Cutting is an art

If you're in line for something in China you need to keep a watch of your place in line like a bloodhound. This is true even in trivial places such as McDonalds or KFC.

You could be in line and looking briefly at the menu to decide what you want to eat. Before you looked at the menu you had 3 people in front of you. After deciding on spicy chicken wings you look in front and see 6 people. What happened? Did they clone themselves?

Many a first time tourists have wondered the same thing.

The slightest hesitation by you when the line moves forward (even if it's not getting shorter, it's getting pushed forward) will cause somebody next to you to assume that you're not waiting in line. They won't ask you or motion, they'll just get in line in front of you with or without you noticing. They'll leave it up to you to say something if you're not ok with it.

Sometimes as soon as they are near the front they will push their money to the employee and start ordering verbally. They do this faster than you can say "excuse me" to get them to notice they just cut in line. If you say something, chances are they'll pretend not to hear you (or maybe they really can't).

To get them out of cutting position you have to cut in front of them physically. Just walk around them and get back in your place in line or use your whole arm to push them backwards gently. There's no need to say anything or give eye contact because it's just not expected. Think of it like "what would a farm cow do?"

I don't get the impression that these people are trying to be rude. That's just how line waiting is done in a competitive world. They'll take every advantage they can get. And as you can recall from my one airline check in wait story a week ago, cutting in front of even 1 person in line has the potential to save you a remarkable amount of time.