Social Security

I needed to go into the social security office to get a replacement card. Although my efforts were thwarted by what would have been a two hour wait on Friday, I had to try again. This time I had a plan, get there before they open and beat the crowd. So I was the third in line and expecting to be in and out. But those two people ahead of me took about 25 minutes. When it was finally my turn, I gave here my application and the passport, she typed in the information, printed a reciept and was on my way. My question: why did the first to people take so long to do this seeming simple task?