Zara is, without a doubt, one of the UK’s most popular high street stores – as proven by the lengthy queues that usually form inside its stores.
The Spanish retailer’s popularity always feels especially obvious here in Manchester too.
Most of us will know the pain of nipping into the Market Street shop to be faced with massive queues for the tills, the changing rooms, and for returns (and, after lockdown, to get into the building in the first place).
But there is a little trick that can save you time, and save your sanity.
Zara is a very popular shop, as its queues demonstrate. Credit: Zara
Way back in 2020, Zara quietly added a new feature to its app that makes shopping a lot more enjoyable – though based on the amount of people still queueing, not many know about it.
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You can actually use the app to book yourself a slot in a changing room, and even check how long the wait time is.
In the ‘Stores’ section of the app, you can find your nearest Zara, then click ‘Enter Store Mode’.
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The trick to skip Zara queues is genius. Credit: Tiktok @natalie_mcc
From here, you can book yourself a fitting room, seeing how long the estimated wait time is, then just march straight past the queues to try on your items.
That’s not all, either – you can also use the app to find the exact item you’re looking for in store.
It will show you what section of the shop your chosen fashion piece is located in.
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One TikTok user shared a stunned video revealing Zara’s queue-jumping trick.
In a video viewed 348k times, @natalie_mcc said: “There was a massive queue for the changing rooms – and I thought, ‘I can’t be bothered waiting in that’.
“And someone said you can book a time slot in the changing rooms, so I have gone onto the app, booked a slot – and then it will say it’s available now – and tell you when there’s a slot available.
“Now I only jumped a massive queue and walked straight into the changing rooms to try stuff on – if you’ve got the app, do that!”
One person commented on her video: “You’ve just changed my life.”
Another wrote: “Noooo don’t tell anyone, there won’t be any slots left!!”
Someone else said: “Yes! Used this for ages. You are guaranteed to encounter some death stares from the girls who think your jumping the queue.”
Featured image: Unsplash
Trending
Manchester firefighter surprises partner with proposal during new recruits parade
Danny Jones
We’re a sucker for a wholesome little video as we know you are, which is exactly why we thought of you lot when we came across this video of a newly graduated Manchester firefighter surprising his partner with a heartwarming proposal.
Just the kind of heartwarming that usually sets us off after a long week at work.
The clip shared by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Thursday, 25 April, shows Manc fireman James popping the question to his girlfriend sat unassumingly in the audience at a recent passing out ceremony.
Pass out ceremonies are when trainees go from recruits to fully qualified firefighters after completing their intensive operational training. It’s a long-standing tradition in the emergency services where friends and family gather to celebrate their achievements – it’s almost like it’s the perfect opportunity…
Watch as a Manc firefighter turns his passing out ceremony into a surprise proposal.
As you can see, since the graduates are usually the centre of attention, James couldn’t help but size his moment and instead of walking and lining up normally like everyone else, he decided to head straight over to his wife-to-be and get down on one knee.
You already know the rest.
Welling up immediately and barely able to remove her hands from her face, Melissa nods and says yes as the crowd cheers and the pair share a smooch.
Writing on social media, the GMFRS said: “We managed to capture a VERY special moment at our new recruits pass out parade today… Congratulations to James and Melissa!”, adding, “Certainly one way to start your new career”.
If we don’t see all the groomsmen dressed as firefighters on a random viral video sometime soon we’re going to be gutted.
All the best to the happy couple and if you’ve got any more lovely clips like this to send in so we can make ourselves cry (in a good way), you know what to do.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
Trending
The Chestergate pub in Stockport is at it again with some of the most wonderfully Manc scenes you’ll ever see
Danny Jones
The legendary Chestergate pub in Stockport is back with another belter of a video, following on from their viral belly-flashing clip of 2022.
The Mersey Square boozer has painted yet another quintessentially Northern depiction of UK pub culture with the latest Manc scenes they’ve captured around the karaoke machine.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of stumbling into The Chestergate in Stockport town centre, the long-standing boozer currently operated by publican chain Blind Tiger Inns, you’re seriously missing out.
While it might not be the flashiest of pubs, when it comes to entertainment, it always delivers.
Whether it’s stunts like renaming themselves ‘The Southgate’ whenever the Euros or World Cup rolls around, or the locals just genuinely having a whale of a time no matter what day of the week it is, it really sums up the best of pub culture.
The Chestergate went viral for some of the most British footage ever caught on film back in 2022 and the videos saw a huge wave of love and support flooding in for the pub, as well as a healthy amount of chuckles. Safe to say we were chuffed to see them pop back up on our feed again recently.
Karaoke night at The Chestergate literally never disappoints.
Forget ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ or ‘Champagne Supernova’ for karaoke songs – we’ll take a cacophony of inaudible throwback pop music, whilst another bloke and his hype man try and MC over a totally ill-fitting beat any day of the week.
And that’s handy because you’ll find those kinds of shenanigans happening at this place all the time.
It’s simultaneously one of the most no-nonsense and somehow a non-stop shenanigan-filled paradise. They also look after their own and consider their regulars part of the family. Case and point: they threw their very own ‘Dancing Queen’ Molly a big bash for her 86th birthday and it’s such wholesome viewing.
At this point, it’s worth flagging that we have nothing but envy for these folks and anyone who’s just out there having the time of their lives on any random weeknight.
Yes, it produced plenty of laughs for those watching online in recent times but this lot won’t mind one bit – not only is the pub seeing more and more new faces through the door but that’s the whole point of a pub, isn’t it? Going for a pint with your nearest and dearest and having a laugh.
Not only is it very Manchester but it’s Britain at its very best.
We hope to see you at The Chestergate pub in Stockport for a pint or two sometime soon and we’re making a bit of a prat of ourselves, don’t worry, we’re sure they’ll have the cameras ready for you.
Daisy Jackson -
29th July 2022 
