In New York City, lengthy queues outside popular eateries and shops have become a social media-driven phenomenon, with some embracing the wait as an attraction in itself.

In front of L’industrie Pizzeria, as at many other New York restaurants and shops, customers queue up behind barriers – in this case, all to grab a prized pizza slice. Not everyone in America’s biggest city finds standing in line to be a chore. The power of social media trends means that for some, waiting for hours is an attraction in itself. “It’s gotten pretty crazy in the city recently,” said food influencer Ali Chilton, who has 168,000 followers on Instagram. “Some would blame me for the...