Amsterdam residents take viral chip shop licence dispute to court

Residents of an Amsterdam neighbourhood have taken the city to court over a licence granted to a chip shop that became popular on TikTok. Nineteen neighbours have protested against Fabel Friet, whose fries are served with toppings including parmesan and truffle mayonnaise. They say queues outside the small shop on Runstraat obstruct the street and cause litter, noise and other disruption.

Residents told the court that visitors wait, eat and linger in the public space around the shop. They also blamed the crowds for attracting gulls and rats. Lead plaintiff Niek van der Heijden said the business should move to a location with enough room for customers inside.

A lawyer for Amsterdam’s city council said the mayor can refuse a licence if a business harms the residential and living environment. She said the shop complied with requirements to manage queues and clear litter, but acknowledged that the impact remained serious. The owners, Abel Klatser and Floris Feilzer, said they employed a cleaning service seven days a week, four times daily.

Their lawyer said visitor numbers fell by 23 per cent in August after the business opened four new locations. The dispute has become an example of concerns over “viral urbanism”, in which social-media attention brings large crowds to small urban spaces. Lisa-Bobbie Kamp, a lawyer for the residents, said the case concerned who could use public space and how it should be managed.

Some city figures have argued that tourism benefits Amsterdam. Councillor Rogier Havelaar said the shop might be better suited to a larger flagship location but warned that tourism supports 70,000 jobs. The court is due to issue its ruling on November 12.

The case concerns the shop’s location and licence rather than tourism across the city.