I waitressed at a family restaurant in a blue collar area. I’d ask parents of small children if they wanted the kids meals to come out first. Most of the time, I didn’t put a lot of thought into the order I served the food, but if it was obvious who was paying, I’d served them first. We didn’t usually have large parties, so I tended to remember who ordered what.

At nicer restaurants, your seat is labeled on the kitchen’s ticket and the server or food runner knows which seat is getting which meal. Otherwise the food is “auctioned” off at the table (where the employee holds the dish and announces what the meal is, and someone at the table says “that’s mine!”). In my personal experience I always dropped off the plate that was hardest to hold—either heavy, hot, or awkwardly shaped.

More context. At a table? Maybe known guest of honor first, other times heaviest/hottest plate first, last picked up first, or might be first picked up depending on how plates are being held. No one is taking time to do it by race, in case you were wondering that.

Do waiters knowingly pass out food in a certain order? Just wondering!