Since we are Preferred/President's Club, we never have to stop at the counter inside the airport, but go directly to the parking garage. There is a kiosk in the parking garage that is staffed, with two windows, one for Preferred members.
We have never waited, but almost always walked directly up to the window to pick up keys, the contract, and show our driver's license. It's also here we ask if we want to request something other than the car they have assigned to us.
We fly in from Denmark, so the earliest we've ever arrived is after 6 pm, and the latest was almost midnight, with lots of arrivals between 8-10 pm. So I'm not sure how the queue is at earlier times of the day.
Susan