How New Yorkers have turned waiting in line into big business

NEW YORK – Have you ever wanted something in New York City so badly… maybe a dinner reservation or a new pair of sneakers… but you’re just not feeling like braving the elements and waiting in line for it?

Well, that’s where Robert Samuel and Same Ole Line Dudes come in.

The last time FOX 5 NY met with Samuel, he was saving a different kind of spot in line at COVID-19 testing sites.

But years later, the business lessons learned from the pandemic are still paying off. 

“We charge $50 for up to 2 hours waiting, and if you want delivery, that’s an extra $20-25 dollars, depending on what borough you’re in,” Samuel said.

After he was fired from his job in 2012, Samuel got the idea to wait in line for a newer iPhone coming out for some extra cash.

“By the end of the night when the store opened, I had $325, and I just held on to that idea and here we are 13 years later,” he recalled.

Now Samuel and his team have grown into a 35-worker-strong lineup on any given day, waiting for reservations, sales at high-end retail stores or even a bowl of fresh pasta.

And potential clients are taking note.

“If it’s open, and it’s not being handled, if you can do it then jump and take that leap of faith and see where it can take you,” shared Samuel.