Brief
Amsterdam residents sue over TikTok‑famous chip shop’s licence
Nineteen locals allege the popular fry stall creates litter, noise and a rat problem in the exclusive Runstraat area.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Residents of Amsterdam’s upscale Runstraat neighbourhood have filed a court case to block the licence of Fabel Friet, a chip shop that became a TikTok sensation, the Guardian reported.
What happened
The dispute centres on the shop’s small premises on Runstraat, where a queue often stretches across the nearby Keizersgracht bridge. Neighbours say the queue creates litter, attracts gulls and rats, and leaves mayonnaise stains on historic stone doorsteps. Nineteen residents have formally protested the business licence, and the case was heard in a packed courtroom on Tuesday morning.
What the reports add
The Guardian notes that the lead plaintiff, Niek van der Heijden, argues the “TikTok queue” causes the most nuisance because customers wait, order and eat on the street. He says the business should move to a larger location where indoor service is possible. The article also records that Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, can refuse a licence if the “residential and living environment” is harmed, a point acknowledged by a city‑council lawyer during the hearing.
What was said
Thomas van Leeuwen, a nearby resident, told the court, “We are in a kind of war where a very unwelcome chip shop has polluted the whole area.” He added that eating in the street is “shameful behaviour” that leaves “filthy food on our doorsteps and mayonnaise in the beautiful stone.”
Niek van der Heijden said, “What we call the ‘TikTok queue’ for Fabel Friet causes the most nuisance… We want Fabel to go to a place where there is enough room to have clients inside.”
The shop’s owners, Abel Klatser and Floris Feilzer, responded through lawyer Gertjan Teeuwen, stating they employ a cleaning service four times a day, seven days a week, and that visitor numbers fell 23 % in August after opening four new locations. Teeuwen said, “A few neighbours have experienced nuisance, but other people enjoy eating chips.”
How it came about
Fabel Friet’s rise to fame began when TikTok videos of its parmesan‑topped fries with truffle mayonnaise went viral, drawing crowds to the narrow Runstraat street. The resulting congestion and waste prompted the neighbourhood association to lodge a formal protest, leading to the current court hearing. The city council’s acknowledgement of the mayor’s authority to revoke the licence frames the legal question of whether the shop’s operation can continue under existing conditions.
Key facts
- Nineteen neighbours have formally protested the licence of Fabel Friet. (theguardian.com)
- The shop’s signature product is fries topped with parmesan cheese and truffle mayonnaise. (theguardian.com)
- Owner‑lawyer Gertjan Teeuwen says the shop employs a cleaning service four times daily, seven days a week. (theguardian.com)
- Visitor numbers dropped 23 % in August after the owners opened four new locations. (theguardian.com)
- Mayor Femke Halsema can refuse a licence if the residential environment is negatively affected. (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “‘We are in a kind of war’: row over viral Amsterdam chip shop lands in court”
