Trendy or troublesome? TikTok queues and house prices: a difference-in-differences analysis of Fabel Friet in Amsterdam

Long queues at viral TikTok (food) shops have become a growing urban phenomenon, yet their effects on housing markets remain underexplored. This paper examines the case of Fabel Friet, a fries shop in Amsterdam that experienced a sharp rise in demand following viral TikTok videos. The resulting TikTok-induced queues can exceed an hour and cause substantial pavement congestion. Using housing transaction data and a difference-in-differences approach, the analysis shows that increased proximity to the queues is associated with lower local house prices. Specifically, the results show that houses within 500 metres of the queues sold at an estimated 4.88% discount relative to the reference group. This finding is consistent with the queues being perceived as a local disamenity.