Amsterdam can't limit TikTok famous french fry shop's line to less than 10 people: court

Amsterdam can’t limit a very popular french fry store’s line of waiting customers to ten or fewer people, the court said in a provisional ruling in summary proceedings filed by the TikTok-famous Fabel Friet. The city did not make sufficiently clear how limiting the line would improve the living environment on Runstraat, and Fabel Friet is already taking measures to limit crowds, the court said. With the busy tourist season just about to start, Fabel Friet’s interests outweigh the city’s in this case, the court ruled.

Fabel Friet on Runstraat quickly became social-media famous with its photogenic french fries with decadent toppings like truffle mayonnaise and parmesan cheese. The shop often has long queues of people out the door, sometimes reaching the bridge on Keizersgracht.

According to Amsterdam, the long queues deteriorate locals’ living experience and the city receives many complaints. 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.

Fabel Friet called that additional restriction “unworkable,” arguing that it already takes measures to manage the crowds and that the Amsterdam city center would be crowded with or without its line. The shop’s lawyer also pointed out that closing a cash register would only increase the queue of people waiting to place their orders. So while it may make one queue shorter, it’ll only make another one longer and not solve anything.

The preliminary relief judge ruled in Fabel Friet’s favor. The court said it counted in Fabel Friet’s favor that it is in good contact with the local authorities and “has shown that it is prepared to take all kinds of measures outside the prescribed regulations.”

The court pointed out that Fabel Friet has hired four crowd managers who ensure the queue is orderly and doesn’t block the road. The shop cleans up the waste in its area every day, including waste that does not belong to it. Fabel Friet is also willing to take additional measures required by the municipality as long as they’re workable and enforceable.

“Since the [city] has not sufficiently substantiated why the additional regulation will benefit the living environment and safety in Runstraat, and given the measures taken and the willingness of the applicant to cooperate in limiting as much nuisance as possible,” the preliminary relief judge ruled in favor of Fabel Friet.