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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think the words gone mad or am I just boring?

131 replies

IceWhites · 27/01/2024 10:00

There’s a man who owns a jacket potato van in Tamworth town centre called Spudman. Recently gone viral on TikTok- and his jacket potatoes are now selling over a 1000/2000 a day! Obvs pleased for him making money while business lasts- but people have been queuing up for a jacket potato cheese and beans for hours every day.

Anyway, friend messaged this morning and she’s taken her nephew to his van. They left at 5am, the jacket potato van doesn’t open til 9/10- and when they got there there was already 30 people in the queue. She’s just messaged to say there’s now over 500 people in the queue? For a jacket potato?

The world I think has just gone mad. I know it’s a TikTok trend but it’s beyond belief. She said the queue is over 4 hours long now that’s longer than a ride at Alton Towers!

OP posts:

InAnotherLifetimeMaybe · 27/01/2024 12:42

Well said @HaddawayAndShite

roundtable · 27/01/2024 12:40

RainbowZebraWarrior · 27/01/2024 10:44

I'm with you. This is utter madness as he even admits ro going to bookers and just buying massive plastic tubs of toppings. I was expecting it to be really different / gourmet.

I used to be a chef in a seaside fish shack restaurant. Folk would queue 3 hours for our food. It was different though - everything made from scratch and high end ingredients. We featured in the Observer and Jay Rayner called us his new favourite place. The difference being the quality / surroundings etc and nobody else was doing what we did.

Don't understand people becoming obsessed with something totally everyday and ordinary.

Was it The Company Shed? Being nosy - you dont have to tell me!

HaddawayAndShite · 27/01/2024 12:34

ExtraOnions · 27/01/2024 10:55

If that’s the best thing you can think of doing on a Saturday, you need to take a good hard look at yourself.

And slagging people off on the internet is a grand old life aye?

usernother · 27/01/2024 11:54

InAnotherLifetimeMaybe · 27/01/2024 10:04

I've just seen this on tik tok

Who wants lunch at 10am though! And there's no way his van can hold enough stock for that huge queue

At 10 a.m on the weekend, it's breakfast.

Heatherbell1978 · 27/01/2024 11:52

I overheard a mum the other day saying she 'had' to buy a Stanley cup for her 7 year old that cost £75. That and everything about the Prime thing that had parents queuing at Aldi at 6am for a disgusting drink makes me think that like you, the world has gone mad or I just don't get it.

BusyMummyWrites01 · 27/01/2024 11:50

The world has gone mad. I love a good jacket potato, but you can make one at home in less time than the 4 hour queue!!

Davros · 27/01/2024 11:47

It doesn't say "world's" it says "word's". I thought it was going to be about use of certain terms. I still enjoyed the thread once I realised it was a mistake in the title

Jovacknockowitch · 27/01/2024 11:46

Ikeawarrior · 27/01/2024 10:19

Is it like that chippy in Wigan or wherever it was? I think it's just the novelty, isn't it?

There was an ice cream in our local area that was like this. It was all over social media and people would queue for hours for what was basically a Mr Whippy with some sauce in a takeaway tray with some haribo plonked on the top. Oh and pay £5 for the privilege. Meanwhile you could get a much nicer tub of Ben and Jerry's cheaper and easier.

Dunno about Wigan - there was Binley Mega Chippy - that's near Coventry. My cousin took her two boys there on an outing to prove her sheep like credentials :)

saltnvini · 27/01/2024 11:45

IceWhites · 27/01/2024 10:22

Why is it clickbaity? It’s a site where you can post what you want. It was mainly a discussion about certain trends and how bizarre they are.

Show quote history

"The world's gone mad" and then you open it and it's just you "being confused" about a potato stand

ZeroFucksGivenToday · 27/01/2024 11:42

Meh. Each to their own. My DD(10) doesn't have TikTok but sees plenty on YT shorts.

I had a miserable upbringing with miserable parents, and I missed out on everything.

If my DD wants to do something and it won't be mega stupid or cost ridiculous money, then why not. She has a busy active life with sport, does everything she should homework wise etc, so wasting a day doing something now and again is fine.

There was a petrol station in Sheffield that had so many American sweets. Multiple flavoured popcorn, slushies etc. Was all over the internet. She wanted to go. It was an hours drive, so she took some pocket money and a grabbed a few of her mates and we went. Cost me petrol and she loved it.

same with the Stanley cup. She's asked for one for her birthday. She knows what her budget is and if she wants that as part of it then that's fine.

I think this guy has taken off for now, he's doing something great with it, and in a few months he will look back and laugh at how mad it was for a bit. He's not hurting anyone and trying to do something good with it.

MasterBeth · 27/01/2024 11:42

MrsSkylerWhite · 27/01/2024 10:37

Nothing beats a proper baked spud, microwave just doesn’t cut it. Lots of people can’t afford to run their oven for up to 1 1/2 hours now, so maybe that explains some of it?
Not my cup of tea, queuing for hours, but each to their own.

How much do you think it costs to run your oven for an hour?! Not a fiver!

MasterBeth · 27/01/2024 11:36

Workwhat · 27/01/2024 10:15

I wouldn't do it but whatever, it's not harming people. I think people act like trends and crazes are a social media age thing, but there has always things like this.

I can't really hate in people looking for a bit of fun and joy tbh. I don't think it's a sign of the world going mad.

Ok, I'll bite...

Where is the fun and joy in queuing for four hours for a bog standard baked potato?

the80sweregreat · 27/01/2024 11:35

I'm sure I've seen a spud u like somewhere , but it's not close to where I live
They have spud places in shopping malls cafeteria areas , but it's usually disappointing

Willmafrockfit · 27/01/2024 11:34

i think it is a covid effect,
travelling food vans still fashionable
perhaps

JMSA · 27/01/2024 11:33

I don't like cheese <grabs coat>

piscofrisco · 27/01/2024 11:33

I also follow this spud van. And I also just don't get it. It seems a common or garden jacket potato to me. I'm sure it's nice and that but really?

User373433 · 27/01/2024 11:32

There has been similar trends with a traveling ice cream van that did trays of Mr whippy with toppings, that toured the country and had locations posted, and also that chippy in Wigan. I knew of people that drove for miles to a bog standard chippy they said because their kids were pleading to go, some spent a whole day travel to get there. Personally I would never agree to queue or waste what could be a decent day out on a trend like this, instead of travelling for a day trip to somewhere more interesting but I suppose it's better than Costa or McDonald's trends, at least these ones support small businesses.

InAnotherLifetimeMaybe · 27/01/2024 11:31

Any old onion!

Willmafrockfit · 27/01/2024 11:30

InAnotherLifetimeMaybe · 27/01/2024 11:29

With red onion, perfect!👌

Show quote history

spring onion, is that ok?

DuchessOfSausage · 27/01/2024 11:30

RabbitsRock · 27/01/2024 11:25

Are the spud u like shops still in existence?

No, but there's Home - SpudULike (spudulikebyjamesmartin.com)

Davros · 27/01/2024 11:30

I remember Spud-U-Like fondly. Haven't seen one for ages.
Now I've had to google Stanley Cup and I was disappointed. I was expecting a rare trophy!
Not far from us there's a crêpe van that always has a queue. Sometimes you can see 20 or so people queuing! I don't bother, especially as Nutella is king, revolting stuff

Todaysproblem · 27/01/2024 11:30

Here’s a list of all the foods I would queue up for: