first come, first served

Cultural  

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

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first come, first served Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

Indoor seating is reserved at $25 a head, while the outdoor courtyard is first come, first served.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

A last-minute sales phase will take place closer to the tournament, during which fans will be able to purchase any remaining inventory on a first come, first served basis.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2025

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.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2025

And the overhead bins are first come, first served.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2024

Skeezie: Has that bozo who took our order never heard of first come, first served?

From "The Misfits" by James Howe