC

I chose these spots, in part, because you don’t have to drive too far, they’re all first come, first served, the roads to reach them are paved and trails to reach each site are generally well-maintained.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The airline announced last summer that it would do away with its open seating policy, a decades-long practice that allowed customers to select seats on a first come, first served basis.

Read more on Los Angeles Times