Are you looking for a way to tell someone that you should have priority because you got there first? You could use the phrase "first come, first serve". This post looks into the meaning and origin of this ubiquitous phrase.
Meaning
The common phrase "first come, first serve" was first used by shopkeepers as "first come, first served".
It meant, and continues to mean, that customers are served in chronological order; the person who arrived first, and has thus been waiting the longest, will receive service first.
The phrase first come, first serve has taken on a more versatile meaning over time, however, and you can also use first come, first serve to say that:
- The first person to lay claim to something deserves to have that thing. Therefore, if everything is gone, those who were left empty-handed should have arrived sooner.
- Arriving earlier increases your chances of getting what you want.
- Being somewhere longer, including in a job, means you are more deserving of new opportunities.
Example Usage
The common phrase "first come, first serve" can be used in a variety of ways. These examples illustrate them:
- "Sorry, I can't reserve those tickets for you. We have a first come, first serve policy here."
- "Oops, I ate all the cake. First come, first serve, right?"
- "We're a hot-desking company. Desks are first come, first serve."
- "If you want to get the good stuff, you've got to arrive early. First come, first serve!"
Origin
The origins of the common phrase "first come, first serve" are not entirely clear. It is known that shopkeepers placed signs indicating "first come, first served", "first come, first serve", or simply "FCFS" in shop windows as early as the nineteenth century.
It is not known when the (grammatically more correct) "first come, first served" — as in, "the first to come is the first to be served" — almost universally transformed into "first come, first serve", however.
The phrase has become ingrained in society over time, and when it comes to shopping, many now find it difficult to imagine any other model of service. They do exist, and include:
- Priority service, wherein high-priority customers are served first.
- Shortest job first (and we're sure you've come across customers who've asked to go first because they only have one item).
As the "first come, first serve" has become the most common, the phrase has acquired other meanings, too. These are related to the value of arriving somewhere early and the ability to take more of something because nobody else was there.
Phrases Similar to First Come, First Serve
Other ways of expressing the "first come, first serve" principle include:
- First come, first served (with a D at the end).
- FCFS (an abbreviation).
- First-come-first-serve.
Instead of using the phrase "first come, first serve" as a metaphor to express that getting somewhere early gets things done, or allows you to get all the good stuff, you can also use the idiom "the early bird catches the worm".
Phrases Opposite to First Come, First Serve
Contrasting phrases include:
- Making a reservation — instead of having to arrive first, you can reserve goods or a seat at a restaurant.
- Based on merit — instead of accepting applicants to a program on a "first come, first serve" basis, the program can choose candidates based on their qualifications.
What Is the Correct Saying?
"First come, first serve", "first come, first served", and the abbreviation "FCFS" are all variations of the phrase currently in use. The variation "first-come-first-serve", with hyphens, is typically (but not always) used as an adjective — "on a first-come-first-serve basis."
Ways People May Say First Come, First Serve Incorrectly
Sticklers would argue that the phrase "first come, first serve" is itself incorrect, insisting on "first come, first served" every time. "First come, first serve" isn't going anywhere, however.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase First Come, First Serve
You can use the phrase "first come, first serve" to indicate that those who arrived first will also be served first. You can also use it metaphorically, to show that getting somewhere early will give you access to more items, or to justify taking more than your "fair share" simply because you could.