Amsterdam limits french fry shop's line after TikTok had people queueing down the street

Fabel Friet, a small french fry shop on Runstraat in Amsterdam, has become so popular due to social media fame that the municipality has imposed extra requirements in its new operating permit. No more than ten people can wait in line for their order. If the line becomes longer, the fry shop must close a cash register to sell less. Fabel Friet called the rule unworkable and took the city to court to overturn it, Parool reported after the hearing.

Fabel Friet gained a great deal of popularity on social media like TikTok and Instagram with its fries and decadent toppings like truffle mayonnaise or Parmesan cheese. The shop often has long queues of people out the door, sometimes reaching the bridge on Keizersgracht. That sounds great for business. But according to Fabel Friet, it might be its downfall due to the city’s new rules.

According to Parool, at least 77 people who live near Fabel Friet have filed complaints about the many people waiting at the restaurant. The municipality, therefore, decided to limit the shop’s queue in its new operating permit. A maximum of ten people who have ordered can wait for their food. If more people order, Fabel Friet must close its second cash register so that it can take fewer orders and the kitchen can keep up. There are no restrictions on the queue of people who still have to order.

Fabel Friet’s lawyer called it an “unworkable rule.” The company “has taken many measures to prevent nuisance,” including hiring crowd managers to manage the queue, making sure that the queue does not block the road, and simplifying its menu so that orders can be processed more quickly. The company also cleans up all waste in the area, even though more than half does not come from Fabel Friet, the lawyer said. Amsterdam city center is crowded, regardless of Fabel Friet’s operations, the lawyer said.

Floris Feilzer of Fabel Friet asked the court to at least increase the line limit to 20, calling a higher number “more workable.”

The city acknowledged Fabel Friet’s efforts. “They are indeed doing their best, but it remains a major burden on the neighborhood,” the municipality’s lawyer said in court. The lawyer said that locals want the city to revoke the shop’s permit completely. Some plan to appeal against the new operating permit. One local said that Fabel Friet’s customers “seriously disturbed the living environment” by queueing down the street and then eating their fries on homes’ porches.

The court will rule next week.