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

[IceWhites]

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!

Social media definitely plays a massive part, but fads like this have been around forever.

Like Tulipmania in the 17th century.

Or Glass Delusion

Love a good jacket but this is just madness.

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

There is a guy who just opened a baked potato business in my town as well. It must be a thing atm.

A few years ago as Tik Tok was starting to get big I experienced something similar

People were travelling for miles to visit a place that did multiple flavours of slush puppies. To be fair on Tik Tok the store looked massive and really impressive.

In reality I knew that it wasn’t quite the case - it is the tiny petrol station shop of a garage in Ibrox in Glasgow. Not that exotic or exciting a place, unless you support Rangers. But nonetheless people were driving up from everywhere just to get a slush puppy from this garage

Those of us that were local thought it was hilarious

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

But isn't that the point, they don't have anything better to do. I'm dicking about on MNs so can't judge

Also on the baked potato thing, I have seen videos of Americans experiencing it for the first time and being amazed with it. They are even crediting some other American Tik Tok-er for coming up with the concept of a baked potato, cheese and beans 🙄

Of course the comments from Brits are hilarious, especially when they use American version of beans which are certainly not Heinz!

People these days are such sheep….. it would make you question yourself though and anyone who is not a sheep is almost seen as an outsider as if you are the odd one….. your friend was probably doing it because her nephew wanted to though otherwise what clown would stand in a queue for more than 15mins waiting for a bloody jacket potato no matter how good it was

But why ‘these days’?
People have always been sheep. It’s how we’re wired.

People have been queuing outside Betty’s in York for decades (iyswim. The queue is long but not that long) despite there being plenty of equally good or better places in York to get a cream tea.

I bet good old Bettys queue would be similiar on the days they gave away free cakes...

A fool and his money are soon parted
People will buy anything featured on SM; emperors new clothes, so good luck to those selling the new clothes

You can still be part of something without being daft or doing something dodgy (like buying anti-aging cream for a child).

Having seen the updates that he is giving them away for charity puts a different shine on it. Wouldn't queue for hours for a free spud though, but would go along to show support maybe.

It's all for likes innit
You could do jacket spud with cheese and beans at home for about 50 pence each.
It's nice that he's doing a fundraiser for charity but come on, who the hell is going to come all the way from Australia for a jacket potato?
Nobody with mor than one brain cell is my guess!!

Reading this thread has reminded me of Cuckoo

I am also now craving a jack-et po-ta-to and will be having one for lunch!

I would rather he was earning the money rather than McDonald's etc . Sounds like he's donating to charity too.

Well done to him

@Mothership4two but lots of people are daft though! Is that a surprise?

This post actually raises a good point (although not the one the OP has mentioned)

On TV adverts for children are really tightly monitored and regulated. Surely we need something similar for the likes of TikTok, where influencers and brands are free to beam whatever products into childrens eyes 24/7.

There's a jacket potato van in my local high street and it's very popular. Apparently they are good.

@Catza I agree with you

See also, paying £££ for match tickets, instead of watching for free at home. People pay for the shated experience

But, canned chilli? Bleurgh

I normally do this and then cheese on top of the beans too. The cheese under melts into the butter and potatoes so you get extra cheesyness!

Good luck to him. People are bonkers though queuing like that for something you can easily make at home.
Slow cooker baked spuds are the tastiest I find.

You can knock this up at home !
However, like the chip shop that went viral last year , I hope the owners make lots of money and do well as small businesses are always up against it I can imagine

How about children are just kept off tik tok to start with?

It's not for them

It's FOMO in action.
I like a baked tatties as much as the next person, but it's mad to be that bothered about a particular tattie from a particular van!

Its part of the fun of these viral videos, joining in with the queue and being part of something "famous".

You should check out Keith Lee. He makes a living now just doing food reviews on tiktok. And tends to choose quiet and struggling places. Video goes up and boom, line out the door.

You might think it's strange or like a cult but I'm all for supporting local, and if Keith Lee says it's good, it is