The Waiting Game

"The Waiting Game" is the fortieth episode of the first season of The Loud House.

Plot
Lori gets a job at a pizza arcade, thanks to Lincoln, but when he begins using her for free favors in order to get invitations to a popular kid's party, Lori ends up getting in hot water.

Synopsis
It's lunchtime at school, and Lincoln and Clyde are excited, up to the point where even Clyde's palms are sweating, as his sandwich, fork, and milk all slip from his hands, and land on him. Lincoln explains that his classmate, Chandler, is giving invitations to his birthday. Lincoln says it is at a sewage plant where his father works there and he says it gonna be epic. Clyde says that it process 500 tons of human waste a day, Lincoln say there a secret room for mutant animals they find, Clyde points out that if your exposed to the waste, their nose hairs will burn due to the stench. Lincoln is still excited, the lights turned off and two kids (the same ones from "Save the Date") have invitations and students were gathered up. Chandler appears and uses a plunger and give invites to most of his classmates.

He has two invites left and the duo were really excited, as Chandler is about to give the invites away, only to two other kids, much to Lincoln and Clyde's dismay. At an arcade named "Gus' Games and Grub", Lincoln (at an arcade machine) and Clyde (who is at a dancing machine) expresses their anger at Chandler for not invited them. Lori, in her work uniform, greets her brother and Clyde who, once again, faints (and nosebleeds) upon seeing her. Lori walks up to Lincoln and thanks him for referring this job to her. Much to her joy, she has finally earned enough money to buy her a new dress for her school dance. She says the theme is "Romance Under the Sea", and she and Bobby are the King and Queen. Lori's boss makes her to return to work and she leaves, though not before giving Lincoln free tokens, much to his glee. Clyde regains consciousness and Lincoln tells him about the tokens and Clyde faints again.

Later, the two are still playing video games, and Clyde saves his tickets to buy Lori a pig bobbled head. Lincoln asks if he's okay with Lori working here, but Clyde doesn't care. Lori gives pizza and root beer to the duo, as a way to say thanks to Lincoln for giving her this job. Chandler arrives, and upon seeing Lincoln got free pizza, due to Lori working here, he wants it, and Lincoln takes Clyde's slice, much to his chagrin. Lincoln explains that if he gives free stuff to Chandler, he will probably invite them to his party, which Clyde agrees to. The next day, Chandler shows up, and requests more and more favors for himself and his friends from Lincoln and Clyde, which they make Lori help them fulfill, much to her distress, as it keeps getting her in hot water with her boss. After doing many favors, they finally get their invitations, much to their delight.

That night, Lincoln (wearing a tuxedo) is getting ready for Chandler's party. He sees a sad Lori, who is in her work uniform walking down the stairs as she reveals that her boss is forcing her to work overtime, because of all the free stuff she gave to Lincoln to give to Chandler, and that she's gonna miss the dance. Feeling sorry for his eldest sister, Lincoln decides to cover for her, and not go to Chandler's party. While doing so, Lori comes in wearing her dance dress, and thanks Lincoln for covering for her. She consoles Lincoln for not going to Chandler's party, but Lincoln says Chandler was never friends with him; he was using Lincoln, just like Lincoln was using Lori earlier. He tells her to have a good time and the two hug each other before Bobby, by accident, crashes his car upon arrival, much to Lincoln and Lori's concern and happiness, respectively.

Later, at the restaurant, Lincoln is still working at the counter, when Clyde arrives, revealing that he didn't go to Chandler's party because he wouldn't want to go somewhere without his best friend. Lincoln laments that they never got exposed to raw sewage. The boss tells Lincoln to grab a mop and clean a toilet filled with sewage, and much to the boys' excitement, they get exposed.

Cast
Darren, Miguel, Mollie, Girl Jordan, Boy Jordan, Kyle, Kat, and Lincoln's Classmates have no lines in this episode.
 * Grant Palmer as Lincoln
 * Catherine Taber as Lori
 * Caleel Harris as Clyde
 * Daniel DiVenere as Chandler
 * Fred Tatasciore as Manager / Game Announcer

Trivia

 * Howard and Harold are mentioned in this episode, as they make Clyde wear a hazmat suit to Chandler's party.
 * The pizza arcade's name, "Gus' Games and Grub", was revealed before the episode aired in the official bio for Ronnie Anne, which references an arcade with said name.
 * Like "Save the Date", Lori is the only Loud sister to appear in this episode.
 * Also, this is the third time Lori isn't wearing her regular clothes for the whole story. The first was "Linc or Swim", the second was "Save the Date", and the fourth was "Party Down". She wore two different outfits in this episode.
 * This is the last episode from Season 1 where Leni and Lucy are absent.
 * Much like "Lincoln Loud: Girl Guru", some of the kids at school that are mentioned by Chandler are named after The Loud House staff, such as Kyle (Kyle Marshall), Darin (Darin McGowan), Boy Jordan (Jordan Koch), Miguel (Miguel Puga), and Ken (Ken Mu).
 * This is the second episode where Clyde takes off his glasses, as well as the first where his eyes are seen.
 * The title of this episode refers to the fact that Lincoln and Clyde are waiting for Chandler to give them invitations to his birthday.
 * This is the first episode to show a character's birthday, although, it was not a main character.
 * In the Hebrew version, whenever a character says "root beer", it's changed to "soda", or "soda cups".
 * The arcade in this episode looks like the actual arcade which was seen in the episodes "Ties That Bind", and "A Novel Idea".
 * Moral:
 * Real friends like you for who you are, not for the things you have.
 * Don't take advantage of your friends and/or family.

Errors

 * In one scene, Lincoln extends his arm, and puts his hand on Clyde's shoulder, but part of his arm is not drawn.
 * In one scene, Clyde has no eyebrows.
 * Possible: Clyde went to Chandler's birthday with a hazmat suit, but he returned from it to Gus' Games and Grub using his normal outfit. It is possible he went to his house to change clothes, and then goes to the pizza arcade.
 * When Lori is hugging Lincoln at the end of the episode, her eyelashes are missing.
 * When Chandler asks for a half meatball half pepperoni pizza, Lincoln brings a pepperoni pizza.

Running Gags

 * Chandler calling Lincoln "Larry".
 * Clyde mentioning the bobblehead pig.
 * Lincoln asking Lori to give him free stuff.
 * Chandler asking Lincoln and Clyde to give him things.
 * Clyde avoiding Lori.

El Juego de Esperar Выжидательная тактика The Waiting Game The Waiting Game