First-come, first-served

From Freepedia

The phrase first come, first served (sometimes first-come, first-serve or simply FCFS) indicates the policy of a particular establishment to attend to the requests of customers or clients in the order that they arrived, without other biases or preferences. The phrase is commonly seen with regard to sales orders or in determining restaurant seating.

"Festival seating" (also known as "general seating" and "stadium seating") is seating done on a FCFS basis. See Riverfront Coliseum for details on a December 1979 disaster involving "festival seating" at a concert by The Who in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The practice is also becoming common among low cost airlines in Europe where seats cannot be reserved either in advance or at check-in. These airlines allow passengers to board in small groups based upon their order of check-in and sit in whatever seat on the aircraft they wish to. On the basis of first come first served, the earlier you check-in the earlier you board the aircraft to get the seat you want.