Utterly bizarre, yes. I think the psychological term for this is "social proof", and it applies to all sorts of weird things. For instance -- a person who is getting lots of flirty attention in public will tend to appear more attractive to others. Not because they are, but because seeing them get attention is social proof that they're worthy of attention.
Once I became an old fart, I started seeing these lines as a sign to move on. The question in my mind (at any age) was always "is the place worth waiting in line for?" But these days, I already know from years of experience that the answer is very likely "no".
Skipping the line has improved my nights out, though, because in looking for an alternative, I frequently find hidden gems and can enjoy them before the rest of the city discovers them.
This has been a process for me. I still occasionally succumb to the silliness, but for the most part when I see a line, my reaction is, "meh, I'm hungry/thirsty now; let's go somewhere else". One thing that's telling is that some of the places I already know I really enjoy rarely have lines or are completely busy.
And absolutely agree that you often find hidden gems that way. A lack of a line will often just mean the business is too inexperienced or honest to use some of the psychological manipulation practices the GP talks about.
Once I became an old fart, I started seeing these lines as a sign to move on. The question in my mind (at any age) was always "is the place worth waiting in line for?" But these days, I already know from years of experience that the answer is very likely "no".
Skipping the line has improved my nights out, though, because in looking for an alternative, I frequently find hidden gems and can enjoy them before the rest of the city discovers them.