As an SE, I do know that for the most part, i do get asked in the first run through the cabin.

I had an SD move me and a (non status) colleague up front a few flights back, and I did get first dibs. My colleague obviously didn't get the J meal, but they did give him something off the BoB menu, which was nice.

When I flew back with my girlfriend, I did leverage my status to make sure they took her order at the same time as mine. (She was on a J reward ticket, I was upgraded... they still asked me first).

OTOH, I flew YOW->YVR a few weeks back, with 13 other SEs up front (MP run) so in that case, she just went by row.