You only have to witness queues at certain nightclubs, bars and restaurants to get my point. We hate queuing with a vengeance but are prepared to sacrifice the wait to get through the doors and be part of the "in" crowd.
Which brings me to the New Inn at Sowood. A definite "in" place for food at the moment, much to the amusement of manager Lee Matthews who says trade isn't just good at present, it's hectic.
The only problem Lee has is coping with the demand.
You realise just how busy the New Inn is when you hear that it employs 38 full and part-time staff. Most weekends getting a table is a bit of a struggle, and it's not unusual to see people queuing.
Mind you, there are worse places to stand around waiting because the hilltop pub has the most spectacular views of Elland and Halifax, with Ogden and Queensbury in the background.
I'd heard plenty about the pub from friends who are regulars but never got round to trying it until last Sunday. On the advice of those in the know I got there before the evening crowd at about 6.30pm and, as luck would have it, got a table in the window so I could marvel at the views when I wasn't people watching those on nearby tables.
The pub (which could do with a bit of a makeover) was virtually on its last legs when Jeb Adshead took it on a temporary tenancy some eight years ago. Jeb has been in the food and drink trade for the past 17 years and used to run Ruby's at Wyke for nine years before taking over The Sportsman's Inn at Greetland.
Lee started with Jeb as a cellarman and worked his way up before leaving to work for a brewery. The two kept in touch and are now business partners with Jeb running The Sportsman while Lee looks after The New Inn.
The pair brought in an experienced chef they had worked with before and say he helped turn trade round at The New Inn within six months. Snce then it has gone from strength to strength.
]Head chef is now 22-year-old Richard Nethercoat from Norland who is in charge of a kitchen team of 10. They make everything (apart from bread) themselves and with the help of Lee and Jeb change the blackboard menu every three months.
The choice is pretty varied. There are around 10 starters and puddings with the emphasis on mains. There are 15 different main courses to choose from and certain ones such as shortcrust meat and potato pie, lamb Henry, smothered in a minted gravy and giant battered haddock, always remain. The pub goes through five stones of haddock a week, which is some going.
Three of us ate the evening we visited and shared mixed bruschetta and breaded brie wedges with a summer fruit compote for starters. Composition was faultless.
This was followed by lamb Henry, and a slow-roasted belly pork stuffed with black pudding and served on a bed of apple mash drizzled with sage gravy, accompanied with fresh market vegetables. Both were well presented and, according to my two friends, couldn't be faulted on the taste front.
I went for sticky duck breast (served pink) on a bed of roasted root vegetables drizzled with pan juices which sounds divine and was, apart from one very important factor. The duck was overcooked and there wasn't a pink bit to be found, which, considering the colour was mentioned in the description on the blackboard, is not good.
But I got plenty of duck and while I prefer my meat pink, it was still tasty. The root vegetables and juices proved to be its saviour.
I didn't complain because by now the pub was, just as Lee said, hectic, and the staff were rushed off their feet. We had to wait an age for the one pudding we ordered so we didn't bother with coffee.
And there were people standing waiting for our table, which can be a bit off-putting, especially if you fancy relaxing after a meal.
The pub has a good buzz and the food is as good as you would expect at a decent restaurant. A lot of thought has gone into the menu and I like the fact you can get a smaller version of some of the main courses if you are not that hungry. A three-course meal, without drink, will cost you in the region of £22.
Lee, who lives on the premises with his three cats, says 80-per-cent of his business is repeat custom and one couple from Bolton eat there once a week. He says people return because his team stick to what they are good at.
Our bill for three, with a couple of drinks, came to £60. You can book, but only for groups of six or more, otherwise you take your chance. I'd say the wait is definitely worth it.

Ratings
Name: The New Inn

Address: Forest Hill Road, Sowood, Halifax, HX4 9LB

Phone: 01422 310937

Food 4/5
Atmosphere 4/5
Service 3/5
Value 4/5