On a related matter. The 737 Classic and NG FCTM states thrust levers should be opened to approx 40 percent N1 and a slight delay not more than two seconds to check equal power, before pressing TOGA for the autothrottle.
My estimation from observing hundreds of take off's in the simulator is that most pilots open up the thrust levers to well beyond half way up the quadrant (the old stand 'em up policy required of the JTD8D engines) and then as the N1 passes rapidly through 40 percent, they hit TOGA. Certainly the engines are never allowed to stabilise momentarily at 40 percent N1. It is almost as if they are attempting to "hurry up" the acceleration with rapid thrust lever movement. I can never understand what they are attempting to achieve because certainly their technique is not the Boeing way. Maybe they are just impatient or perhaps they cannot be bothered to read the FCTM?
Different story on the 737-200 series where the JT8D engine requires a specific EPR setting before the throttles are full advanced to take off EPR. That specific initial EPR setting for stabilisation is 1.6 EPR or close enough and that requires a throttle setting half way up the quadrant. Hence the term "Stand them up."