first come, first served

idiom

variants or first come, first serve

—used to say that the people who arrive earliest get served or treated before the people who arrive later

The campsites are first come, first served, so we'd better get there early.

The campsites are assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis.

"Aren't there any cookies left?" "Sorry—first come, first served."

Examples of first come, first served in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The event is first come, first served and cash only. —

Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 9 Sep. 2024 The cottages are first come, first serve, so book well in advance. —

Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 Although the pool is small and securing a couple lounge chairs can take time (first come, first served), this is Park City summer at its very best. —

Rob Reed, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 The National Park Service will distribute passes on a first come, first serve basis outside the White House Visitor Center (1450 Pennsylvania Ave., NW) on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 8:30am. —

Anna Spiegel, Axios, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for first come, first served

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“First come, first served.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20come%2C%20first%20served. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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