‘We are in a kind of war’: row over viral Amsterdam chip shop lands in court

Amsterdam neighbors have taken the city to court over a chip shop that has gone viral on TikTok, causing traffic congestion, litter, rat infestations, and a perceived war in their picturesque neighborhood. The narrow street in one of Amsterdam's most exclusive districts has become clogged with tourists, delivery vehicles, and gulls waiting to swoop for food scraps.

Nineteen residents have formally protested the business license for Fabel Friet, whose signature dish is parmesan cheese and truffle mayonnaise-topped fries. The lead plaintiff, Niek van der Heijden, argues that the "TikTok queue" for the shop is the primary nuisance. While the city acknowledges that the mayor can refuse a license if a business negatively impacts the residential environment, they acknowledge that the issue has persisted for a long time.

The shop's owners maintain that they take extensive measures to manage the crowd and keep the area clean, despite the shop's year-on-year visitor numbers dropping by 23% since opening four new locations. The case goes beyond general tourism irritations, as neighbors contend that the tiny street is not designed to accommodate large crowds.

Some experts note that the municipality should consider how to act concerning public space, as older retail areas have lost local clients to the viral urbanism of social media influencers. Amsterdam's Christian Democratic Appeal party councillor Rogier Havelaar suggests that the benefits of tourism to the city should not be overlooked, despite the concerns raised by the neighborhood residents.