>Retailers no longer have the power to make customers wait. Consumers have too many other buying options.

And yet Apple had a line 12+ hours before opening to release their 9th generation iPhone -- despite also taking orders online.

Hopdoddy in Austin has a line out the door for lunch and dinner; they even have a person dedicated to managing it, along with waitstaff to take drink orders

I think the line is alive and well in America for certain establishments.