FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

{truncated sent.}, {informal} If you arrive first, you will be served first; people will be waited on in the order they come; the person who comes first will have his turn first. * /Get in line for your ice cream, boys. First come, first served./ * /The rule in the restaurant is first come, first served./ * /The team's owners announced that tickets for the World Series would be sold on a first come, first served basis only./ * /There are only a few seats left so it's first come, first served./ Compare: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM.